National origins provision of immigration law

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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

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Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Statement of Demarest Lloyd, representing delegation of patriotic societies, Washington, D.C.

Collection:: Economics Books

30 NATIONAL ORIGINS PROVISION OF IMMIGRATION LAW The Cuammax. I suggest, then, Mr. Lloyd, that you proceed. Mr. Lroyp. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, the immigration act of 1924 was widely regarded as America’s second declaration of independence. But the Nation has not yet been able to obtain the great benefits which® were intended. The national- origins provision, that vital and fundamental portion which settles the vexed question of quota apportionment, settles it in a way which is fair to every nation, and therefore bids fair to be permanent. has twice been postponed. As we see it, those postponements have not been because there was anything the matter with national origins or because Congress was opposed to it. We feel and we believe, we can show, that those postponements have been due to a widespread misunderstanding which had its origin and inspiration, or, rather, were caused by directly and indirectly what we call “hyphenated propaganda.” I I use that word advisably. It is a hard word. I use it advisedly. We are prepared to show photostatic copies of documents of secret organizations with alien purposes which a long time ago began to agitate on this question. What we want is the law as it stands. We are not asking for any change. What we have got now under this great law is only a tem- porary, makeshift arrangement. We do not like it because of its arbitrary and discriminatory features. Senator Reep. You refer to the 1890 basis? Mr. Lion. I refer to the 1890 foreign-born basis, which is now temporarily in operation. It is not a thing that looks as if it would stand up, because, being discriminatory, it 1s open to violent attacks. We feel it will not constitute a settlement of the nestion, and that this great and important subject will be a bone of contention, with danger to the cause of restriction and danger to the whole country for many years to come. The Cramrman. Why? Mr. Lrovp. Sir, if the 1890 basis is discriminatory, it will be open: to the charge of discrimination, and I believe that that is more of a load than any restriction law can carry. Any law to restrict immigration into this country has to stand up against terrific pres- sure, and a law which is discriminatory will have the added disad- vantage of being open to the accusation of being unfair and, there- fore, it will have two kinds of opponents: It will have the out-and- out sort of alien-minded antirestrictionists, and it will also have indi- vidualistic and fair-minded people who will say this thing is quite wrong as it discriminates against this European nation in favor of that one; and the whole cause of restriction will be weakened thereby. Senator Reep. It has already been attacked on that ground. Mr. Lrovp. Yes, sir. I have a statement, which I would like to come back later and make, if I might. But at any rate I have speeches made in the last campaign in which the present 1890 basis was violently attacked before a meeting of Italians because, as the speaker said, that census was picked out “because it discriminated against you people.” And the same thing can be said about other nations; and we feel that there is more of a strain than the immigra- tien laws can stand, to be up against—the alien pressure for anti- restriction plus an accusation of unfairness.

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