The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-10-22
WILSON TO TAKE A HAND.
WILL THOROUGHLY INVEST.
GATE MRS. PANKHURST'S CASE
BEFORE PASSING ON III.
commissioner Caminctti Upscts
Precedent by Receiving Counsel on
Sunday-Is Not Influenced by the
Fact That Lecture Must be Can
ccled.

w oSiiHStOI, OCt. lS.-Ine pTeSl-
dent of the United States is to take a
hand in deciding whether Mrs. EN-
incline Pankhurst, militant suffragette
of England, shall be admitted to this
country.
President Wilson tonight called a
conference for early tomorrow with
Secretary Wilson of the department
of labor and Commissioner General
Caminetti Of the immigration bureau.
High government officials, who are
believed to know the attitude Of the
president, predicted that Mrs. Pan
hurst would be admitted.
Earlier in the day Commissioner
Caminetti, after an informal hearing
Of counsel, had declined to release
Mrs. Pankhurst on bond from the Ell
lis Island immigration station, New
York, where she is being confined
pending final action on her appeal
from the order of deportation issued
in New York today.
Mr.. Caminetti informally sought
the advice of his superiors on the
questions at issue, and applied to the
White House for a conference. The
president had been taking keen in
terest in the case, realizing the i'm
pOrtant international phases of the
question.
Although the statute gives the i'm
migration commissioner final author
ity in immigration cases, presidents
hitherto have indicated the construc-
tions they desired placed on such
cases.
In view of the early conference at
the White House the formal proceed
ings in the case will be postponed from
o'clock until later in the morning
immigration Commissioner Cami-
netti today declined to release Mrs.
Pankhurst, British militant suffragist,
on bond from the Ellis Island immi-
grafton station, New York, pending
final adjustment Of her appeal from
the deportation order issued yes
terday by special board of in
quiry. Her case will be taken up
formally tomorrow by Commissioners
Caminetti and it is said n definite
decision on her release or deporta.
ton may be reached during the day.
Commissioner Caminetti today said
that his desire was mot to be rushed
into a decision of case nationally
and internationally important" but
that he had done and would do all
in his power to facilitate it's deter
minatiOn. Unprecedented efforts finally
to dispose Of the case were made by
the immigration officials and they sue
ceeded practically "in clearing the
decks" for positive action tomorrow
morning.
Counsel for Mrs. Pankhurst today
were accorded an informal hearing
of several hours by Commissioners
Caminetti and DR.. A. W. Parker,
chief Of the law department. Of the
immigration bureau. The commits
sioner, in accounting for hearing
held on Sunday. said his only reason
was to facilitate as much as possible
this proceeding.
The question of whether MS Pank-
hurst should be admitted or deported
was a subject OF absorbing interest
to many in government circles. 1t
tonight became known that a great
many high officials favored admitting
her, not because Of any sympathy for
the individual or her cause, but on
the ground that the principle of free
speech should be maintained. AttOr-
neys for Mrs. Pankhurst directed their
efforts today chiefly towards obtain
ing her temporary release from GUS
tody at Ellis Island pending consid
Grafton of the case in order that she
might fulfill lecture contracts.
Commissioner Caminetti promptly
made it clear that he could not be
rushed into q decision because Of the
money involved in Mrs. Pankhurst's
engagements. That, he said, was en-
tirely aside from the real issue, /. e.,
whether the British militant was en-
titled under the law to enter the
United States. He refused for this
reason to hear Frank S. O'Neil, as
counsel for the management of Madi-
son Square garden. New York. where
Mrs. Pankhurst is advertised to speak
tomorrow night. Mr. O'Neil then en-
tered an appearance az a representa-
tive OF Mrs. Pankhurst.