National origins provision of immigration law

Bibliographic data

Monograph

Identifikator:: 1796380105

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-196168

Document type:: Monograph

Title:: National origins provision of immigration law

Place of publication:: Washington

Publisher:: Gov. Pr. Off.

Year of publication:: 1929

Scope:: III, 171 S

Digitisation:: 2022

Collection:: Economics Books

Usage license:: Get license information via the feedback formular.

Chapter

Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Statement of Edward R. lewis, chairman executive committee, Immigration Restriction Legislation, Chicago, Ill.

Collection:: Economics Books

NATIONAL ORIGINS PROVISION OF IMMIGRATION LAW 89 My. Lewis. I do not know. My people have been here so long that { do not know. I was talking here with a gentleman from the Amer- «can Legion just before we started, and he said that he thinks he and Admiral Barry are connected about eight generations back, and probably English or Welsh. "Senator Kine. As you are of Welsh origin, I congratulate you, be- cause they are a most brilliant people. Mr. Lewis. I am Welsh and English. Senator King. I was going to ask you, assuming you are Welsh, 1o you think that the addition to our country of your fathers’ Welsh blood was a disadvantage to our unity and to our cultural and polit- ical unity, our cultural development and political development? Mr. Lewrs. I do not know, Senator King. Could you say that of the Germans, English, or Irish? Mr. Lewis. I can not say that of any individual or group of indi- viduals. I am not going to leave the committee in doubt. I do not want to criticize any race. Their bloods are good, and the people are good. and you select your individuals—I simply say that a nation’s success—I do not want to get back on this, because I think the whole ~ommittee is agreed on restrictions—the Nation’s success depends upon people being a unity, having a common opinion as a basis for law and population. I do not care how good the people are or what race they come from. I say introduce too many newcomers, so that in 50 years your population is largely new, you are going to upset your political base. The Cuammax. I am not clear what you mean by “unity ” of these people—unity of what? Senator Kine (interposing). You do not mean unity of religion, ("atholics, for instance, do you? Mr. Lewis. Oh, no. Senator King. Mere political views or economic views? Mr. Lewis. No; but General Pershing put it pretty well in a speech he made in 1921 or 1922. He said “We have no objection to a man of foreign birth or stock who cherishes the love of folk lore. of music, of better traditions, of his native country, or country of origin, but we do object to a man of foreign birth or stock who attempts to decide American questions for foreign reasons.” That is what I mean by “unity ”—unity of reasoning; and I think we have had plenty of evidence of it for the last 12 years in the United States. ‘The CmairMaN. I think that we will all agree to that. It is a wholly undesirable idea to introduce into this country any group or any race, whether they be international bankers or whether they be the poorest immigrants from Italy. who decide questions for us on European ideas. And that is what vou mean bv “unitv?? Mr. Lewis. Yes, sir. The (‘mairMAN. Let me ask you one other question: Do you be- lieve in immigration of those who are ineligible for citizenshin? Mr. Lewis. Why, no; I don’t know———oo Senator Reep. People such as the Chinese, Siamese, Malays? Mr. Liewrs. I think that the Chinese and Japanese restrictions are absolutely essential to our safety. The Crairman. You do believe. then. in the restriction of those ineligible for citizenship?

Access restriction

Copyright

fullscreen: National origins provision of immigration law

Monograph

Chapter

Table of contents

Download

Monograph

Chapter

This page

Image fragment

Citation links

Citation recommendation