New-York tribune., 1908-03-14
rRTHyN4T ALIENS,

The latest SpaSm of popular excitement over
anarchistic outrages has evoked, as usual, lively
debates about the treatment OF criminal Tor
eicnprs who visit our shores and sooner later
commit offences against law and order. All
sorts of proposals have been made, ranging II
thorouEhneSs and severity from the radical
anti-immigrationist's demand for "a line drawn
down the middle of the Atlantic and another
down the middle of the Pacific to Secretary
Strauss projected enforcement of the criminal
clauses in the present immigration act by gen
eral cooperation of federal and local officials.
The purpose being TO exclude criminals, It Is
obvious that any sweeping measure applying 10
ali immigrants alike must involve herculean
work for our officials and needless hardshipS
for the multitude of honest incomers. The pro-
pGSal that every immigrant be required to bring
Il certificate of lawful conduct from his own
country and town would accomplish only trifie.
II would fail because forgeries and evasons
would be easy. while naturally those who pre-
scented false certificates would be just the per-
SONS whom the proposed law aims debar.
Valuable as the educational test would be
means of raising the general average of imnl-
grant intelligence and efficiency, it is useless AS
a hindrance TO criminals. The procedure about
TO be followed by the Department of Commerce
and Labor mIy result in the deportation of Sev
cra hundred persons who were criminals prior
10 f1elf ARRIVAL III tHlS country Dut even IL
Nh Straus were ideally successful in enforcing
Tie present law, he would still be unable TO
reach the very worsr part of the Jail popula-
tfon-namely, those aliens who are serving long
terms for serious offences committed in this
country and against whom no previous criminal
record abroad can be proved.
There are to-day in American prisons about
10000 foreign born persons serving sentences
for larceny. assault. burglary and homicide. Of
these. roughly $4,000 have never taken out nat
uralization papers, and about 60oo speak no
English Many OF these offenders delivered
from the deportation law by the length of their
terms: for. as the immis grafton act now reads,
deportation must be accomplished within the
first three wears of the offenders sojourn IN
the country, and there is no provision enabling
the immigration authorities TO remove pris-
om"r from Jail during his term OF sentence in
order 10 Danish him. Bat the great majority
may abide permanently among us. 10 work what
injury they will through the absence of general
provisions for the deportation of aliens com
mittinS crimes in this country. For some mys-
ferrous reason immoral women, the class against
which proof of wrcnsioing is perhaps most diff
fcult. have been singled out for such lesisla-
ton; but taxpayers continue 10 support $4,000
European blackmailers. hghwayilen, burglars
and assassins Ar a total expense Of some S4J.-
GU0oy per COZ about $500 per c0pita).
Why s it that conviction of serious crimes has
not been made I" involve deportation: Surely
nobody cen r:-e that any injustice would there
by he worked TO citizens. honest immigrants or
tie Offenders European countries ship back 10
Us ali compaIriotS Of ours who get into Jail over
there; there IS not even diplomatic reason
for our present policy.
Doubtless through oversight alone cur law
makers have failed 10 class aliens imprisoned
To- crime with those who have become public
charges in hospitals, anshouses and asyuns
Presumably rhe expense and harm
fuiness of shcterint; criminal foreigners are
generally recognized. the immigration act VIII
be amended. Perhaps the ideal solution would
be 10 effect internatiD 1aI agreement whereby
ea,. country would receive it's own maiefactors
from other nations and punish them according
1, the facts proved in foI eigD courts. But siIch
n consumption il remote. and simple depo~-
latiun III fae cud IF a prison sentence would
lie expeditions. Representative Bennett. OF this