consideration. From the reports of the hearings I understand that the objection to continuing Filipinos in the merchant marine is that the taxpayers of the country are to maintain this subsidy or these various subsidies.

The CHAIRMAN. There is another question, but I think, perhaps, you have answered that. It is the question of unemployment. These men are now living here, are they not?

Mr. CRIST. They are still living here.

The CHAIRMAN. If they are not given this privilege, they are going to be on relief in this country?

Mr. CRIST. There is no group of people which has been by act of Congress deliberately thrown out of jobs such as these people have. While other acts of Congress have been passed to put people on relief and to make jobs for them, and when I look at it from that aspect, I have the feeling that the Congress did not intend to do that sort of thing to the Filipinos. But the language is there, and they are out of their employment and have been out of it for a year and a half. They are obliged to get what employment they can, handto-mouth living, and they are being maintained by their own groups-by their own people, I mean-in addition to getting what relief they can.

The CHAIRMAN. Was there not made, Mr. Crist, some provision about Army transports? It was understood that they could enlist Filipinos in the Philippines to come to our coast, but did we not make some provision that they might take Filipinos back to the opposite side?

Mr. CRIST. You had made the provision by which they might be taken back at the expense of the Government.

The CHAIRMAN. No; I did not have that in mind.

Mr. CRIST. I believe there was a relief given to the Filipinos by an appropriation act which made that exemption or gave them that relief.

The CHAIRMAN. A Filipino could be put on a transport in the Philippines, and he could make a round trip, but if he stopped over here in the United States he could not reenlist on that transport.

Mr. CRIST. That, I think, is due to the Independence Act, which does not allow Filipinos to come into the United States as they did before. They are under quota visa.

The CHAIRMAN. Are you presenting to us a definite form of amendment?

Mr. CRIST. Senator Copeland, no; I am not, because I have worked up nothing in that manner. I have always been told to go to the Senate legislative counsel, with the thought that the Senators would express that thought.

The CHAIRMAN. You are proposing or suggesting that it might be reasonable for us to permit the enlistment of Filipinos in our merchant marine, provided those Filipinos are persons who have lived here in the United States for a considerable period of time; is that it? Mr. CRIST. Yes, sir; and who have been heretofore following the calling of seamen. It is simple to reinstate them and give them an opportunity.

The CHAIRMAN. You want us to open the door that bars?

Mr. CRIST. The door is absolutely closed against anything of that kind. It cannot be done. It seems to me it is highly desirable.

One of the aims, as I gathered it, that is back of this merchantmarine legislation is to establish a military protection—that is, to lay the foundation for time of war.

The CHAIRMAN. The purpose is for national defense.

Mr. CRIST. Exactly so. These Filipinos are loyal. They are allowed to come into the military service, into the Navy, and into the Coast Guard; and when they do that, they are given a way to citizenship. It seems to me, therefore, that these Filipinos are the ones who should be allowed to come back into the merchant marine, because it is a training, and they have been loyal on every occasion. They enlisted in large numbers during the World War in the Navy and in the military forces.

The CHAIRMAN. Can you conceive of the fact that in the future, when they gain independence, there might come a day when there will be a possibility of divided allegiance on their part? I speak as one who voted against their independence, but suppose they do have full independence in the future, would there be any possibility that they might have their first allegiance to the Philippines instead of to us?

Mr. CRIST. Not those who live here.

The CHAIRMAN. I suppose that same question could be raised here about a man who was a naturalized citizen from some other country. Mr. CRIST. That question was raised during the World War. In the act of June 8, 1917, the provision was carried that allowed Germans to be naturalized, and a great deal of opposition was raised to that, but it finally prevailed.

There are Germans here who had come to this country when they were boys. I know of two instances of men who had gone to Texas. They were in the Civil War on the side of the Confederacy. Afterward they came into public life, and one was mayor for a number of years. Both were members of the State legislature. They had their grandsons in the American forces overseas. They thought themselves American citizens, but it turned out that they had come here and had gone to Texas, and Texas allowed people to vote when they became of age, regardless of their citizenship. Those Germans were naturalized during the World War.

