If, at a time like this, in the midst of world conflict, the Congress of the United States sees fit to place India under the quota system for immigration purposes, I believe a tremendous contribution will have been made to the understanding of country and our form of government. As an American businessman, I believe such an understanding is desirable. In other words, India needs us and we need India. W. D. PAWLEY. TESTIMONY FOR CELLER'S BILL ON INDIAN IMMIGRATION Not only do I see only good coming of this token gesture but a special good if it is made at this moment. For just now, the civilian morale is very low in India and she might easily lose faith in the western democracies-so this would give her a ray of light in her dark hour and be an intelligent and far-sighted move on our part. Then, her 21⁄2 million volunteers, who are fighting so magnificently, might well ask why it is, since they share in the sacrifices, they may not also share in the privileges. Then it seems to me merely reasonable to suppose that a nation of some 5,000 years of civilization would have something of value to contribute to a nation of less than 500 years-especially a nation whom the Greeks considered worthy to learn from and whose lofty thought has tinctured philosophy right down to our own Emerson-and to whom the Sanscrit scholars of all nations have done reverence. Claude Bragdon, the American writer, who has intimate understanding of both countries, has said, in effect, that all will not be right with the world until this shy maiden of the east is wooed and won by Prince Charming America-she being the most intraverted of the nations and America, being about the most extraverted, would have the affinity of opposites and so most perfectly complement each other. Another American has said: "India holds the cure for what is the matter with us, as we do for what is the matter with her." India may be wiser than we think. For: I had thought self-government a gift of the west-only to find that ages back it was India's way of governing her 700,000 villages. Then we heard that knowledge concerning the unconscious state of mind was our most important discovery in 50 years-only to find that she had, apparently, always known about it, and that her profound psychology had embraced superconscious states of mind as well. Then, evolution, I had understood, was original with us-but India seems even to have found a way of accelerating the evolution of the individual. Her teaching is overflowing with light on the subject of endocrinology—which she calls the "Centers." The last word of the eminent physicist Eddington is that it would appear that the constitution of matter is "mind stuff"-a term used by Swami Vivakanada is 1892. An astronomer in this country has said that the Indian astronomies had constellations which ours did not, so, of course, we questioned their existence, but the more powerful telescopes are revealing them. While I haven't been to India, I have had the pleasure and privilege of meeting a number of her intellecutals and Dhan Gopal Mukerji; Dr. Syad Hossain and Dr. Das have been friends of the family for years. Mr. Mukerji and Dr. Das married Americans. Emerson's niece, Gertrude Emerson, married an Indian. My sister lived there and says that even at home always she is a little homesick for Indiathe writer of The Power of India says that he feels the spell also rather difficult to define but he finally called it "God-consciousness." The more I see of them, the more I want them in my country. Their thought is life enhancing. And so, I pray that we may quickly and graciously welcome these wise men of the East whom, I am sure, from their rich heritage of spiritual and intellectual treasure, will come, as of old, bearing gifts. INA STEELE HUTCHISON, Washington, D. C. STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS IN SUPPORT OF H. R. 1584 AND H. R. 173 The action of the last Congress in repealing the Chinese Exclusion Act had the considered support of the National League of Women Voters. We look forward to the time when racial discriminations will no longer be characteristic of our immigration laws. We therefore welcome the proposals in the present Congress to authorize the naturalization and admission into the United States, under a quota, of Eastern Hemisphere Indians and descendants of Eastern Hemisphere Indians. We hope that this will receive speedy approval by your committee and by Congress as a step toward the abolition of restricion on the grounds of race. The development of a sound international organization is dependent upon the response and dignity accorded each nation by others. The quota system permits us to admit members of all nations in proportion to our capacity to absorb them into our democratic system. The importance of the interchange of experience and understanding possible through revision of our immigration laws far exceeds the actual number of persons who may be admitted to the United States. The National League of Women Voters is made up of more than 600 State and local leagues throughout the United States. Its membership exceeds 57,000 active participants. Our interest in this subject has resulted in study and consideration through a number of years and represents a strong determination on the part of our membership. The Honorable EMANUEL CELLER, Washington, D. C. NEW YORK, N. Y., March 1, 1945. DEAR MR. CELLER: Thank you for your invitation of February 28 to appear at the hearing before the House Committee on Immigration and Naturalization on the bills to establish an immigration quota for Eastern Hemisphere Indians. I regret that it will not be possible for me to be in Washington on March 7. Furthermore, while I very strongly support the principles of your bill, I have no concrete testimony of any kind which I could offer which would improve the bill's chances of being passed. As a member of the American Asiatic Association I supported the resolution of that group recommending passage of your bill, and I have also made the following observation in one or two public addresses: "I favor the passage of the bills before Congress to put immigration from India to this country on the same basis as was recently done for the Chinese. This