The opinion that President Coolidge may avail himself of the “loophole” in the Immigration Act of 1924 and prevent the introduction of the National Origins Plan, under Section 11 of the Act, is expressed by Congressman Emanuel Celler in a statement he issued to the press.
The introduction of the National Origins Plan would reduce. almost to a negligible amount, the German, Irish and Scandinavian quotas and unduly enhance the English quota. So many protests have been received at the White House against this plan that Congressman Celler predicts that the President will not issue the proclamation necessary to introduce the Plan.
“The determination of quotas is an administrative or executive function, and it is the duty of the Secretaries of State, Commerce and Labor to ascertain the quotas. The President can only proclaim the quotas after he receives from these Secretaries their receives from these Secretaries their report, as to what the quotas should be.
“The law also states, that in the event that the Proclamation of the President is not made, the present condition of quotas obtains. There is the rub of the situation. The President can say, ‘I have not received the report of the Secretaries of Labor, Commerce and State, and hence cannot act.’ No one can or will compel these Secretaries to ascertain the quotas. Therefore, there will be no action whatever. In other words, there seems to be in the minds of the authors of the Statute, the giving to the President of a way of escape,” Congressman Celler declared.
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