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 Edward R. lewis, chairman executive committee, Immigration Restriction Legislation, Chicago, Ill.

Collection:: Economics Books

88 NATIONAL ORIGINS PROVISION OF IMMIGRATION LAW Mr. Lewrs. Yes, sir; that is largely it. But here is a people that Is not fused. I think it is 36,000,000 of the white population out of the 94,000,000 that are foreign born and the children of foreign born. I do not say a word against their worth or law-abiding character. I think that would be a caddish statement. But it is simply that no country is an ordered unit, or can have order in politics and, I think, even in literature unless the people have lived a long time together and understand each other and have a common basis, and it takes time to get that. We have gone far enough in unstabilizing our population and we need to settle down. I do not know whether we are ready to restrict totally or not. Senator CoreLaNp. You spoke of crime. We are not advised, but do you live in Chicago? Mr. Lewis. Yes, sir—I work in Chicago and live outside. The Crarrman. He lives in a beautiful suburb of Chicago. Senator Kine. Do you believe in standardization of the people of a State so as to have them all of one blood. all one mentality. all one culture ? Mr. Lewis. No, sir. Senator Kine. Do you not think that the introduction of diverse streams of culture and thought and civilization adds to the general welfare and the general culture. Mr. Lewis. Well, sir, I believe a reasonable infusion of that is a good thing. Let us take the principal great countries of Europe— England, Germany, and France, for example. As far as I know, Germany has had very little immigration from any country, and France has had very little immigration from any country. Senator Kine. You know France is composite. It has more than a dozen nationalities there, or the ethnics of it. Mr. Lewis. How long ago did they stop introducing new elements? Senator Kine. They have not stopped it yet. Mr. Lewrs. There is very little immigration into France. Senator Kine. There have been more than 50,000 Armenians introduced into France in the past five years. Mr. Lewis. I do not know about the introduction of Armenians, but since the war there has been infiltration of Italians—not that Italians are bad people, but they are a different people. Senator Kine. But is not your work based upon economical rather than ethnic conditions? Mr. Lewis. If they let too much go on, it will be ethnic, sir. 1 think that the greatest necessity for the Nation is unity, something like fusion, common understanding, like-mindedness. We are in danger of losing our unity by this infiltration or, rather, say, flood— the infiltration of a few individuals is comparatively all right. That will give all the urge of population you want. But when it comes in a flood, so that in the last 30 or 40 vears we have introduced 23,000,000. Senator CopELand. We have no flood now. Mr. Lewis. No. But I was asked by the chairman if I wished total exclusion. I am getting off the subject. I do think this country needs to settle down and unify. Senator Coperanp. Will you ask him what he means by “unity »? Senator Kine. All right. I take it from your name, you are of Welsh origin ?

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