is a simple act of justice due to the Indian people on ethical grounds and entirely apart from the reason advanced in some quarters that we ought to do it on account of the magnificent achievements of the gallant Indian Army or of those millions of Indian civilians who have toiled in the production of great quantities of war materials and in the building of hundreds of air fields for the American and other Allied forces. Fundamentally, there is, I repeat, the injustice of treating Indians on any basis different from that accorded other peoples. We Americans go to India, live there, leave when we are ready, and return when we feel like it. Let's permit them to enjoy the same treatment." Again, thank you for your courtesy in asking me to attend the hearings.. V. L. WHITNEY. INSTITUTE OF PACIFIC RELATIONS, Congressman EMANUEL CELLER, Washington, D. C. DEAR MR. CELLER: It is a matter of deep personal regret that I will not be able to testify at the hearing of the House committee on Wednesday, March 7. I am so deeply interested in the pending bill to establish an immigration quota for Eastern Hemisphere Indians that I would have liked to appear before the committee to testify. As the war in the Pacific and on the Asiatic mainland accelerates it is in the American and United Nations interest to bring about the greatest possible unity of aims on the part of all of the eastern and western nations. How can Americans ask Indians to shed their blood, shoulder to shoulder with the Chinese, the Australians, and the Americans, when our laws discriminate against the Indians? According to our present legislation and United Nations military strategy, we in effect say to the Indians: "We recognize you as equals in the sacrifices of war, but we do not consider you as equals in time of peace. In fact, when it comes to an immigration quota we won't treat you as well as we have treated the Germans." It so happens that I have kept in fairly close touch with Indian thought and progress over a long period. Between 1902 and 1943 I was in India for shorter or longer periods in 18 different years. I have thus seen the growth of Indian interest in the United States of America. In the earlier years America, though distant, appeared to many Indians to be a sort of Paradise. As contact grew Indians began to feel that the United States was working out a great many practical matters in industry, agriculture, and education which had very real day by day significance for the people of India. When Indian soldiers saw Americans in France in World War I, they were immensely attracted to them because of their democratic manner, their friendliness, and their excellent equipment. Now in World War II the United States has built right across the Indian Continent great boulevards of Army transportation, innumerable air fields, docks and repair plants. American machines, methods and men are making a tremendous impact on millions of Indians. Thousands of educated Indians and skilled workers as well as hundreds of thousands of day laborers are in daily contact with American personnel. They like our speed, our efficiency, our directness, our friendliness. They feel that we do not high-hat them the way some other foreigners do. The United States of America is being weighed at first hand daily by the Indian people. The balance is all in favor of America except at two points. First, a few think that the American forces are in India to take sides with the British in their disputes with the Indians. Most of the Indians, however, recognize that Americans are in India simply because it is on the road to Tokyo. The second and only real liability for Americans in India is our present immigration position. If this could be changed then this vast temporary American invasion of India could be capitalized for long-term friendship and cooperation between the peoples of these two great countries with very constructive mutual results in cultural contact and political understanding. Sincerely yours, EDWARD C. CARTER. THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, Hon. EMANUEL CELLER, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. As we DEAR SIR: House bills No. 173 and 1584 have come to my attention. are in World War II for the purpose of establishing the freedom of the peoples of the world, I hope that everything possible will be done to make immigration possible to the United States without restriction as to race or religion. I feel that our immigration laws should restrict immigration in numbers in the interests of the nation's well-being, if necessary. When a quota has been established, desirable individuals from China, India, etc., should certainly be admitted under their respective quota. Sincerely, A. SILVERMAN, Head. THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, The Honorable EMANUEL CELLER, Washington, D. C. DEAR MR. CELLER: I was scheduled to appear and testify in support of your bill for the naturalization and the establishment of an immigration quota for eastern hemisphere Indians. Unfortunately, I will not be able to come to the hearing next week and therefore I am enclosing a statement which I had intended to read at my appearance. I would greatly appreciate it if you will find it possible to have this read into the record of the hearings. I listened with interest to the testimony on Wednesday and Thursday and I feel that the other witnesses amply covered many of the points which I would have emphasized. Thanking you very much for this courtesy and expressing my deep interest and hearty support of your proposed legislation, I am, Sincerely yours, WILLIAM C. JOHNSTONE, Dean. STATEMENT OF DR. WILLIAM C. JOHNSTONE, PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND DEAN OF THE SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT, THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, WASHINGTON, D. C., IN SUPPORT OF H. R. 1584 AND H. R. 173 I wish to express my support for H. R. 1584 and H. R. 173 to provide for naturalization of Eastern Hemisphere Indians and for their admission under authorized quotas. In doing this I wish to make clear that I feel the Congress should continue to regulate immigration to the United States as it may see fit, but