NATIONAL ORIGINS PROVISION OF IMMIGRATION LAW 137 
as to the uncertainty of determining the national origins of our popu- 
lation as it was in 1920. } 
The second part of the statement made by the representative of the 
American Legion seems to be very offensive, and to me it seems to be 
likewise offensive. You notice I say “ the representative of the Amer- 
ican Legion ” not the American Legion. I happen to be a member 
of the Legion myself and have two brothers who are members of the 
Legion. So that I have naturally a strong interest, because they are. 
a very powerful organization and very much needed organization, 
and I would not want my remarks to be construed as an attack upom 
the Legion in any way, directly or indirectly. 
The second aspect seemed to be the issue between patriotism and 
slackerism. To me that seems to be a spacious argument, illogical, 
emotional, and inflammatory—does not seem to go to the merits; 
does not seem to me to be a { ndamental argument. It might be one 
that it seems to me would appeal to my emotional mind rather than 
to my rational mind, because it picks out just a certain element, and 
he bases his argument upon that element, when, if we were to place 
ourselves in the position of some of those foreign born in 1920 un- 
doubtedly we would seek the deferred classifications for any reasons 
which they sought it. In the first place, the alien enemies were de- 
ferred as a matter of course, whether they wanted to or not. 
They were deferred, and that was over 300,000, as I understand it; 
and of the remaining 1,400,000, approximately, somewhere around 
300,000 sought deferred classification, it may be they say on the 
ground that they were aliens; there may be other reasons which 
prompted them; it may have been marriage, it may have been phys: 
ical disabilities, although the fact they are aliens may have been the 
first thing that came to their minds. There have been other consider- 
ations which might have brought about a great many of the deferred 
classification. But, ignoring that completely, assuming everything 
that the representative said is correct, it seems to me it is illogical 
and does not appear to be quite relevant to a discussion of anything 
of a fundamental question like national origins or a definite policy 
with reference to our restriction of immigration or with reference to 
our immigration policy in general. 
That should also embrace a consideration of the percentage of 
Americans who sought deferred classification; and it should also 
embrace a comparison of those who were given deferred classifica- 
tion because of the necessities of the country at the time ; the fact that 
the draft was a benefit to the country, in that they could muster men 
into the service from time to time as facilities would permit; that 
an overcrowding of men in the service was undesirable and did prove 
from a practical angle to be dangerous, in that they did not have the 
camps and the various places for housing the men, and many other 
HRS ations which you gentlemen are more acquainted with than 
myself. 
There are any number of reasons—the Government did not call 
men in who could do better service at home. They did not want 
married men; and I agree with the Government that the married men 
were more use at home than in the service; they were of more use 
taking care of wife and children than going into the service. And 
what 1s patriotism is also a question of fact: the best way it should