The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-06-14
DEPORTATION WORKS
HAR0SH|Ps ON jews
Because OF Russia's Isolation Rejected
Immigrants Are Returned TO
Archangel.

New York. June 13.--Protest
against hardships worked by the pro-
posed deportation of recent Russian
immigrants. as a result of Russia Z
isolation IN the present war. IL voiced
by The American Hebrew in it's cur
rent issue.
The paper points out that the only
port at which these immigrants can
be landed, IL the orders OF the United
States immigration authorities are en-
forced, is Archangel, and that even IL
they escape the dangers attendant upon
such a voyage under present war con-
ditions they will be doomed to journey
1880 miles by foot before they can find
transportation TO their homes. The pa
per says In part:
Immigration into this country has
practically died away during the war
time, but questions relating to 1t still
arise from time to time. One of these
now pending before the Department
of Labor raises questions of consid-
cradle Importance. though for the mo-
ment they may seem to affect but few
individuals. 1t has been proposed TO
deport a party OF sixty recent tmmi-
grants who. for one reason or another
run counter to the regulations of the
Commissioner General of immigration.
and In ordinary times would be sent
to Libau. II is now proposed to send
them to Archange1.
Such course would inhict great
and unmerited hardship upon these IN
fortunate persons who have been dis
appointed in their hope of finding a new
career in the Land of Liberty. AS In
now notorious, any voyage to North
European waters is fraught with dan
ger to life, and IL seems unfair to
subject innocent persons to such dan
ger The British Admiralty have re-
Gently issued the somewhat mysterious
notice declaring II dangerous for any
neutral vessel to pass through the
ocean to the north of the British isles.
as would be the case II deportation
took place at the present moment.
But this is not all. Even II these
persons escaped the dangers OF the
sea. they will be subjected to terrible
hardships when they have arrived at
Archangel. That port Is the only one
In Russia where munitions of war can
be received from allies or neutrals. and
the railway from Archangei to Petro-
grad has been requisitioned for the
transport of such munitions These
refugees, therefore, would be unable to
find transportation by rail, and az they
are for the most part without means
they would have to trudge the whole
body knows what that means; treated
like convicts. often bound hand TO
hand with guards to accompany them.
the unfortunate beings sent by adj
ministrative order en- entape rarely
reach the erfd of the journey IL q
lengthy one. because they more fire.
quently die upon the way. Jews would
have 10 be sent in this way In even
greater length of journey. since they
have only the right OF dwelling within
the Jaie of settlement, another four
or Ave hundred miles.
Under the circumstances 1t is to
he hoped that the President, to whom
appeal has been made, will give d.
rections for the deferring of this order
for deportation until II can be carried
out with some consideration for the
dictates of humanity. Deportation al
any time cannot escape the imputa-
ton of cruelty. If adopted under
the circumstances of the resent case II
would racticalfy condemn the major
ity OF the refugees to death. Al
resent the question only affects n
party OF some sixty individuals, only
few of whom are Jews, but IL de-
cided adversely 1t would form a pre-
cedent that might affect the lives OF
large numbers OF beings who are
already. heaven knows. sufficiently I'M
fortunate