The Colorado statesman., 1916-07-08
BY FREDERICK C. HOWE.
Commissioner of immigration at the
Port of New York

Port of New York.
The Ellis island immigrant station
is the greatest gateway in the world.
Through it in normal times n million
people enter the United States each
year. They come from every nation;
but they all come with the same hopes.
and inspired by the same desires for
new life in new land, free from
the poverty, oppression or persecution
to which they or their people have
been subjected.
Ellis island has suffered from the
bad reputation of old Castle Garden,
which up to 1889 was the place of re-
ception of inbound immigrants at New
York. But Ellis island is not place
to be feared or dreaded. 1t is clean
and wholesome and comfortable; and
the 600 employees of the government
stationed there can handle, in normal
times, as high as 5000 immigrants
day, and complaints of discourtesy or
unkindnesS are of the rarest occur
renee.
The European war created new
problems, just as its termination will
create many more. And the bureau of
Immigration has endea.ored to con-
vert Ellis island into u station of serv-
ice to the incoming alien, even though
the enforcement of the law involves
many hardships and disappointments.
The outbreak of the war found there
nearly 400 aliens who had been or
dered deported, but who could not then
ha rntt a1 tn fn ,fr;n TO
Germany. What to do with them was
a problem. Their number was being
augmented weekly by others arriv-
ing from other countries and those
deported from this country because of
some violation of the immigration stat
utes.
There were men, women and chill
dren detained; for the most part they
were peasants; they came from small
towns and villages. To relieve the
situation Fairgrounds were opened on
Ellis island, and the mothers and
small children were permitted to play
upon the lawns. The first day they
were released from the station they
rolled upon the earth and wept with
joy from contact with the green grass
and growing things.
Classes were organized in sewing;
material was secured, and the women
We're set to making clothes for them
selves and their children. The men
were employed at Matchmaking under
the instruction of u sailor. Glasses
were organized in gymnastics for the
men; while school was temporarily
opened for the purpose of educating
the children. The men and women
were permitted to mingle more freely
in the various detention rooms, while
games were provided and other means
of relaxation. A new spirit animated
the place, and the attempts at escape,
which had been frequent, came to an
end
Organizations of foreign-born peo-
pie in and about New York became in
terested in the situation. They vol
unteered to aid in the relief of the te-
dium in n great variety of ways. one
of the most interesting was the giving
of Sunday concerts in the great reg
istry hall at the station, which is capa-
BILE of seating 1900 people. Other
uStuCltS DIoNlucu IL
outfit, which presented motion pictures
of the events of the week to those
temporarily or permanently detained
Mt the island. They gave some sug-
gestion of America and the news of
the world.
Growing out of these conditions the
station itself was frightened by the
placing of plants and growing things
about the registry hall. Photographs
illustrative of the natural resources
and beauties of America were secured
from the various departments ut
Washington and placed in the deten-
ton rooms and the corridors. The
great registry hall was draped with
American flags and hung with portraits
of the presidents and pictures of
events in American history.
Underlying all this was the belief
that the first contact of the alien with
America should be one that would i'm
press him with democracy, with the
new meaning that he had 4 right to
expect from government For over 9S
per cent of those who come to this
country are admitted to 1t. The treat
ment they receive on entrance will in