America remembers Senator Benton best as one who was unwilling to be silent about the tough issues of the early 1950s. There was all too little interest in civil rights legislation. yet his first major speech in the Senate supported Fair Employment Practices Commission legislation. Liberalized immigration legislation was unpopular. yet he actively opposed restrictive portions of the Immigration Act which he felt discriminated against the people of Eastern and Southern Europe. Despite the obvious political risks. he was one of the most courageous of Senators in opposing the late Senator Joseph McCarthy. The interests and concerns of Bill Ben- ton were as varied and diverse as those of a Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.
Keywords matched
Immigration immigration