The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1913-12-12
HINDU PERIL Said
T0BE THREATENING
COMMISSIONER REVIEWS EFFORT
TO KEEP ORlENTALS OUT.
Caminetti Tells of Determi-
nation of Cheap Laberers To
Flock To This Coast.

Wsrning against the developement
of Hindu peril unless Hindus are
barred from entry to this country was
emphasized by Anthony Caminetti,
United States Commissioner Gensral
of immigration, the other day in Port
land. in the course Of an official tour
Of the West to inspect the stations Of
this department.
Mr.. Caminetti sees in unrestricted
immigration of Hindus danger great
or even than that of the ''yellow per-
il. 49, Hindus in great numbers, he
says are making determined effort to
enter this country, where their low
standard of living enables them to
compete with white labor at wages
the white man cannot hope to meet.
The Pacific coast. he says, from Cal
ifornia to British Columbia, is a most
favorable ground for Hindu immigra-
tion. The moderate climate and the
high scale of wages are conditions,
he said, especially desired by the
Hindu immigrants.
s'The Hindu movement" Mr.. Cam
inetti asserted. "is toward the West
coast of the United States and Canada.
They land in the Philippines, legally
or surreptitously. and from there seek
to gain admission to the United States.
''It is an open secret that five Hin
dus who sought to land in Seattle last
June were seut here to make test
case. A tanscontinental railroad had
made arrangements to convey them to
points scattered all the way from
Washington to Minnesota, and had
even sent cots to Manila to provide
sleeping quarters for them on the
decks of the steamers. Thousands of
them we're In Manila waiting to hear
that the FIVE cases had been admitted
to this country before starting for
this coast.
"Ninety.two cases decided again st
the Hindus on the Pacific coast have
been carried to the immigration Bu-
reau at Washington, and afterwards
fought out in the courts, with the re.
suit that the contestants were denied
admission into the United States.
There are one hundred more cases
pending at San Francisco. under
stand that all these cases will be car
ried to the supreme court of the Unit
ed States.
"The Hindus, denied admission to
British Columbia, appealed TO the
courts. where their suits were fought
with varying success, some deported
and others admitted to the Dominion.
Notwithstanding the fact that these
men are British subjects. the Domin-
lou officials are almost unanimously
in accord with the action of the Unit.
ed States. AS the Toronto Globe ex.
presses it, the Canadians think that
the Hindus make good British sub
jcet. hut poor settlers. Two bills ex-
cluding Hindu labor are now before
Congress.
aside from economic reasons for
the exclusion of the Oriental races, an
other objection exists in the fact that
all Of India, in the southern two
thirds of China, and in large portions
of Japan approximately 80 per cent of
the agricultural Glasses are afflicted
with hookworm. The wet soil OF
Oregon and Washington is partiou-
larry adapted to the transmission and
to preservation Of the hookworm germ.
'This disease is far more prevalent
and dangerous than most people be.
lieve. 1t ia found in Europe. where
il is believed to have been carried BY
the Moors from Africa, in their in.
vasion of Spain at the close of the
llth century. 1t Is prevalent among
both negroes and whites 10 the South.
and is especially contagious In mines.
1t is estimated that hook worm is the
indirect cause OF more deaths than
any other disease. 1t saps the vitality
and renders the laborer unfit for work,
and develops atsndsncy toward tnber-
culosis."