The CHAIRMAN. Is that now the case down in Texas?

Mr. CRIST. Not now. There is no State that now allows aliens to vote. That was a condition we undertook to change, and different State constitutions were changed.

We want to see the opportunity returned to these Filipino people, because it will overcome this one matter you referred to, the possible lack of loyalty.

The CHAIRMAN. I am speaking of it only as a possibility.

Mr. CRIST. Apparently the independence may be deferred for some time, because of affairs in the Far East; but there is a situation out there that makes it appear to me most desirable to have legislation of this nature, if as nothing more than a link to tie these people closer to us after separation does occur. Then we shall have done all we could for them.

They are permanent residents of this country. About 25 percent of them are married to American wives, who are citizens. Their children are American citizens. Out of a total of about 200 who

reported to Mr. Tucker and me from New Orleans, 50 of them, men, were married to American wives.

A hostile country, wanting to stir up unrest in the minds of the Filipinos, would be unable to point to the Filipinos over here as not having been well cared for if they were given this opportunity of reemployment on the ground that it was unintentional that they were turned out of employment.

Senator Ellender's bill is a measure proposing that, but he only extends the period to the time ending with the complete relinquishment of sovereignty over the Philippine Islands by the United States. If that relinquishment could be deferred for 15, 20, or 25 years, all of these Filipinos who are here would have been cared for finally.

The CHAIRMAN. I suggest to you, Mr. Crist, that you have the legislative drafting bureau prepare the amendment you desire. We will consider it in the regular way and at the proper time. When the committee takes up the bill, we will have the amendment before

us.

Mr. CRIST. There are two angles before us. One of them brings the matter here, and the other question might come up under the Immigration Committee.

The CHAIRMAN. I realize that.

Senator GIBSON. How many Filipinos are there in this country? Mr. CRIST. The last census showed 45,207. The Philippine Resident Commissioner is authority for the statement that there are an estimated 60,000 here now who were here prior to the Independence Act.

Senator GIBSON. You can see more than 60,000 by looking out of any of these windows.

Mr. CRIST. Filipinos?

Senator GIBSON. No; it is not such a great number.

Mr. CRIST. NO; it is a very small number. If they were all absorbed it would be a very small number. It would certainly create a very sympathetic attitude, which would be a bar to any activities on the part of these individuals who are communistically inclined to stir up unrest among these Filipino seamen. Such agitators are now engaged in that work.

Mr. Chairman, we are making some further studies, and I believe. we will be in a position to bring to the committee much more valuable information and evidence of interest in these Filipino seamen on the part of the steamship lines themselves. When that has been completed, I should like to submit it.

The CHAIRMAN. Very well. In the last analysis, the matter you are presenting ought to be dealt with by the Committee on Immigration and Naturalization.

Mr. CRIST. That would mean that if you went into the other subject of the citizenship, that a method of connecting the citizenship. of these Filipinos who are permanently residing in the United States, who are married to American citizens, and whose roots are down deep in the soil-—

The CHAIRMAN (interposing). Your idea is that it might be put in here and stated that "for the purposes of this act, Filipinos who have resided", and so forth?

Mr. CRIST. Yes, Senator Copeland; that is exactly it..
The CHAIRMAN. You had better bring us that language.
Mr. CRIST. Thank you very much.

The CHAIRMAN. The committee will meet again at 2 o'clock.
(At 12:55 p. m. a recess was taken until 2 p. m. of this date.)

AFTERNOON SESSION

The hearing was resumed at 2 p. m., at the expiration of the recess. The CHAIRMAN. You may proceed, Mr. McVay. We know you as an ardent friend of the seamen, of Americanization, and of the American merchant marine.

Senator VANDENBERG. Before Mr. McVay starts, I would like to present a suggestion. Throughout these hearings there has been repeated reference to the status of Mr. Harry Bridges, with respect to his citizenship and with respect to his relations with the Department of Labor. It seems to me that it is important, to complete our record, that we have the precise facts, in fairness to Mr. Bridges as well. as in fairness to us. I wrote the Secretary of Labor a week ago tomorrow and requested information and have had no response, not even an acknowledgment. I suggest that the committee communicate with the Department of Labor and request the Secretary to furnish us with the complete Bridges file, including any reports respecting recommended deportation, if any, and including the reasons for the Department's attitude when such reports were received. If there is no objection I would like to move that the clerk of the committee be instructed to request this information from the Department of Labor.

