New-York tribune., 1911-10-22
NAGEL DEFENDS SERVICE
Secretary Denies Unfair Treat
nent of Immigrants.
TART ANSWER TO CRITICS
Says Campaign of Misrepre-
sentation Has Been Waged
Against Officials.

Washington. oct cL-Secretary Nagel oi
the DersF4rneut Of Commerce and LABOR
IN public statement to-day defended the
,-,r,ig-stion service against the charges oI
unfair treatment OF immigrants mace ny
several delegates 70 the convention OF Jhe
,;e-nan-American Alliance here recently
he chose for his personal investigation
.,s charge made by Henry Weisman' OF
proolzIvn. that one of the children OF heI-
man stoltenberg. German immigrant. nau
boAr excluded at New York on March .
si-,rlv because .he child suffered Mi'
Narel said his investigation confirmed me
decision NJ the immigration officers ana
tbair medical staff that the child was
feeble minded
..T ,,.~- - e+a+e once for ALL" said Mr..
>-a~ai .-rhat neither the commissioner NJ
r-,is Island nor the Bureau OF lmmisra-
.,o, nor the Secretary of Commerce ana
1.ahc- ,s authorized TO decide cases OF TINS
lr,nd Under the general authority 70 SUI
-a-,-ts. an s6r7in'strative officer may and
does do many things. but he cannot SUD
st,tute his own svmpathies nor even hiS
oni1ion for an act Of Congress EHcepuonS
-,s6a bv ne Secretary must At least be
supposed 70 be contemplated ny 1le sen
vrAl purpose Of the law
- IS quite unnecessary 10 explain the
hsrdshfps Of these cases 70 ne. am
familiar with them. They come before M
constantly. I have gone 70 the extreme iH
me effort 10 afford relief. and have even
advocated changes IN the law. When per
sons who have not examined the record
who have not SO much as made inquiry
,nto the truth. accept public gossip Ior
-5eir guide. and send abroad misleading
ststs-1arrs such as bIr. Weisman mas DeeH
g,,il-v Of. plain correction would seem 20
bs in order. The prominence given this
~ass IS however. the only reason Ior slll-
riirr u Out for discussion. In other re-
specrs II il OF a piece with t7e stunned
end PERSISTENT misrepresentauons WINCH
have been uttered n certain quarters As
one case is answered another If distorted
This was clearly demonstrated nerore luV
House Committee on Rules where every
one had q chance 70 present his grievances,
urhere those who complained lounest dio
not appes- and where the attitude Of many
others was characterized by a Willingness
~ come 10 Washington 70 testify rather
-nsn by a desire TO 20 to Ellis lslano lo
investigate.'
Referring 70 the stoltenberg case 0ecre-
rary NaEel said.
The one child was certified by the medlcal
star as feeble minded. That ceruncdle le
trbe correctness Of which was unQlsPu ru5 ,
vvss necessarily adopted by the noaIo ol
.rouirv snd could not be set aside or I Qls-
REGARDED hy the commissioner az ~. ~.
Ts's-d the commissioner general or IN"
secretary. All the other members OF IN, m
family were admitted. The pufe1u : 1'll :
semi was even given 10 the SupS luliou o-
8 resident uncle in place of one OF inc mem
Ta~s ri the ir7riCra ror family VINO. IL one
6-eDce 90 the law. would otre'NlSt I'a 7
been compelled to accompany the one 'i.'i-
on the return trtD. A.
These being the facts IN the case. Mr.
v-eier-7ar has stated that the ground Tor
exciudinC this child was that he suffered.
There iz no reference 10 an lmpecimeHt ~
sreech in the record. and the statement
made by NIr. Weisman. as vel as the ln-
.ee.-tie1 fIr-~ue Since then Nj Wesrnan
is rauo~red 70 have stated that IN sa'A
cases the doctors certificate IS not con
elusive This statement Is likewise un-