The Northwest Times

Joint Hearings to Scan 3 Omnibus Bills

Similar to McCarran, Walter Bills.

Celler Writes ENI Measure, Too

WASHINGTON, D. C., March 3 (ADC)—A third version of an omnibus immigration and naturalization bill has been introduced by Rep. Emanuel Celler (D., N.Y.), chairman of the House Judiciary committee, the JACL ADC reported today.

The Celler bill is technically similar to omnibus bills previously introduced by Sen. Pat McCarran (D., Nev.) and Rep. Francis E. Walter (D., Pa.). The bills, all of which propose certain major revisions and codification of immigration and naturalization laws, will come up, for joint hearings beginning March 6.

The JACL ADC has requested an opportunity to testify at the hearings.

When introducing his bill, Rep. Celler said the necessity for a complete overhaul of laws relating to immigration and naturalization has long been known.

While the Celler bill adheres to the technical framework of the McCarran and Walter bills, it differs quite noticeably in numerous details.

However, "all three bills provide for the long overdue final repeal of racial exclusions and they provide that every independent country of the world, including the long discriminated against countries of the Orient, will receive a minimum immigration quota of 100 per year, except Japan which would be entitled to an annual quota of 185. Similarly, all bills permit the naturalization of every legal resident of the United States, regardless of his race or ancestry".

(Such changes in immigration and naturalization laws were first proposed by the JACL ADC and subsequently incorporated in the Judd bill, and now the omnibus bills.)

"None of the bills depart from the principle of national origin and the quota system," said Rep. Celler. "Nevertheless, I propose that the unused portions of the sum total of the annual quotas for each year... be distributed for the use of immigrants chargeable to the numerically small quota countries, but not exceeding 7,000 annually."

He added: "All bills uniformly correct certain unfair provisions of existing law discrimination against women, and I am glad to see that both measures provide for full equality in the treatment of both sexes. Alien spouses and alien children under 21, of American citizens are to be non-quota immigrants under all bills."

Rep. Celler said it has "long been held that our present quota system, operating under a 'first come, first served' formula, deprives our defense and... industrial and educational institutions of the services of many highly desirable skilled specialists. I am happy to note that Sen. McCarran has seen fit to include the provisions of selective immigration into his bill."

"Identical provisions appear in my measure, as well as provisions designed to keep families united and to provide for preferential treatment of those whose relatives are firmly established here."

"In matters having to do with distribution of preferences, my bill differs sharply from Sen. McCarran's. Under his, 100 per cent of all quotas would be allocated to preference classes, and, if not used by preference classes, up to 10 per cent of a quota would be available to new immigrants. My bill provides that all quota numbers not used by preference classes will be available to new immigration".

Rep. Celler said "another difference between his and McCarran's bill is in sections covering administrative and judicial procedures. I have eliminated all language smacking of thought control. I have preserved the jurisdiction of the courts and have carefully refrained from making any of the provisions retroactive".

"My bill," he said, "states that without equivocation our purpose to weed out subversive elements, but I also tried hard to be as careful as possible and provide for the exclusion of only those who knowingly, willingly and voluntarily are, or were, active advocates of all forms of totalitarianism."

"This basic thought underlies the security provisions of my bill—I want the administrators of the law to look at the record of the individual himself and not to classify him automatically as the component of an objectionable group."

Rep. Celler said that "it is our desire to see this legislation enacted before the current session of Congress adjourns, but we do not intend to proceed hurriedly and we certainly do not intend to curtail our hearings so as to prevent anybody from testifying".

All of Them Propose to Overhaul Our Nation's Complex Immigration And Naturalization Legislations

ADC Notes Historic 'Firsts' Included; Measures Call for, Among Other Things, New Quota System and End of Race Bias

WASHINGTON, D. C., March 3 (ADC)—Joint Senate-House hearings on bills proposing the first major overhaul and codification into one measure of this nation's complex immigration and naturalization laws in more than twenty-five years, will open March 6. The JACL ADC will be among the first organizations to testify...

Three omnibus bills, drafted by Sen. Pat McCarran (D., Nev.), chairman of the Senate Judiciary committee; Rep. Emanuel Celler (D. N. Y.), chairman of the House Judiciary committee, and Rep. Francis E. Walter (D., Pa.), author of the Walter bill, will be considered.

The JACL ADC pointed out the bills propose certain historic "firsts" in the nation's immigration and naturalization laws, including:

1. Elimination of racial requirements in naturalization;

2. Granting immigration quotas to all Oriental countries, including Japan. This would mark the first time since the original Chinese Exclusion Act of the 1880s that no nation would be barred from sending immigrants here because of race;

3. Granting "non-quota" status to immigrant spouses and unmarried minor children of all U.S. citizens;

4. Issuance of immigration visas on a selective basis, giving first choice to immigrants possessing special skills and talents.

Scheduled to testify the first day of the hearings are Sen. McCarran, and Reps. Celler and Walter. The American Legion, VFW, and Disabled American Veterans also may testify when hearings begin.

Three witnesses so far are scheduled to testify the second day. They are: Mike Masaoka, national JACL ADC legislative director; Rep. Walter H. Judd (R., Minn.), author of the Judd bill to eliminate race in immigration and naturalization, and Del. Joseph R. Farrington (R., Hawaii), another staunch advocate of racial equality in immigration and naturalization laws.

These latter three are expected to support those provisions of the bills which eliminate racial requisites in immigration and naturalization statutes.

Hearings will be held in the Capitol and are open to the public. They will continue from two weeks to a month, and will be held daily, with all-day sessions on Wednesday and Friday, and afternoon sessions on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.

Morning sessions will begin at 10:30, and afternoon sessions at 2.

Chairman of the joint hearings will be Sen. McCarran. Other members, all on either the House and Senate Judiciary Subcommittees on Immigration and Naturalization, are Sen. William E. Jenner (R., Ind.), and Reps. Walter; Michael A. Feighan (D., Ohio), Frank Chelf (D., Ky.), Ed Gossett (D., Texas), Frank Fellows (R. Maine), Louis E. Graham (R., Pa.), and Clifford P. Case (R., N. J.).