Magyar Egyház, 1956 (35. évfolyam, 1-11. szám)
1956-05-01 / 5. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 11 THE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE ON IMMIGRATION... The United States is, in a sense, a nation of immigrants. For that reason, among others, there has been great interest in President Eisenhower’s February 8th message to Congress urging important changes in the country’s immigration laws. And there can be little doubt that there is equally great interest on the part of those abroad who look to the United States as a future home for themselves and their children. The President’s message deals with four different aspects of our immigration policy. Of these, his recommendations regarding the national origins quota system will be of widest significance. Broadly, what President Eisenhower proposes is that Congress amend the present law to permit more persons to settle in the United States by increasing existing quotas and pooling unused quotas. Under the present law — the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, commonly known as the Me Carran-Walter Act — the number of quota immigrants who can settle in the United States is limited to a little less than 155,000. Mr. Eisenhower would increase this number to about 220,000, or one-seventh of one percent of the U.S. population in 1950. This increase of some 65,000 each year is justified, he said, by the gain in population as well as the economic growth of America over the last thirty years. Most of these additional 65,000 quota numbers would be distributed among countries in proportion to their actual quota immigration to this country since the establishment of the national origins quota system in 1924. This would be done only after first providing for an increase of 100 in the quota for each minimum quota area (57 in all), and after setting aside 5,000 quota numbers for the admission of aliens, regardless of their national origin, whose special skills and cultural or technical qualifications would substantially benefit the United States. The President also proposes to pool unused quotas on a regional basis. In recent years such countries as Great Britain, Ireland, and France have used only a part of their quotas while there have been long waiting lists for quota numbers in other countries. In 1954, the most recent year for which figures are available, only 94,000 quota immigrants arrived. About 60,000 quota numbers went unused. This pooling provision would benefit applicants from many countries, particularly in southern and southeastern Europe. The President also asked Congress to end the socalled “mortgages” on future quotas. Under the Displaced Persons Act of 1948, many immigrant refugees entering the United States — mostly from central and eastern Europe — were charged against future immigration quotas. Fifty percent of the Greek quota, for example, has thus been mortgaged until the year 2017. It should be noted that the President’s proposals relate only to immigrants entering the United States under the immigration act of 1952. Another law in force until the end of this year — the Refugee Relief Act of 1953 — allows the permanent settlement, above the regular quota, of an additional 214,00 immigrants. Now, Mr. Eisenhower’s immigration proposals go before Congress for discussion and final action. His proposals are supported by many religious, labor, and civic groups. Undoubtedly, there will be some in Congress who feel that the proposed amendments go too far. There will be others who feel that they do not go far enough. But there is no doubt that the President’s recommendations will be seriously considered and will carry great weight both with Congress and the people. “Throughout our history,” the President said, “immigration to this land has contributed greatly to the strength and character of our republic.” Americans recognize the truth of these words, as do our friends and relatives abroad. So in our letters we should tell them about President Eisenhower’s message on immigration. At a time when our immigration policy has been under sharp attack, it is surely in our own best interest to show the world — should Congress approve — that once again we stand ready to open wider the gateway to America. C.C.-------------•------------GOODWILL PROJECTS OVERSEAS . . . New York, N.Y, April 27 — One hundred and forty young Americans will forgo their traditional leisuretime vacations at home this summer to work on goodwill projects overseas. They will sail from New York and Montreal, during the next two months to spend from three to five weeks digging ditches, painting houses, and laying bricks in 30 Protestant church-sponsored work camps in 22 countries of Europe, Asia and Latin America. The American contingent is part of a group of approximately 1200 young people from some 40 countries who will participate in the annual Ecumenical Work Camp program sponsored internationally by the Youth Department of the World Council of Churches. The program in the U.S. is carried out with the help of the National Council of Churches. These young people — students, teachers, ministers, social workers and others, ranging in age from 19 to 30 years — will receive no salaries for their labors. They must pay both for their transportation abroad and for their work camp lodging.-------------•------------CLERGYMAN’S TIME . . . Chicago, 111., May 1 — If today’s clergyman has a gripe in the world, it’s because he must spend most of his time doing the things he considers the least important and most irksome. Among the things he complains of are: “paper work,” “running the mimeograph,” “attending too many purposeless meetings,” and “dealing with demanding people.” The way many ministers feel about their jobs is contained in a nation-wide survey on the urban parish minister made public at a meetings of the National Council of Churches’ Department of the Urban Church at National Lutheran Council headquarters, 327 South LaSalle Street. Dr. Samuel W. Blizzard, Pennsylvania State University sociologist, who conducted the study for the Russell Sage Foundation, reported that a great number of ministers feel irritated because they’re urged to spend much time organizing and administering, but have little training or liking for these functions. “Today’s minister considers that he was trained to be a preacher and pastor,” Dr. Blizzard noted. “And these are the roles he likes best.” Because a minister must be six persons at the same time — administrator, organizer pastor, preacher, priest and teacher — 29 percent of those queried admitted to a sence of inadequacy.
