Speech #890138312

It refused those ready to share our prospects and our perils. It mocked our Founding Fathers. those who set our standards of decency and dignity. those who saw all men equal as created by their God. This inequity of 40 years ago was compounded by the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952. This codified the restrictions of the twenties--and confirmed the quota system. Today. we are correcting that misconception of Americas purpose. I have worked for it throughout the 15 years I have been a Senator. I worked for it not only because the quota system was an injustice to the worthy. wouldbe immigrantand I am the son of immigrants. I worked for it because I am a Senator of the United States--and it is an injustice to my country to turn away the clean of heart. the sound of mind. the strong of body. the soul stirred by the adventure and opportunity that America means. I have worked constantly. continuously. consistently. to make our immigration laws speak the true spirit of America without inviting to our shores more people than we know we can afford to welcome. Mine was no lonely stand. I have served under five Presidents of these United States. Each of them. with a responsibility higher than mine. an understanding deeper than mine. and an authority greater than mine. has pressed for this triumph of justice. This is a great hour for President Harry Truman. He called the quota system "at variance with American idealsout of dateinvidious discrimination" and in June 1952 he vetoed the act of 1952. It was passed over his veto. It is an hour of satisfaction for President Eisenhower. In 1952. in his state of the Union message. he said of our immigration laws: Existing legislation contains injustices. It does. in fact. discriminate. I am therefore requesting Congress to review this legislation and to enact a statute which will at one and the same time guard our legitimate national interest and be faithful to our basic ideas of freedom and fairness to all. Again in 1956. President Eisenhower addressed the Congress on immigration. saying: The national origins method needs to be reexamined and a new system adopted which will admit aliens within allowable numbers according to new guidelines and standards. We did not have to wait for John F. Kennedy to be elevated to the White House to know his mind in this matter. and President Lyndon B.