Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-11-01
hardships inflicted by Law.

Probably in no place in the worlt
are the hardships inflicted by the Law
more apparent than at the immigration
Offices of the United States. There
every day. stories come to light tina
tell Of the. broken hearts, and hope;
and ambitions that have met destrGC-
ton Families are divided. and the
plans of years. that have been made
in other lands, with the beacon of the
land of the free ever before them.
have been frustrated at the moment
New York. thousands are turned back
because of the rigid hand of the law
with which the people of other lands
are not familiar.
An immigration case so pathetic as
to cause a tender hearted cabinet OFF,
Ger to leave his comfortable tireside
and travel to another city to interview
the unfortunates personally, is Row
awaiting judgment in the Department
OF commerce anu l<dpois oiuihS ~
the Washington correspondent of the
Boston Transcript Whether the stern
enforcement of the law will compel an
aged couple to turn their backs on
their children in this country and re-
turn to Russia with their feeble mind
ed son. or whether evidence can be adj
duced which will warrant the depart
nnent in admitting the trio, is the dif-
fienlt question which the secretary OF
commerce and labor must decide. The
case cannot fail to arrest the atten-
ton CT publicists who are seeking to
improve the immigration laws. Here
is ne story
Jacob Schmidt. age IS, and his wife,
Maria Schmidt, IS. accompanied by their
son Johann Schmidt, arrived in Baltimore
on the steamship Neckar, Sept. =. They
have been detained there at Locust Point
ever since, on the finding of the local
board that the son is freeble- minded. and,
under the law. must be deported. The old
people are Germans, resident in Russia
They have In this country six sons and
one daughter. all living In prosperity or
farms which they own in North Dakota.
line YOUNG man JOHANN is IIle Only Citilu
not now a resident of the United States,
The elder Schmidt was wheelwright
In his own country, but both he ana MS
wife became unable. through age, to earn
their own living and were sent for by
the children. who are anxious to give
them a home for the brief remainder of
their. lives. The feeble-minded son is
welcome also. as he is said to De able 10
do farm work The old couple, having
sold out their belongings in Russia.
brought $1,000 in cash to this country. Elk
cept for the law, nothing stands in the
way of a reunion of the whole Schmidt
family, a comfortable ending of the days
OF the old people and home and care for
the Predetermined son. The young man
was born normal, but while he was an
infant fire occurred in the house and he
was thrown from a window. He was i'll
for two years and never since has had
other than the brain of child, 1t is the
law of heredity that traumatism. or IN
jury. is not transmitted to offspring. SO
should the youth by any chance beget
children of his own they doubtless would
be of normal body and mind However
grants ever is likely to become public
charge
The law will permit the children to give
bond and provide for the old people, but
the provisions that the feeble minded son
shall be sent back hardly can be evaded.
The law also would permit one of the
parents to be appointed guardian and re-
turn with the boy. thus saving one fare,
OQl Iue parents are utttINlliltu lHdt
neither shall go back without the other.
The case came in the regular order of
business to Secretary of Commerce and
Labor Charles Nagel. he took day of.
went to Baltimore and. being of German
extraction and training himself. was able
to talk with the venerable immigrant II
his own language. As the result, he has
ordered a medical REORGANIZATION of the
son. He learned certain things in add
ton to the information already brought
out which may make it possible to adm
Johann under the law. Secretary Mage
is now awaiting the report of the medica
examiner Should II be unfavorable, h
would have no option but to enforce tn
law The Schmidt children have givel
bond that they will care for Their parent
IL the old people are permitted to remai
in the country. but the immigration &C
does not cover the case of the feeble
minded youth.