The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-25
IS WAG|NG FIGHT
ON BLACK HAND
Efforts to Check Immigration
of Italian Criminals to
America.
MATTER UP IN PARLIAMENT
Government Interested in Safe
guarding Name OF It's
Citizens.
BY CA,rILLo CIANrAnnA.


Especial cable to The 1imes Dispa tchl
Rome. December 2l-The fight
which Miss Amy a. Bernardo, formerly
instructor or Italian az Smith College,
Northampton, Mass. has been waging
against the Black Hand from the coll
umns OF the local press has been trans
ferred to the floor of the italian Par
lament. Deputy Nalvaseri-Peroni
openly invited Marquis Di san Guiliaro,
Minister OF Foreign Affairs, TO devise
ways and means to permanently check
the mIgra ton OF Italian criminals TO
the United states, and TO cooperate
with the American government in the
detection of the criminals.
Deputy Peroni's speech followed the
publication OF what purported TO he
the secret rules binding together the
members Of the Black Hand groups
spread throughout the United States,
! The publication was made under Miss
Bernardi's name, and in presenting the
document to the italian public, the
fearless American girl declared that,
while she could not tell how she had
come in possession Of the document
yet she could voucn for its authenticity
and veracity.
Hopes for Co-Opcration.
| To the New York American CORE
| spondent Deputy Pe-oni said ii was his
! Intention TO urge the Italian govern
ment to open negotiations with the
| American authorities so as TO come to
an understanding as to wha: can be
done to remedy the present situation,
which is regarded as extremely detri-
| mental as we'll as dangerous TO the
| reputation of the Italian name in
| America.
we all know" DEPUTY Peroni told
| ME. that the large majority of the
Italians residing in America are hard
working, thrifty and industrious, and
that the prejudices existing against
them are mainly due to the ru .anly
| behavior of small number of Grim
inals who have fled the country TO con-
| tinue under an assumed name their
criminal careers on the other side of
| the ocean.
| Il also know that for the sake Of
| residing there the Italian authorities
are always glad to get them back and
| put them where they can do no harm;
| the question with us is how to get
| back every criminal, and as fast as
| they begin 10 make their presence felt
| among the Italians and the Americans.
THE American police are very
clever. and | personally do not believe
that the politicians pull can prevent
| lHSln iipiH HduIlHS DclOEe Tie courts
| those who. according to the laws
I! passed by the American Congress, can
| be deported to their native country.
What we believe to be true is that the
| American police of the smaller cities
are not the ffttest persons to detect
the Southern Italian criminal. II igno-
rant of the language and ways of the
people he can hardly expect to sue
coed in his attempts to win the conf
dence of tho blackmailers victim Thus
the Italian settlement is closed to him.
his presence is quickly detected and
/ the criminals informed by their many
! confederates.
Easy to Recognize Them.
"On the other hand, our police work
in smaller American cities would be
+, immensely valuable, and the good re-
suits achieved through them should in
no way hurt the pride of the local
American police. A man who has long
been on the trail of the Sicilian Malta
man can easily recognize one when he
sees one; in the same way that an
American detective would efficiently
deal with a safe blower and a metro
i politan bunco steerer.
1 Consequently, 1 can't see why an
able body of Italian-American trusted
police should mot ihe organized In
the mutual interest of both Italy and
the United States. These men. II spread