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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Chapter

Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Statement of col. John Thomas Taylor, representing the American Legion, Washington, D.C.

Collection:: Economics Books

76 NATIONAL ORIGINS PROVISION, OF IMMIGRATION LAW (4) During the World War 2,000,000 persons resident in America of foreign birth, claimed exemption under the draft because of their alienage. Yet, should we continue to base our quotas upon the for- sign-born population, the countries of which these slackers are natives would be allowed to send additional immigrants to America on their account, although no account would be taken in immigration quotas of the native-born Americans who responded so admirably to the call of their country. Page 90, table 23, of the second report of the provost marshal general, 1919, shows that 1,703,000 aliens were registered in the draft up to September 11, 1918. Page 452 of the same book, paragraphs E and F, shows that 914,950 aliens were deferred and exempted because of their alienage. These were: Alien enemy exempted, 334,949; resident alien, not enemy, claim: ing exemption, 580,003; total, 914,952. This was more than one-half—to be exact, 53 per cent—of those registered, claimed exemption, or were exempted or placed in a deferred classification because of their alienage. and were never called. What better argument for the national-origins provision could be advanced ¢ The issue can be brought squarely between patriotism and slacker- ism—shall slackerism be represented in selecting our immigrants over patriotism ? The American Legion has more than 860,000 members and our auxiliary 350,000 members. We number within our membership all races, creeds, and nationalities. Tt is a cross-cut of the Nation. We are not the advocates of immigration from any special nation or oroups of nations, but we emphatically uphold the theory underly- ing the national-origins provisions, which 1s that immigration quotas based upon the entire population of the nation is not only the fairest method for selecting immigrants but is the most certain method of retaining for the future the blend of population and racial mixtures as they exist in America to-day. The national-origins provision is a part of the basis law of the act of 1924. The temporary basing of the quotas upon the census of 1890 was an arbitrary expedient placed in the law until such time as—and only until—the national-origins provisions could become effective. This required additional study in order to determine the quotas which would be provided under it. The charge has been made that national origins as a basis for quota immigration is unworkable. Nothing could be further from the truth than this statement. The Congress can set up arbitrary quotas for any foreign countries, regardless of population and census fig- ares—can chose immigrants or exclude them as it sces fit. Any system of selecting immigrants based upon the foreign-born population at any particular period is open to the charge of dis- crimination, and justly so. But to base these quotas upon the na- tional origins of the entire nation, can not be open to the charge of discrimination, for under such a plan the newest immigrant coming to our shores stands upon the same footing as the descendants of those who came here 300 vears ago and founded this Nation in the wilderness.

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