Evening star., 1909-03-01
LAW WEAK IN SPOTS
Many Loopho|es Open to Un-
desirable Immigrants.
REPORT OF COMMISSION
Preliminary Statement of 1nvestiga'
tions Covering Two Years.
NOT READY TO OFFER REMEDY
More Money Needed to Continue for
Another Year Work Which Has
So Far Cost $344,796.

| Some facts showing the far-reachinS
! character Of the work of the joint COM
mission on immigration which was ap-
pointed by Congress on February 20. 1907,
were presented to Congress today
through the publication of a preliminary
| report by the commission. This report
deals with practically every phase of the
| immigration question, including oriental
| aliens and other excluded classes, peon-
age. charity among immigrants. white
| slave traffic. conditions of steerage. an
thropology, congestion in large cities.
alien criminality, competition of immi-
grants. school inquiries, administration of
the immigration laws, distribution of i'm
migrants and other questions.
| No conclusions have been reported by
the commission, but the scope of the work
is shown in manner which presages ex-
| tensive legislation in the future. 1t is
! stated that If the plans of the commits
sion are realized the various lines of
! work outside Washington will be COM
pleted in the early fall. probably by Sep
tember Is. The entire investigation prob
| ably will be finished during the next fiscal
year The report was printed and circu
lated today to show the necessity for an
| appropriation of $250.0O0 to carry on and
! complete the work. Thus far the expenses
OF the commission from April 1, 1907. to
| February p, 1909. have been s344,7 ,796.
There are at present 1913 persons en-
ployed under the commission. OF this
| number eighty-two are in Washington,
/ two in New York. two in San Francisco,
! ntnety-two are engaged in field work and
twenty in special lines OF inquiry.
Works Well in Theory.
| The commission says it is generally ad-
mitted by those acquainted with the SUBJ
ject that. notwithstanding the fact that
the present law proposes to provide for
| the exclusion of every undesirable immi-
grant. thousands of undeniably undesir-
able persons are admitted each year. 1t
has been found that the law in theory SO
F.! far as its exclusions are concerned is es-
pecially strong. but in effect. 1t is in
some respects weak and Intellectual. The
commission says ii has discovered several
sources of this weakness, and it is its
purpose to find the others to recommend
some effective remedies.
One OF the most important features of
the work Is connected with evasions of
the law resulting in the importation of
excluded classes Notwithstanding the
expenditure of about 100000 annually to
enforce this law the commission finds
that 1t does not prevent the coming of
/ Chinese laborers in considerable num-
bers. An extensive investigation is being
and harboring Of women for immoral
purposes. The results show that many
women are being constantly imported
under conditions which amount to abso-
lutte slavery. AS q result of it's inquiries
and the evidence it has gathered, there
has been a noteworthy attack upon this
business which has resulted in very
marked decrease since the commission
began it's work.
/ 1t has been found that in numerous in.
stances persons afflicted with contagious
diseases. and even criminals of a danger
GUS type, have been able to evade the inn
migration laws and come to this coun-
try under the pretense of being seamen.
The utmost Importance is attached to the
inquiry being made into the subject of
alien crimnality. The higher criminal
courts of New York city are. at the re-
quest of the commission keeping records
! In great detail OF each person convicted
of crime. and it is INTENDED that study
of foreign-born criminals and criminals
Of the second generation will be made in
that city. The investigation. however, is
aot confined to the larger cities, but Is
icing carried into smaller centers and
industrial communities In varied parts Of
the country.
General Field Investigation.
The most extensive and important work
undertaken by the commission is the gen.
eral field investigation into the economic
and social status Of immigrants in va
rious sections of the country. The most
important topics being covered is the race
Of employees in each occupation, years
each race has been employed, hours of
work and discrimination for or against
immigrants in employment, wages and
| housing.
In taking up the congestion of immigrants
in large cities. the commission is observ-
| ing communities inhabited principally by
members of one race, as to whether the
| clinging together Of members Of the same
| race handicaps them in their struggle for
| advancement and prevents their rapid as
| similation and Americanization. A careful
| inquiry among wage-earners who are
forced to compete with immigrant labor
| is being made among workers in the
| trades and occupations In which immi-
| grants are largely engaged.
special field investigation is being con-
Quoted in selected localities In the south,
and it will cover the sentiment of legis-
lative bodies as indicated by legislation
enacted affecting immigration. Induce
menta and obstacles to immigration such
as climate. character Of soil, free or cheap
land. amount. variety and regularity of
work throughout the year, the wages paid
and hours Of employment, will be shown.
Information is being gathered also con-
cerning the employment of women and
| children, the prejudice against races, the
presence of scarcity of ellow-countrymen,
church and school facilities, and a vast
amount of other information.
Pacific Coast Conditions.
| The investigation of oriental immigra-
| tion has been confined thus far to the
Rocky mountain and Pacific coast sec
tions and special emphasis has been
| placed upon the inquiry concerning the
| Japanese. Without the census recently
ordered in California, the agents of the
/ commission claim they have fairly ac-
curate information concerning the num-
bers of japanese in California, their dis
| tributien by counties and Industrial dis
| tricts, their occupations and trades. In
California and Washington, the report.
| when made will cover the presence of
Japanese, Chinese and Hindus.
| The school is declared by the commits
| sion TO be the most potent influence in
promoting the assimilation and Ameri-
| canization of the immigrant
Treatment accorded steerage passengers
at sea has been given especial considera-
! ton and the agents OF the commission
| in many instances have come from for
eign ports I'm the guse OF immigrants. 1t
was found that the steerage OF today is
| far better in many ways than in the past,
L