Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-18
TIGHTER CURB ON ALIENS
/. BY u. S. FAVORED BY DOAK
Country Merely Follows Other Nations
Example in So Doing, Says
Labor Secretary.

The speech of Secretary of Labor
Doak on Our immigration Problem, -
delivered last night in the National Ra-
dio Forum, arranged by The Star, and
broadcast over the Nationwide network
of the Columbia Broadcasting system,
follows:
My Radio Friends:
have been requested to speak to you
tonight on the subject of immigration.
q subject which has always been of
vital interest to our people, but which
of late has been more widely discussed
before the committees in Congress and
In many of the public forums through
out the country than ever before. In
recent months it has been proposed
that during the present emergency, es-
pecially, immigration should be sus-
pended altogether. 1t has also been
advocated that a further limitation be
placed on the number OF entrants per,
mitted to come in, so that but small
percentage of the number admissible
under existing laws would be permitted
to enter the country. The question of
further restriction in immigration is
now receiving the attention of the I'm
migration Committee of the Congress.
In late years the need for still
further limitation in immigration has
been apparent to all who are really in
people. whether native or foreign-born.
l am one of those who has always be-
lieved that our first duty is to safe
guard the interests of our own people.
I also believe in the strict enforcement
of our immigration laws, but in a just
and humane way.
Our Government has always given to
those who have entered our gates from
other lands that freedom Of opportunity
and protection Of law that it accords to
its citizens. In return we have asked
only of those admitted that they OBJ
serve our laws. show their faith in our
institutions and maintain a sympathetic
attitude with our form of Government.
Immigrants, from the beginning, have
focked to America to better themselves.
Economic forces rather than political
freedom actuated the great majority
who came to our shores, and this ap-
plies to the modern immigrants, who
wander from their homes and, as their
forefathers did. eagerly search for
more assured means of livelihood and
prosperity.
Notes Some Opposition.
OF course, there are some people in
the United States who oppose the re-
striction of immigration on any basis.
Restricted immigration is also opposed
as a departure from a me-honored
policy. When this republic was found
ed we had much undeveloped territory
and immigration was encouraged. We
needed agricultural labor to farm the
lands, other labor to build railroads,
and to aid in the development of
new country. But of late years there
are comparatively few of the imn1i-
grants arriving who go to the farms,
and there Is generally sufficient other
labor here for practically all our needs.
There may be instances where a par
ticular kind of labor is required for
the best interests Of developing new
industry, but even these instances are
very much limited in the present emer-
gency. Modern methods of production
and improved labor-saving machinery
have curtailed the opportunities, par
ticularly for common labor. The great
bulk of all immigrants who come here,
come here to work, and where we have
enough labor in this country we are
proceeding upon a false premise when
we accentuate our employment prob
lens by encouraging flow of immigra-
ton which cannot be absorbed, and will
only increase the number who must be
provided with employment.
regret to say that some Of those who
have entered this country have not
been actuated by the desire to improve
their opportunities, and to join with
US IN JIe upDullQlnR ana upuOlQulS VI
our institutions. They come here for
other purposes, as you know. For this
latter class-and am thankful to say
they are comparatively few-there Is no
place in this country. If they are not
in sympathy with our aims and pur-
poses-n they do not come here for
the purpose of founding homes and
joining with us in all our national en-
deavors-if they do not come here to
embrace our principles, then they should
return to the place from whence they
came, because we can get along pretty
well without them.
Wants Standards Retained.
Nothing can be clearer than that
our whole future structure as a great
national commonwealth rests upon the
uninterrupted continuation of all the
standards, social economic and politi-
cal, coupled with Christian civilization
which have brought us forward from
our first strike for independence and
the determination to found a land of
freedom. Thus we must cling to self
preservation with sufficient zeal to see
that our national customs, traditions
and progress are not injured by any