The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1913-09-12
ELLIS ISLAND FIRST
FOR mrs. PANKHURST
Immigration Officials Are Or
dcred to Examine Mill.
tant Leader.
HER RECORD ASKED FOR
Washington Seeks Details OF
Trial and Conviction
i'm England.

WASHINGTON. Sept. 1I.-Mrs. Emme-
fine Pankhurst, leader Of the militan,
English suYragettes who sailed to-day
from France for the United States. will be
held up at Ellis Island on her arrival in
New York and compelled to appear before
4 special board Of inquiry by the time
Mrs Pankhurst gets to this side OF the
Atlantic the immig ration officials will
hsvs from the English Government her
full police court record. II will be OBJ
tanned through the state Department at
the request Of the Department Of Labor.
Il was learned to-day that the Depart
ment has taken the matter up and intends
10 sec thai Mrs. Pankhurst goes through
an examination at Ellis Island. She will
be asked to explain some Of her acts
abroad in connection with the militant
campaign. Some officials Of the immigra-
ton service believe Mrs. Pankhurst could
be dep,rted as an anarchist and she will
be questioned regarding her belief con-
cerning orderly and civilized government.
Department Decides.
Tho Department has been importuned by
leading suffragists to indicate what it was
gong 10 do about Mrs. Pankhursi. but
thIs far 1t has declined to commit Itself
formally beyond the statement that Mrs
rankhurst would be- treated as any other
alien The Department within the last day
o. two has received clippings calling at
teution 20 Mrs. Pankhursts militancy and
Il considers these sufficient TO examin.
Mrs. rankhurst when she arrives. IL Mrs
Psnkhurst is detained she will have quar-
tcrs at Ellis Island until the special board
can meet and hear the evidence. and mean
while the receptions arranged in her honor
and her chautauqua dates will have to be
postponed.
Ii the board decides against her she car
sppeal To the Department here. The !mmi'
glation act prevents persons VINO have
been convicted Of Or admit having com
m!t,.d felony 81 other crime or mis-
dcmcanor involving moral turpi'ude'
from entering this country.
TO Get square Deal.
suffragists have intimated that II Mrs
Pankhurst is held up they wtil make an
issue of it and carry the matter 10 the
PRESIDENT Of the United States. They
have been informed that Mrs. Pankhurs'
is -oing TO be treated like any other alien
aaarst whom there is suspicion and doubt
and Nhile the Department has no charge
to make against her she Is going to get q
fair deal Nevertheless she will have tG
undergo something more than a routins
examination.
Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst liz now under
a three Years sentence at hard labor for
netting the malicious destruction OF prop
erty for which she might have received a
sentence Of fourteen years. Under the
criminal laws Of the ajOrity OF the
States Of this country such crime Is re-
garded as felony, and by this con-
struction OF the law the Immigration au-
,horites would be justified In excluding
her
Ms Pankhurst was sentenced ON April
3 and on June ~ she was released on
lccise after hunger strike. She was
taken back to prison and again released
after another period Of voluntary starvs-
tion. Then she went to France. where
the details Of her lecture tour In this
country have beep arranged. Az soon as
She returns to England she will be sent
back TO Jail. Under these circumstances
the immigration authorities might regard
her as fugitive from justice and hold
her for deportation.