Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-03-27
kEEFE' EXPLAINS . /.
IMMIGRATION LAWS
COMMISSIONER OF IMMIGRATION
REPLIES TO. QUESTIONS RE-
GARDiNG GERMAN-RUs-
SIAN IMMIGRANTS.
SAYS STRINGENT REGULATIONS
ARE NECESSITY. BUT iNFoRcE
MENT Is. NOT uNNEcEs-
SARlLY SEVERE.

Congressman Gronna sends thu
Tribune a copy of letter from D. ]
Keefe, commissioner of immigration
with reference to a complaint made
by German and Russian settlers re-
garding unnecessary stringency in
the medical inspection of immigrants
Such a complaint with a resolution
regarding an inquiry was sent tc
Washington by resolution of the last
legislative assembly. Mr.. Keefe says
have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your communication of the
18th instant, transmitting several
copies of printed circular letter
bearing various signatures, the pur-
port of this circular being that Ger
man Russian immigrants are improp-
erly treated and Disseminated against
in the matter of medical examination
at Ellis Island, which results in their
| rejection on account of being afflict-
ed with the disease known as trach.
| oma.
The. party who prepared this circu-
lar evidently believes that the passing
of these persons by medical examin-
ers employed by the steamship COM
panies at foreign ports should be all
sufficient, but it only need be pointed
out that the immigration act of Feb
ruary 20, 1907, prescribes that the
physical and mental condition of al
lens shall be determined by duly des-
ignated United States public health
and marine-hospital surgeons. The
assertion that there is discrimination
against one particular class of arriv-
ais is hardly worthy of denial, as you
will realize how improbable such a
condition could be.
The steamship companies are under
penalty of 500 for each alien brought
to this country who is afflicted with
loathsome or dangerous contagious
disease that might have been detect
ed at the port of embarkation by a
competent medical examination; that
the company may fail to carry out
their obligation to their passengers
by adopting proper measures to avoid
the hardship of fruitless voyage is
something that this government can
not control except by the imposition
Of fines of the character mentioned,
and there has been no leniency shown
with respect to enforcing this feature
of the law On the other hand, large
numbers of arriving aliens who have
been found to be diseased were al
lowed hospital treatment at the ex
pense of their relatives Or of the gov
eminent to avoid the peculiar hard
ship which is ALWAYS involved in sep
arating the members of family.
The suggestion that medical officers
employed by this government be sta
toned at the various. foreign ports of
embarkation is impracticable, as this
proposition was exhaustively consid-
cred some years ago, and it was as
certained through the department of
state that several of the foreign gov
ernments objected to- the assignment
of American medical officers at their
ports for the purpose of examining
aliens about to embark for the Unit
ed States. Furthermore, such exam
ination would not satisfy the require
ments of section II Of the immigration
act, which prescribes medical ex-
animation at the port Of entry, and
which would undoubtedly lead to the
rejection of man. aliens for physical
causes which could not be detected
at the 4 time of embarkation, but
would, nevertheless, bring such aliens
within one or more OF the classes
specifically excluded BY. the. statute.
The hardships incidentsto deportation
would therefore only be partially nit
igated by the adoption of the plan
suggested :.&J
In conclusion desire to invite your
attention to the fact that the circular
letter referred to carefully refrains
from mentioning any specific case as
e basis for the allegations therein con-
tanned, and il. rou would like to ex-
anime the papers relating to the cases
;fn. which Drc. c.. Young of Wichita
Falls, Tex, was interested, the files
are open for your inspection, and i
invite you to examine them, feeling
certain that after doing SO you will
concur in the copclusion that Dr.,
Young has been accorded more con-.
sideration than the methods which
have been adopted hy him really jus-
,tify. m, a
/ s "a DAM J. aKEEFE. 0
/ s #sg Commissioners General. #
N&f 81 ~ "4& az34S "@5s@5 eE.
Lutheran Service. 4@
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