Anticipating strong public opposition to the new immigration law which he “fathered”, Senator Pat McCarran last night issued a statement denying that the law contains racial bias, as charged by President Truman, and emphasizing that he will fight opponents of the law “with the last ounce of my energy.” The law, which became effective yesterday, provoked much criticism in this country and abroad.
“Beneath the wave of racial and religious bigotry which these opponents of the Immigration and Naturalization Act are attempting to arouse in America, the rock of the truth is that the act does not contain one iota of racial or religious discrimination,” Sen. McCarran said in his statement.
The Senator claimed that “under the new law, at no time and in no way, is the factor of race, or color, or creed, or sex, or nationality made the basis of any discriminatory ruling as to whether any person can enter the United States, or can live here, or can become an American citizen.” He added that the sole principle which guided him in preparing the new immigration law was “the best interests of the United States of American.”
ABUSES PRESIDENT TRUMAN’S COMMISSION ON THE “MCCARRAN LAW”
Senator McCarran was especially abusive in referring to the forthcoming report which is to be issued within a few days by the special commission appointed by President Truman to evaluate the new laws operation and to recommend changes. The Senator said:
“The American people are going to have to withstand a propaganda blast against the new act, in the form of a report by the President’s Commission on Immigration and Naturalization. This is an organization which has been operating by a misuse of emergency funds appropriated for defense purpose.
“Although the new act itself provides for a joint Congressional Committee to conduct a continuous study and evaluation of our immigration policies, the President appointed his own commission during the election campaign to incite racial and religious groups for political purposes, I have pointed out that the President’s commission is to issue its report within a week after the act goes into effect. In fact, the commission will have only five working days in which to examine the law in operation. But that will not stop the President’s commission from issuing a report which will constitute a sharp and probably bitter attack on the new law.”
Senator McCarran went out of his way to charge three members of the President’s Commission which is studying the new immigration law with being associated with “Communist front” organizations. The three are; Harry Rosenfield, former member of the Displaced Persons Commission; Earl G. Harrison, former U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Commissioner; and Clarence Pickett, leader of the American Quakers.
Mr. Rosenfield promptly issued a statement denying the charge. The other two members of the President’s Commission could not be reached for comment because of the Christmas holiday.
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