Fraternity-Testvériség, 1964 (42. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1964-11-01 / 11. szám
8 FRATER NI TY FACING THE FUTURE Immigration in the United States is entering a new era. Both political parties have denounced the limitations and discriminations of existing law. The last Republican platform declared: “Immigration has been reduced to the point where it does not provide the stimulus to growth that it should, nor are we fulfilling our obligation as a haven for the oppressed. Republican conscience and Republican policy require that the annual numbers of immigrants we accept be at least doubled.” In the same spirit, the last Democratic platform declared: “The national origins quota system of limiting immigration contradicts the founding principles of this nation.” It went on to demand a revision of existing laws that “will bring greater skills to our land, reunite families, permit the United States to meet its fair share of world programs of rescue and rehabilitation, and take advantage of immigration as an important factor in the growth of the American economy.” Meanwhile, even under present law, immigration has been steadily increasing. In 1962 it reached the highest point — except for two “refugee” years — since the nineteen twenties. In addition to normal immigration, the United States must expect to give refuge to those fleeing tyranny and oppression. Yesterday it was Hungary. Today it is Cuba. Tomorrow, with world conditions what they are, there are bound to be others turning to the United States for aid and asylum. That the freedom and opportunity of America continue to attract immigrants from all parts of the world is at once a compliment to our country and a means of maintaining one of the vital processes that have made us a great and creative nation. To welcome the immigrant and refugee, and to help them become an integral part of the American community promises, therefore, to be as necessary in the future as in the past. It is, however, only part of the total task. The social forces and interactions immigration has set in motion are still very much in flux. To promote understanding and closer association between the many different ethnic groups in our population, to further the acceptance of each group and the creation of “a more perfect union” is an urgent concern. At the same time, this very diversity of people is one of America’s great assets, and can be made a resource of enormous value, especially in the struggle for peace and a free world. Indeed, one important contribution the United States can make to the development of a world community is to demonstrate how people of many nationalities, many races, many religions, bound by the unity of freedom and equality, can live and work together. Moves to Liberalize Immigration Law On February 7, 1963, thirty-five Senators of both parties — more than one-third of the entire Senate — joined in sponsoring the introduction of S-747. This bill proposes to eliminate the present national origins system of quota allocation; to increase quota immigration to 250,000 a year; to extend non-quota status — now limited to the
