The Hawaiian gazette., 1917-12-28
Four Rumanians Are
Facing Return
To Stricken Country
Taken From Shipboard Here
Their Clothing and Belongings
Went On and II Released For
mer Soldiers win Be Without
Funds

FuIluS 'at. R#f3 II
-Four Rumanians who arrived recent.
ily on a Japanese steamer from japan
and were removed from the vessel by
the United States Immigration author
tiles for detention at the local station,
have been ordered deported with one
exception, on the ground that they are
likely to become public charges. Their
cases have been appealed to Washing.
ton. If the authorities there sustain
Inspeetor-in-ehnrge Haisey, three at
least, of the immigra nts Win be placed
aboard vessel boz nd across the Paei.
&c for Japan. Ind eventually, IL the
Japanese cdieials take action similar
to that In Honolulu, they may find
themselves back in war.stricken Ru-
mania. rl..a 81.
Al Were Soldiers 49,.
All the men claim TO have been
soldiers in the Rumanian army and
invalided out, one having been slight
ly wounded in one hand. Three have
passports but the immigration inspec-
tors are bit chary of foreign pass
ports just now. The men claim that,
having been i'll, they wanted to leave
the country and secured proper pass
ports and set their eyes toward the
United States. They claim that coudi-
tons in Rumania are such that they
felt II absolutely necessary TO seek
new country. Horrible atrocities have
been committed, they say, there is in
sufficient food and people are dying
by hundreds. y. -..5 ...I T.,
One Attempts Suicide ~
A few days ago one Of the Ru-
manians, say the Immigration men, at
tempted to hang himself, and he was
thereupon sent to the police station
for safe keeping, and on the ground
that he appeared to be mentally un-
balanced. A few days in the station
appeared to change the mans condi.
ton, and partly at the request of Pr1
waite, first class, Dan Popovich, 10th
Company, Coast Artillery Corps, Fort
De Russy, the man was returned to
the immigration station. He is now
reported to be quite normal. d..
Private Popovich, himself Ruma-
MAN, one of two men of that nationality
now serving in the army here, heard
of the plight Of these men and learning
that they could not express themselves
in English, saw them and talked with
them directly in their own language.
"These men, from what they told
me-" said the American Rumanian
soldier, "iwere all, or nearly all, in
army service for Rumania. One was
wounded and the others became i'll.
Conditions have become horrible in
Rumania, and they wanted to leave.
Their passports, they Say, were issued
for them so they could leave the conn
try. They went to Petrograd, and the
Rumanian representative ,viseed the
documents. They crossed Siberia and
went to japan. t..
Belongings are Lost
r"Their documents could not be fixed
over again there, as the Rumanian rep
resentative was not present. They
told me they paid their way across to
San Francisco, but were taken off here,
the first American port of entry, and
they have lost what clothes they had,
for they were not removed from the
vessel. Now, If they are given their
freedom, how are they going to get to
San Frnncisco, for their fare, as they
told me, was all paid. They haven T. a
cent. i have not much to give them
for much of my pay goes into Liberty
bonds. If they are set free they will
have to be looked after until they get
work. / told the immirration officials
] would be responsible for them. They
want to get to San Francisco, and If
they are set free hope residents of
Honolulu will help me to help them. "