Denver labor bulletin., 1916-01-01
PROBLEM ALIENS
CAUSED BYBIC WAR
Immigration Officials Forced
to Modify Existing Laws
Report Of Commissioner Caminetti Re-
lates Unique Situations Arising Out
Of Unsettled State Of Immifrants

Unprecedented problems with which
the federal bureau of immigration has
had to deal as the result of the war in
Europe are pictured in the annual report
of Commissioner General Anthony Cami.
netti, made public in Washington this
week by the secretary of labor.
Particular attention is directed to diff.
ficulties encountered in enforcing the
deportation of undesirable aliens because
OF the prospect, in many cases, OF plac-
ing them in extreme hazard either on
the high seas or after being landed in
foreign port.
Altho in the main the policy of pro-
tecting aliens proved to be correct and
was successful, the commissioner gen.
eral says, one of its results has been to
leave in the United States at the close
of the year 1928 foreigners with no
right to be here and destined ultimately
TO deportation.
Unusual Situation Created.
1T would be impossible" the report
continues, adequately to describe the
problems which have confronted the bu-
reau as the result of the unique situa-
tion produced by the existence of the
European conflict.
enforcement of the regulations which it
has not been necessary to modify, sus-
pend or remodel in its applications.
Such propositions as the control of
land boundaries, particularly the Can.
adian border, the handling of alien sea-
men, especially those employed on YES
sells of belligerent nations interned in
United States ports, and the handling OF
aliens of an extremely undesirable type
imPelled to come to the United States
from belligerent countries because OF the
situation arising from the status of their
native land, are but few Of the large
problems with which the bureau has been
confronted. Successfully to meet this
situation has been no easy task"
Iaborers Are Excluded
Urging the necessity for excluding
aliens on economic grounds, the report
tells OF the rejection OF many Hindu and
East Indian laborers who attempted to
land at Pacific ports on the ground that
they were likely to become public
charges.
1t refers, too, TO a case now pending
IN the supreme court involving the right
of the government to exclude certain
Russians on the ground that they were
bound for locality in the West where
| II was known there was not sufficient
demand for laborers to justify the be-
| lief that they would be able to main
tain themselves.
Expressing the hope that the court
| Will sustain the administrative Officers,
the report declares that if the officers
are not vested with discretion to exclude
aliens under such circumstances "the
law is not as comprehensive as it should
be and much less potent to protect the
| people of this country than the bureau
had always supposed it to be-
Chinese Are Smusgied In
| The commissioner calls attention to
various schemes resorted to in SNUG
Cling Chinese and other immigrants from
the East into the country, and suggests
that if there is any doubt about the let
ter OF the law relating to persons ad-
mitted as natives, or sons OF natives,
proper amendments should be enacted.
An appropriation is asked to provide
automobiles for patrol work along the
Canadian border, q decision of the con.
troller of the currency having obliged
the bureau to discontinue its expenditurs
of money for this purpose.
Plans for further development of the
bureaus employment bureau work arc
outlined, one OF the new phases OF the
program being an effort TO induce many
incoming aliens who have been tillers of
the soil in their own country to go to
farms instead OF to congested industrial
| centers-
| Urges the Burnett Bill.
| An urgent plea for the enactment OF
a general immigration law. similar to
the Burnett bill vetoed by President Will
son at the last session of congress on
account of its literary test provision,
concludes the commissioners recommen-
dstions for legislation. The proposed
law. the report says, represented the re-
suit OF experience and Investigation Of
half century, framed to conform to all
supreme court decisions, and would have
improved the existing law by strengthen
ing and extending many of its most inn
portant provisions.
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