Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-01
HoNoRs TO DISTRICT
REPORT OF DELEGATES OF IMMI-
GRAFTON CONFERENCE.

port of the delegates whom they appointed
to represent the District of Columbia at
the immigration conference under the aAis-
pices of the National Civic Federation In
New York city last month. showing that
the District representatives, Messrs. Simon
Wolf. William F. GUIDE. Fred A. Fenning,
William T. Downey and NJ. l. Weller, took
an important part in the conference. Com
missioner mcfarland, whose recon-
mendation the delegation was sent, said
that 1t was gratifying to know that the
District had been of service In the confer
and especially that, motion of Mr.. NJ l.
Weller. one of the District delegates. a res
olution was adopted, described by Dr.. Al
bert Shaw. chairman of the committee on
resolutions. one of the most important
o. all. 1t declared that hereafter all nat
uralization certificates should contain de-
scription of the applicants similar TO that
required in American passports. This en-
tireIy new suggestion was due to the dis
covery by Mr.. Weller of the fact that, as
naturalization certificates contain no de-
scription whatever of their owners. ana
cam be used by anybody, they have been
used over and over again in many cases,
and may be used indefinitely. 1t is be
lieved that If this fraud is stopped by legis-
lation it will greatly improve conditions.
Result of Investigation.
AS the story is told. it seems that Mr..
Weller was enc of the party of delegates
from the conference to visit Ellis Island,
there TO watch the actual conditions sur
rounding the admission of immigrants into
the country The delegates were given per-
mission to go anywhere in the station ana
to ask questions of any one. Mr. WIENER
was watching the work of one or TIE III,
spectors. and when particularly oirty anu
undesira disappearing immigrant passed
ht- he
piece of paper Mr.. Weller asked the IN
spector "Why?'' and was told that the
per presented indicated that the lmml,
grant was naturalized citizen. Asker
how he knew that the Immigrant anu the
man named in the Naturalization paper
were one and the same person, the ihspe PEE
or admitted that he could not tell. lheii
came cross-auestioning of the immie ran N :.
and although the man named several titles
I'm which he claimed to have been durihs
the eighteen years since the natural1zatlo
was issued. he could not describe 1hs'i,
nor could he speak word OF Enghsh. All
of Mr. Wellers questions were, peffofce'
asked and answered in a foreign tongue
and the immigrant could give no reason
why he had picked up none of the Engllsh
language during his alleged long resldehce
in America.
Finally. when the questions became too
searching the immigrant practically re-
fused to answer more, hiding oehlno the
cloak that he could not understand II
was almost obvious that an imposition was
being practced, but under existing law
there was nothing to be done, and the man
was admitted.
Mr.. Weller's Resolution.
At the next session OF the conference Mr..
Weller introduced a resolution, which was
adopted, setting forth that ION account of
the large number of alien immigrants who
are admitted contrary to law because of
the possession of naturalization papers
fraudulentIy obtained. this conference rec
ommends that all naturalization certificates
should contain a description of the 'appl1-
cants similar to that provided in the case
of passports issued by the Department or
State"
The report of the delegates from the Dis
trict as submitted to the Commissioners
this morning, was in part as follows:
THE undersigned having been among
others appointed as delegates to the ma
tional civic federation convention which
met December 6. and s, 1905, in the city
of New York, principally to discuss the
question of immigration and collateral mat
tiers relating thereto beg respectfully to
submit their report.
ut was a representative meeting, the del
egates coming from every part of the
United States, and men eminent in all the
walks of life participated, and spirit of
earnest and sincere devotion to high Amer
lean ideals pervaded the deliberations, and
we are confident that good results will fol-
low.
Radical Measures Rejected.
There was small coterie of earnest and
no doubt sincere men, who wished to rec
Commend drastic legislation in Congress in
regard to immigration, and the arguments
they advanced were of a character 10 en-
list the sympathies of some, but fortunate
~ not of the ma jority. The arguments they
advanced We're entirely incompatible with
the history of our country and with the
spirit of our institutions; and we are