(The tabulation referred to is as follows:) Estimated alien population in the United States June 30, 1946 Mr. FELLOWS. We will meet again on Friday at 10 o'clock. (Thereupon at 12:40 p. m., the subcommittee adjourned until 10 a. m., Friday, June 27, 1947.) PERMITTING ADMISSION OF 400,000 DISPLACED FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 1947 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY, SUBCOMMITTEE ON IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION, Washington, D. C. The subcommittee met at 10 a. m., Hon. Frank Fellows, chairman of the subcommittee, presiding. Mr. FELLOWS. The hearing will come to order. Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. Chairman, may I offer at this time to be placed in the record the following resolutions, both in favor of the Stratton bill and those against it? First, that of the Butler Council of Protestant Churches, of Butler, Pa., a resolution offered at a regular monthly meeting of the Butler Council of Protestant Churches, June 12, 1947, favoring the enactment of the Stratton bill into law. May I offer the resolution of the Presbytery of Beaver, Beaver County, Pa., my home county, favoring the enactment of this into law? This is dated June 24, 1947. Next, that of the State Council of the Pennsylvania Junior Order of United American Mechanics, protesting against the enactment of this bill into law. Next, the resolution of the National Council, Junior Order of United American Mechanics, protesting the enactment of the bill into law. Next, the Beaver Falls Ministerial Association, of Beaver Falls, Pa., favoring the enactment of the bill into law. I would like to have these five placed in the record. Mr. FELLOWS. Very well, sir. Without objection, it is so ordered. (The documents referred to are as follows:) BUTLER COUNCIL OF PROTESTANT CHURCHES, Butler, Pa., June 23, 1947. RESOLUTION OFFERED AT THE REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING OF THE BUTLER COUNCIL OF PROTESTANT CHURCHES, JUNE 12, 1947 Whereas one of the basic principles of our Christian religion is a genuine concern for the whole welfare of our fellow men; and Whereas there are now almost a million of our fellow men classified as displaced persons and living in detention areas in the British and American zones in Germany; and Whereas we of the United States have the resources to offer these people that which they need most, an opportunity to start life over again and achieve for themselves a place of independence and usefulness in the world; and Whereas the nations of the world look toward the United States of America for leadership in things spiritual and humanitarian: Therefore be it Resolved, That we the officers and members of the Butler Council of Protestant Churches urge upon our Congressman, the Honorable Louis Graham, the passage of House bill 2910, known as the Stratton bill, to make possible the admission of 100,000 of these displaced persons per year for the next 4 years. Respectfully submitted. W. CARL BOGARD, President. RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF STRATTON BILL The Presbytery of Beaver, assembled in regular session, in the First Presbyterian Church of Freedom on June 24, took the following action: Resolved, 1. That we hereby express our hearty endorsement of the Stratton bill, which would temporarily lower the immigration quota in order to permit the entrance into America of 400,000 displaced Europeans over a period of 3 years. Our Christian sensibilities have been deeply stirred by the pitiable plight of these unfortunate victims of war who cherish ideals of democracy quite similar to those which have made America a haven of refuge for the oppressed and a land of Christian opportunity. It is our deep conviction that America would both discharge a phase of its responsibility in receiving 400,000 displaced persons and would be strengthened by the future services of these persons. We understand that these people will be carefully screened to exclude undesirables and that friends and relatives will provide opportunities for them in America. America with its Christian background and traditions must not do less than this minimum act of humanitarian service. 2. Be it Resolved further, That a copy of the above action be mailed to our Senators in Washington and also to our Congressman from this district. 3. Be it Resolved also, That Dr. W. W. McKinney and Dr. R. H. Stephens be appointed a committee to mail these resolutions with an accompanying letter to the three individuals named above. Respectfully submitted. Hon. LOUIS E. GRAHAM, PRESBYTERY OF BEAVER, W. W. MCKINNEY (On behalf of the Presbytery). STATE COUNCIL OF PENNSYLVANIA, JUNIOR ORDER UNITED AMERICAN MECHANICS, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. GRAHAM: Kindly be advised that our organization is emphatically opposed to the Stratton bill, H. R. 2910, as well as to all immigration, other than that allowed under our present immigration laws. We do not have employment and homes for our own people and we cannot burden our taxpayers to support hundreds of thousands more. Hundreds of trouble makers have already been admitted, under cover of "needy refugees and displaced persons." We do not need any more, but should deport those who are now here. Americans are not afraid to return home, and if these refugees and displaced persons are afraid to go back to their own countries we surely do not want them here. Yours very truly, CHAS. H. HALL, NATIONAL COUNCIL JUNIOR ORDER OF UNITED AMERICAN MECHANICS, Hon. LOUIS E. GRAHAM, House Office Building, Washington, D. C. DEAR CONGRESSMAN GRAHAM: The Junior Order United American Mechanics is America's oldest patriotic fraternity. It was organized in 1853 and has recently celebrated its ninety-fourth birthday. It is a secret, patriotic fraternity, dedicated to the best interest of its members and to the welfare of the American Republic, and the support of the American public free schools. Our fraternity has advocated the restriction of immigration and had much to do with the passage of the immigration law of 1917. As a matter of fact, John L. Burnett, Member of Congress from Alabama, who sponsored the immigration law of 1917, was an honored member of this fraternity. We had to pass the immigration bill of 1917 over the veto of Woodrow Wilson. This was done due to the fact that the people of the United States were fed up with the hordes of immigrants who were being brought into this country keeping wages down, lowering social standards, and bringing about unsettled social and economic conditions. Our fraternity also sponsored the change in the immigration law of 1924 and favored the quota restrictions which that law imposes. H. R. 2910, which your subcommittee is considering, if enacted into law, would be detrimental to the public welfare. The resolution which we are enclosing gives our reasons for this statement. We request that you follow the good old American doctrine of the restriction of immigration in your consideration of H. R. 2910. It ought to be defeated. We are under no further obligation to these displaced persons. We are in no way responsible for their condition. They ought to be repatriated, and when they reach their homelands go to work. Your refusal, or your vote against this bill will help to put these people back in their own nations to which they belong, and will safeguard our American people, and particularly our veterans who can take up all the slack so far as employment is concerned in this country. This bill speaks about the fair share the United States should accept in dealing with this problem. We submit that our fair share has already been done, and more besides. The taxpayers of this Nation are feeding these people, and have been for a long time. There is really no excuse for that; however, we do not object to that, but we do seriously object to bringing 400,000 of these people in 4 years into this country, and their relatives down to the fourth degree of consanguinity. Think what this will mean. There will probably be a million relatives that will come in without quota restrictions and under the relative clause of present immigration laws. This is a serious matter. These people are concentrated in spheres of Germany, Austria, and Italy which are under military occupation. Can it be that the military is without force to handle this situation and to repatriate these people? We think not. We must not let our sympathy run away with our judgment in this matter. Respectfully yours, Harvey Morgan, Roy D. Dare, Geo. A. Morgan, Paul H. Wenrich, RESOLUTION CONCERNING THE IMMIGRATION OF DISPLACED PEOPLE TO THE UNITED STATES BY BEAVER FALLS MINISTERIAL ASSOCIATION MAY 14, 1947. Whereas there are around 850,000 displaced persons in Europe; and Whereas they dare not return to their homelands in fear of religious and political persecution; and Whereas America is committed to the policy of not forcing their return; and Whereas it is costing the American taxpayers something around $300,000,000 a year to maintain them in former concentration camps; and |