The CHAIRMAN. Without objection, that will be done.
Now, Mr. McVay.

STATEMENT OF J. H. MCVAY, REPRESENTING VETERANS'
ORGANIZATIONS, WASHINGTON, D. C.

Mr. McVAY. Mr. Chairman, I live at the Lindbergh Apartments, Washington, D. C. You happened to catch me on one of my bad days.

The CHAIRMAN. This is a bad day?

Mr. McVAY. Yes; unfortunately.

The CHAIRMAN. Would you rather have another day set on which to appear?

Mr. McVAY. No; I am going to talk if I may.

The CHAIRMAN. All right.

Mr. McVAY. Part of the time I shall be speaking as a representative of veterans' organizations; part of the time as an individual. I have listened to many brilliant speeches before the committee, and in order to eliminate repetition of many things that have been said I shall just merely try to confine my testimony to matters that are germane and not repetitious.

If the veterans' organizations were all to appear before the committee it would take about 8 hours to present their testimony; and in order to expedite the hearings I think all I could say is that part of the time I would be speaking for the veterans' organizations and part of the time I would be offering personal opinions.

Capt. N. M. Hubbard, president of the Navy League, is confined to the Naval Hospital. He would like to appear before this committee, but he is indisposed, being in that hospital. The legislative representative of the Army and Navy Union is tied up in hearings before committees at the present time pertaining to matters of veterans' legislation. Maj. Edwin S. Bettelheim, of the Military Order of the World War, is at the present time tied up with the Ladies Auxiliary on the national-defense program. Mr. Millard Rice, legislative representative of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, is tied up on other hearings regarding legislation pertaining to veterans. So some of these organizations have authorized and delegated McVay to talk before this committee as a representative of these various organizations.

If all of the veterans' organizations were to appear before this committee, it would take about 12 to 16 hours to present their testimony; and in order to expedite the hearings, if I may be permitted to appear before the committee as a delegated representative of the various veterans' organizations-unofficially, you understand-I think I can expedite the hearings.

Unfortunately, Mr. Chairman, I happen to have a cough today. But I am proud of the cough. I got it overseas. It is a handicap, however.

Speaking individually, I would like to recite a radio program that I heard the other night. Amos 'n' Andy were talking about this, that, and the other thing, and Andy said he had secured an opportunity to appear as a speaker before a club in Harlem. Amos asked Andy, "What are you going to talk about?" Andy said, "Well, the Kingfish and I, we've got a program, and I am going to get $20 for my speech."

I am referring to Andy now.

Amos said, "What is your speech going to be?" Andy replied, "Amos, I have got a real program now. My speech is going to be 'Where are we drifting, and who stole the anchor?"

I believe that is apropos of these hearings. If I could personally be granted time to talk before this committee, I think we would be here until next June. I appreciate that I am appearing here as a guest of the committee, and I hope that my remarks will be germane, consistent, and constructive. I wish the reporter would underline the word "constructive."

I have listened to a lot of testimony, Senator Copeland and members of the committee. I have had the privilege and pleasure of appearing before this committee and other congressional committees for a number of years. Somebody has to appear before this committee and wave the flag, as it were. Who has a better right to wave the flag than the fellows who carried the flag during 1917 and 1918? I happen to be one of them. I received this medal [exhibting for serving overseas with the Thirty-second Division of the American Expeditionary Force, when I waved the flag.

But, as Andy said, "Where are we going, and who stole the anchor?" I am very much interested, Mr. Chairman, as you know, in the American merchant marine. I would like to talk for about 19 hours on that subject, but I shall not. You have a picture over there on the wall indicating] that typifies what we do for the American merchant marine. I have listened to a lot of testimony of yarious witnesses pro

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