New-York tribune., 1907-11-17
THE UNDESIRABLE
ALIENS OF EUROPE.
GEPNfNY RENEWS " IR
ON GYPSIES.
TO Be Driren ont Again By Re
prcssirc Regulations, as IN
the Middle 1g6S.

C,.-,,e;.- who according to popular beiiel. are
descended from Ishfnael. the son Of Hagar' Out
whom, careful researches show to have orielila'-
lv hailed from India. now once more ABOUT
10 become the subject IN Germany OF represslNe
measures such as those enacted there at the
close Of the fifteenth century, prohibiting thelr
,,rose,ce anywhere in the empire. under divers
pains and penalties Prussia has for some time
past been severe in her treatment of these
nornads But her laws and police regulations
bearing upon the subject have now been eX-
tended 10 all the states Of the confederation.
and al the instance OF the Kaiser an organized
war is being instituted against these wandering
tribes with the object of driving them out OF the
country The magistrates and the police, both
urban and rural have received explicit dlrec-
lions with regard IL the prosecution OF TINS new
and eIaborately organized campaign against the
eypsies. who from time immemorial have been
regarded with profound aversion by the people
among whom they have pitched their tents, ana
special and particular care is TO be taken TO
prevent them from travelling about in bands
and caravans. it is hoped in fact, 10 break up
their tribal system, at any rate as far as Ger
many is Concerned.
The Kafsers attitude in this matter and the
action of his government meet with general ap-
proval and are decidedly popular for ii is real
pronounced nuisance exercise a demoraHzing
influence slibversive OF law and order. and in
some respects constitute positive danger nota-
bly, in connection with the stealing and kidnap-
ping of young children. of %hich a number OF
instances occur in Germany every year More
over the military authorities claim that the
Tziganes are adopts in certain branches of es-
pionage and that much important information,
especiallv with regard 20 the disposition OF the
country and of the defences of the frontier
provinces has I'm this way come into the pos
session Of foreign governments. Petty larceny.
poachiny trespassing, the setting fire TO forest
and meadow lands and damage TO crops are
among the minor offences laid at the door OF
the yypsies added TO which their complete dis
regard of all the rules of sanitation. cleanliness
and morality renders them especially in times
of endemic a peril TO the communities upon
which they thrust their unwelcome presence
Their evasion of the laws of compulsory educa-
ton of health such as vaccination, etc, of obli-
gatory military service and the contempt which
they profess not only for Christianity but also
for all other civilized forms of religion, are not
precisely calculated to edify the young or to en-
courage their elders - strict obedience to the
duly constituted authorities, and until now it has
been difficult TO bring them to justice, owing TO
the fact that in nearly each Of the twenty
two sovereign states of the German Empire, in
the free cities OF Hamburg, Bremen and Lubbock
and in the Reichsland of Alsace-Lorraine diff
ferent laws and rules dealing with vagabondage
such as that of the gypsies prevailed, and that
when harassed by the police in state all
they had TO do 10 cross the frontier into
another state in order to escape.