The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-19
PRESIDENT TAFT TALKS ID ALIENS Immigrants Complaints Are Heard At Ellis Island DISPUTED CASES SETTLED Taft Reaches Conclusions on Immigra- tion That He May Put Into Effect
 in Making the Service More
 Efficient

had his first view today of Ellis island,
 where the aliens of many countries un- dergo their first gruelling on the road to American citizenship? He spent five
 hours in the one place in the United States where the rights of human liberty temporarily are suspended by executive
 action alone while the tedious work of separating the moderately good immi- grants from the wholly bad goes on day
 after day.
 The human interest side at the immi- grant station appealed to the President. He saw the process of handling the aliens from the moment of landing, through all
 the rigid rules of mental and physical
 examination and segregation, up to the
 moment of final discharge. when they
 rushed into the arms of waiting friends
 or relatives.
 During his investigation the President sat with Immigration Commissioner Will Hams in a number of disputed cases. MT. Taft proved a lenient judge. and 1t was indeed a happy fate which brought near ly score of rejected immigrants to the bar for final decision on the day of the Presidents visit The President took a
 hand in the examination of practically all of the immigrants who came up on appeal. There were Slavs, Poles Greeks | and Italians, but the most interesting
 case was that of a Welch miner and his
 family of seven motherless children. The
 President personally directed that the family be admitted, and he said that if he was at all a judge of human nature the seven children would grow into the
 best type of citizens. AS a result of his observations today, MT. Taft had reached tonight a pretty definite conclusion on three points,
 Tafts Conclusions 1. He believes that a strong effort
 should be made to distribute the influx of foreigners and do away with the pres
 ent congestion In New York.
 9. He believes that heavier penalties
 should be exacted of the steamship com
 panes for infractions of the immigration rules, so as to make them more strict in
 their examination of emigrants before shipping them in foreign ports 8. He believes that all male immigrants. upon their arrival here should be put
 through thorough examination as to | the condition of families left behind In Europe.
 One of the most difficult human prob | lems of the immigration service has been
 the separation of families, but the Pres ident believes that problem can be solved | by requiring immigrants to tell in ad- vance whether or not families left be- | hind are eligible for admission under the immigration laws.
 VIII Not Aid Project MT. Taft was urged today to use his influence in getting an appropria- | tion from Congress which would prac- | tically double the facilities at Ellis Island. This he will decline to do. He holds that if the Ellis Island fla | cil1ties were doubled 1t would simply mean a further inducement to the steamship companies to concentrate | tn cir immigrant traffic In this city. If additional facilities must be provided | for immigrants the President thinks | that stations should be established at other ports along the coast. This would mean that the steamship companies
 would be notified that only certain
 number of immigrants could be han | died in New York and that aliens In excess of this number should be taken | to other ports. A number of move ments are under way fostered prin | cipally by foreign societies to dstri bute the immigrants daily arriving in l America
 One of the first cases brought be- | fore the President on appeal today was l that of an Italian woman and four children The husband has already ar rived in this country. There was some question as to whether he could earn enough money to support the 1amlly. | The man asserted that he could and the President took the same view. The wife and children were admitted. Some aliens suffering from flat foot were fortunate in being brought be- fore the President. He said that while ] flat foot intertered with a number of occupations it was possible for per sons so afflicted to follow many use | ful trades. The flat-footed immigrants went joyously on their way to New York.
 Welch Miners Talk | When George Thornton. the Welch miner, and his seven children were called before Commissioner Williams and President Taft there was much excitement throughout the station. All 1 the under officials there had taken an | interest in the miner and alth ough he
 had been disqualified under a physical examination they still hoped that he | might be admitted. His wife died last August and he had decided to quit Wales and come to this country to seek a new start in life.
 President Taft took a hand in uues- tioning the miner and brought out the fact that the man had a sister, Mrs. Sarah Webb, of 1881 Vickery street, Pittsburg. It was decided to let the
 miner in.
 Thorntons children range from to 10 years. He got ticket for him self and children through to Pitts burg and the party left in a happy
 mood. When the President asked him what funds he had, Thornton replied: "One hundred and sixtyfive dollars and two hands"
 While President Taft was examining | Thornton he asked the immigrant if he know who the President of the United States was. The man prompt- | ly repluied: President Taft" and did not seem a bit excited when the com missioner informed him that the gen. tleman with whom he was talking was the President himself Thornton bowed politely to the executive to in dicate his qualification at meeting him, VERDICT ON SHOOTING