NATIONAL ORIGINS PROVISION OF IMMIGRATION LAW 113 The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution has more than 20,000 members, from every State in the Union, and among its members are the President of the United States, the Vice President, the President elect, and five Cabinet officers, together with many Senators and Representatives, and also men who are active in the business, political, and social life of the Nation. Nor is the membership confined to men of high position and wealth, for there are many thousands who are in the every-day walks of life. This society was organized some 40 years ago to perpetuate the memory of those men who took part in the Revolutionary War, and later it was chartered by the Congress of the United States. At the time of its organization the emphasis was placed upon the marking of historic spots, the research of historical data, the preservation of historical data, and the celebration of the anniversaries of prominent men and events of the Revolution. But some score of years ago many thinking men of this society felt that there was a much more definite and important matter to be considered. It was apparent that the vast hordes of foreigners who were crowding into this country from nearly all parts of the world were having a far-reaching and marked effect on the prin- ciples and ideals that originated and promulgated at the time of the framing of the Constitution. It was felt that these principles were sound and lasting and that the men who brought them into being must have had a wonderful inspiration and a deep knowledge of what a lasting government should be, not for a hundred vears or so out for a thousand if adhered to. It became apparent to our organization that certain elements that were coming into this country from foreign counties, with their tra- ditions of a thousand years deeply inbedded in their races, tradi- tions of a vastly different kind than that of our Government and not in harmony with the principles of the forefathers, and that gradually by methods, political and otherwise, they were making deep inroads into-our constitution and the revered traditions of the great men of the end of the eighteenth century. There was nothing un- aatural in this, but it was a fact to be recognized and met, and the members of our society felt that the descendants of these men who framed the Constitution should have the right to protest and work against this dangerous situation and find some wav, if possible. to remedy the condition. First, a far-reaching work was done in educating the immigrant who was already here but is seemed that this was not the root of the matter but that it was necessary to go to the source of the trouble and restrict immigration, and when the bill for this restriction was before Congress in 1924 our officers worked in close harmony with the com- mittee in Congress to assist in enacting the present law, and it was felt that a great stride had been made toward a partial solution of the problem. At the time, I will say frankly that members of our com- mittee were not absolutely convinced on the question of the national origins clause, but they have studied it carefully and thoughtfully and now have reached the conclusion that this is the best possible way to carry out the immigration quotas. Our National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution feel that as the oldest patriotic organization but one in this country; that