Speech #890183823

The U.S. Congress. and now I speak only as an individual and for the Congress. in taking this initiative was prompted. among others. by the following principal considerations. First. to provide. outside of the United Nations. for the continuation of the humanitarian work in behalf of the refugees then conducted by the expiring IRO. Second. to provide modern professionally organized methods under which orderly migration. professionally operated. would replace the antiquated. often inhumane. ways in which immigrants. after traveling in steerage from far away lands were dumped on the docks of the port cities of the world. Three. to serve the interests of our sister republics in the Western Hemisphere by enhancing their economic development through a supply of selected European manpower. It is our considered opinion that ICBM has been. and is continuing to discharge its responsibilities in accordance with its constitution. However. in our changing times the problem of European refugees is vastly different from that which confronted us at the end of World War U1. The unsettled conditions of the world. the existence of governmental systems based upon the denial of the free exercise of human rights. the denial of equal opportunity and the refusal to respect the dignity of the individual. all of these bear eloquent testimony to the continuing need for our united effort. Mr. Chairman. may I properly paraphrase the words of one of only two honorary citizens of our great country. the late great Churchill. and say "We are not coming to Geneva. we had not come to Geneva and we are not working in behalf of ICEM in the U.S. Congress to preside over its decline and its dissolution. We want ICEM to live and to discharge fully the task that we have imposed upon it." It is with much pride too that we of the United States today. as has been so eloquently said by the Senator and by the Representative from the House. that we inaugurate a new Immigration law. and it is my opinion that it will be administered in strict accordance not only with the letter but of the spirit in which it became law. It demonstrates once again. if further demonstration be needed among friends. the unselfish nature of our immigration policy. As my good friend Peter said. "We no longer need so desperately. nor do we want to take those skilled people who wish to leave the land of their nativity. to go to lands where there is freedom and opportunity." No. It is not in our own selfinterest that we have supported this great organization through the years. or that we finally and at long last enacted an immigration law. but it was a manifestation of that noble purpose which was ours for so long. Finally. I should like to give a departing thought to the members of this council. again as an individual.