Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-08-14
ATTEMPT TO BE MADE TO BAR An
ARCHISTs FROM AMERICA.
P0WDERLY ISSUES AN ORDER.
INsTRUCTs IMMIGRANT OFFICIALS
TO BE on THE LOOKOUT.
Anarchists Cannot BE Excluded Sim.
ply Because They Are Anarchists
and Other Reasons Must Be
SouGht-MOre Stringent
Laws Favored.

Washington, Aug. 13.-Commissioner Pow
derly, of the immigration bureau, has sent
the following letter of instructions to i'm
migration officials at New York. BostoA
Philadelphia, Baltimore and Quebec. rela-
tive to the anticipated arrival in this coun-
try of Spanish anarchists:
Information has reached this bureau TO
the effect that one Plenas, a leader of the
Spanish anarchists. has been expelled from
France and is being conducted to Havre.
from which port it is expected he will sail
to the United States. l am also advised
that Tarriada Marmol. another Spanish an
aTchist, Is believed TO have gone to En-
gland, and probably is en- route to this
country. A careful inspection should be
made of arriving passengers. in order that
should any of this class be detected. a care
full examination can be had as to their
right of admission into the United States
under existing laws"
1t is stated at the bureau of immigration
that there is no law under which persons
can be excluded on the ground that they
are anarchists. Nor is anarchy anywhere
declared to be a crime, so that. If Planas
and Marmol are refused admission to the
country, the refusal must be based solely
upon the fact that they come within the
general immigration laws as 10 paupers.
contract laborers. criminals, etc. This law
expressly provides, however, that moth
ing in this act shall be construed to apply
to or exclude persons convicted of a poIit-
ical Offense, notwithstanding said political
offense may be designated as felony.
crime or misdemeanor involving moral tur-
pitude by the laws OF the land whence they
came or by the court cOnVicting"
After the Barcelona anarchistic agitation
the French sent to the state department
here a list of anarchists expelled from the
country and expected TO come to the United
States. The list was sent TO the immigra-
tion officers in New York. Philadelphia,
Boston and other ports, with instructions
TO apply the law against the anarchists
named on the list. None of them was appre-
hended. however. as they either did not
come or were smuggled in by way of the
steerage.
Mr.. Powderly was asked if he favored
STRENGTHENING the law so as to specifically
Il most assuredly would favor a law ex-
cluding from the United States every Grim
Mr. PoWderly: There is sn no troubie iTerGn in
fixing the status of the man who has been
convicted of a crime, but the term 'anarcn-
ist has not been clearly defined, so that it
is extremely difficult to ascertain VINO the
anarchists are"
Mr.. Powderly went on to show the diff
culties in the way of defining an ''an-
aTchist." The latter claims to be a philOs-
opher seeking an ideal state of society.
~ iils emu ne advocates lne aDOntlon OF
all law and the substitution of individual
effort. Mr.. Powderly points out that it is
only when the anarchist carries his phil
OSophy TO the point of becoming an assas-
sin or advocate of assassination, or incen-
diarism, that the law can deal with him.
II cannot deal with him as an abstract
philosopher. The commissioner SAYS that
many anarchists will not accept the title.
New York, Aug. 13.-Commfssioper Cen
eral of Immigration Powderly has request
ed the treasury department to cable to
United States consuls in Europe, and prin-
cipally to those in Spain, France, Italy and
Germany, requesting them to keep a sharp
lookout for anarchist emigrants to Amer
lea, and to notify him by cable when any
of them embarks for the United States.