that I personally believe such regulation should be undertaken without respect to the race, creed, or color of immigrants. India is the second largest nation in Asia, a nation which is bound to play an increasing role in world affairs. There is in India today a respect for and a friendliness to America and Americans that presages closer cooperation and friendship in the future. The United States has a legitimate interest in India and her future, first because the peace and security of the whole Far East will be affected by India's course during the next generation, second because there are considerable possibilities for expanding the commercial relations between India and the United States to the mutual advantage of both countries and third because the development of friendly relations between the United States and India is as necessary to post-war security as is our friendship for China or any other nation in Asia. I favor the proposed legislation for many of the same reasons that I testified in favor of similar legislation for the Chinese. The proposed action by the Congress will aid in the conduct of the war. Japan has done her best to make this a racial war and has played up our war effort as an attempt of America to dominate Asia. This proposed legislation will constitute another piece of evidence among many others giving the lie to this Japanese propaganda. In the second place, the proposed legislation will remove from our laws an act of racial discrimination which will not only set our record straight but also be a demonstration that when we talk about freedom and democracy, we mean what we say. In the third place, the proposed legislation, by removing another sore spot in relations between the United States and Asiatic nations will enable our responsible officials to better discharge their conduct of foreign policy in building those secure foundations for full international cooperation upon which peace depends. Because it will aid in strengthening peaceful and friendly relations between the United States and India and because it will eliminate an act of racial discrimination between America and Asia, I favor passage of legislation as embodied in H. R. 1584 and H. R. 173. The CHAIRMAN. At this point I would like to insert a few communications which the chairman has received, both in support of and in opposition to this legislation. IN OPPOSITION Hon. SAMUEL DICKSTEIN, AMERICAN COALITION, Washington, D. C., March 2, 1945. Chairman, Committee on Immigration and Naturalization, Washington, D. C. MR. CHAIRMAN: On behalf of the American Coalition, I submit the following statement in opposition to the passage of H. R. 173, H. R. 1584, H. R. 1624 and H. R. 2256. The views of the American Coalition are identical with those expressed by Franklin D. Roosevelt in an atricle published some time before he became President of the United States, from which I quote the following passage: "Anyone who has traveled in the Far East knows that the mingling of Asiatic blood with European or American blood produces, in 9 cases out of 10, the most unfortunate results. There are, throughout the East, many thousands of socalled Eurasians-men and women and children partly of Asiatic blood and partly of European or American blood. These Eurasians are, as a common thing, looked down on and despised, both by the European and American, who resides there, and by the pure Asiatic who lives there." In the light of the facts presented by Mr. Roosevelt, it is self-evident that the admission of further additions to that part of the population of the United States derived directly, or by descent, from Indians of the Eastern Hemisphere would tend to promote the deplorable evils so ably described in the paragraph quoted above. For these reasons, the American Coalition is emphatically opposed to the enactment of legislation which would grant quotas or naturalization to Indians of the Eastern Hemisphere, or to the descendants of such persons residing elsewhere. Respectfully submitted. JOHN B. TREVOR, President, American Coalition. Hon. SAMUEL DICKSTEIN, STATE COUNCIL OF PENNSYLVANIA, JUNIOR ORDER UNITED AMERICAN MECHANICS, Chairman, House Office Building, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: Kindly be advised that our organization is opposed to H. R. 173, H. R. 1584, H. R. 1624, and H. R. 2256, dealing with the admission and naturalization of East Indians. The Revised Statutes of the United States prohibit people of color from being naturalized and East Indians are classified as colored. These people should not be permitted to become naturalized citizens, nor should more of them be allowed to come to the United States to take the places of our returning soldiers in our industrial life. I trust that you will vote against these bills. CHAS. H. HALL, State Secretary. New York, N. Y., March 15, 1945. Congressman SAMUEL DICKSTEIN, Chairman, House Immigration_Committee, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.: Regarding East Indian immigration, request you consider East Indian problem which has risen in South Africa. Also request opinion be obtained from soldiers who have served in India. Believe you would get unanimous "No" to this open-, ing wedge to eventual large-scale East Indian immigration. Hon. SAMUEL DICKSTEIN, ALDEN L. MCMURTRY. PHILADELPHIA, PA., March 5, 1945. Chairman, House Immigration Committee, Washington, D. C.: The Junior Order United American Mechanics is opposed to H. R. 173, H. R. 1584, H. R. 1624, and H. R. 2256 on which your honorable committee will conduct hearings, 7th and 8th instant. Similar bills were before your committee about 2 years ago and the committee failed to report them favorably. We hope that you will treat these bills in the same manner as those were formerly treated. The Revised Statutes forbid naturalization of people of color and this statute has been upheld by the Supreme Court. There appears no good reason why this question should be brought up or agitated again. We request that this telegram be read to the members present at the time of your hearing and that a record be made of our opposition to these bills. NATIONAL COUNCIL JUNIOR ORDER UNITED AMERICAN MECHANICS, JAMES L. WILMETH, National Secretary. |