Speech #880082238

From these figures. I have prepared a chart which I refer to as chart 12 showIng graphically what I have just introduced. There would be 700.000 fewer workers in the 35to44 age group in 1970 than in 1960 if there were no immigration. But with immigration continuing at present levels. this key age group would be only 300.000 fewer by 1970. The sixth point about the economic implications of immigration is that. by and large. adjustments in the timing of admissions of immigrants with different skills to U.S. employment levels and needs may perhaps best be handled administratively. When we are in short supply of medical technicians. for example. at a particular time and have an adequate supply of machinists. then we should adjust our immigration priorities to admit more medical technicians and temporarily suspend admission of machinists. Australia and Canada. nations which have embarked on ambitious programs of immigration. so administer their immigration. and with remarkable success. J. L. Marion of the Canadian Immigration Office said: I should emphasize that immigration is for Canada an economically stimulating factor and hence we feel that some immigration is desirable even in periods of economic recession although at such times extra care must be taken to insure that the migrants are well qualified and will not enter Into competition with unemployed Canadian workers. Figures provided by the Canadian Labour Congress show that when immigration was high in relation to the labor force. unemployment was low. on the other hand. when immigration was low in relation to the labor force. unemployment was high. Exclusions based on economic as well as social factors. administered flexibly and pragmatically. are justified. But to arbitrarily exclude skilled or gifted persons needed In this Nation merely because he is a Polynesian. a Negro. or an oriental. or because the country of his birth has a small quotaour experience under the 1952 Immigration Act has been precisely thisis to effectuate undemocratic as well as economically wasteful policies. As the New York Times editorialized on July 25. 1963. "each immigrants worth is best judged by personal qualities and skills. not by group stereotypes." One of our oldest and most emotional arguments against changing our Immigration laws is the fear that an increase in the number of Asian immigrants would upset the historical and cultural patterns of American life. An objective examination of the facts dispels this fear as groundless. According to the 1960 census. the population of the United States included 464.332 persons of Japanese ancestry. twentysix onehundredths of 1 percent of the total population. 237.292 persons of Chinese ancestry. thirteen onehundreths of 1 percent. 176.310 persons of Filipino ancestry. nine onehundredths of 1 percent. and 218.089 in a category designated "All others." including persons of Korean.