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