New-York tribune., 1911-02-27
GREEK LINE FIGHTS BACK
Athinai Arrests Evidence of Off
cisI Frenzy. LAWYER SAYS.

The raid and subsequent arrests made BY
immigration inspectors and United Stat's
marshals on the Greek steamship Athinai
OF her arriva here from Greece on Sat
urdav have been characterized bv Cass a
Apfel, counsel for the Greek line as spec
tacular' and "uncalled for The lawyers
put the blame for the raid and arrests Oh
the frenzy OF the Bureau of immigration
to get more summary power To- enforce the
immigration laws.
I'm behalf Of the Hellenic Transatlantic
| Company Greek Linel the lawyers issued
Yesterday the following statement:
The spectacular wholesale arrests by tho
government on Saturday on charges Of
conspiracy illegally 10 land immigrants
we're uncalled for. and are onlv an evf
dence of the frenzy Which has seized tho
Bureau Of immigration during the cons!d-
Grafton by Congress of q bill awarding TO
the Com Missioner fuller powers to enforce
regulations among immigrants, and par
ticuldTly among foreign creWS-reGulatlonS
thoroughly approved OF by this company.
DcsCttiOn OF crews is one of the banes
Of the steamship business Enrolled under
the Greek flag. where the pay is small. the
Greek sailor Sips through porthole or
takes advantage OF shore feaye, which we
are required by law To give. and. presto!
there is one more sailor helping to man "A
ship on the Great Lakes.
The War of 1872 resulted from the de
termination of the government TO prevent
England from arrcsting sailors who had
deserted from English ships and enlisted
on American vessels. The American navy
has four thousand desertionS a year. inc
fear OF Ellis Island is so great that even
immigrants entitled To land resort 10 any
stratagem to smuESle themselves ashore
So far il is charged that omccrs. MEM
bers Of the crew or others of the company
take part i'm sIch illegal entry, the com
pany is doing it's best to investigate and
stamp out the practice.
MIR Calancs, the general agent. who was
arr StCd as he left the ship, was returning
from Greece from trip made especially
10 root out the trouble there. Letters and
cable messages relating TO cases OF ira
choma or other diseases have been sent ny
us voluntarily to the District Attorney, Is
well as cables from the directors Of
ferng to discharge from the service any
member of the crew or officer against whom
the government has well founded suspicion.
But, unfortunately. such things seem be'
side the issue.
We are now prosecuted by government
empoye who was discharged by The com
pany after letter to the company ny
commissioner williams charging him with
"IarcfaCed ,windling' OF immigrants. 1hat
same man. by fraud upon the 'llshl WdtcH-
man. after his discharge entered the COM
pany'S Slllice at night i'm at least two at
tempts 10 secure evidence. and on Satur-
DAY moIhing was giving out statements az
to the coming arrests ana the amount OF
bail the District Attorney was going 10 ASK
Yesterday We felt compelled to apply to
Judge Chathed for the protection of an
actiCnable letter. the property OF the COM
pany. written by this man 10 the COMPANY
and now in the possession OF the DlstIlct
Attorney. -,-,.,
To such extremes has the government
gone i'm this conspiracy matter thai IN the
case II a steward under lock ana Key by
the captain TO prevent him landlis' he Wds
taken ashore bv Immigration inspectors
over the captains protests and then the
captain and three other officers were al
rested and held undei heavy ban on
charge OF conniVing ct his escape. In duo
coI,rso and in the prOrer way the good
faith of the company will be shown