New-York tribune., 1918-03-23
Thirty Thousand in City
Said to Have Evaded
Registration
Police Will Help
Federal Officials
Military Census Lists Will
Be Used to Check
Up Names

Officials of the Federal Enemy Alien
Bureau for the Port of New York
said yesterday that the long hera lded
roundup OF unregistered Teutons
would begin IN New York and the
vicinity on or about April l. If it
does. Will be almost exactly a year
after the registration plan was sug-
eested to give the government infor-
nation about potential enemies with
IN. and SIX weeks after the police reg
istration under the Presidential proca-
nation OF November 16, which pre-
scribed immediate imprisonment or
internment for all who disobeyed the
order
approximately 10000 enemy aliens
have evaded or ignored it in New
York City alone These with thousands
of others in the shipbuilding and NUM-
tion making centres of New Jersey in
cluded in the harbor district. have
been free ever since to go and come
as they liked, even in forbidden zones,
although supposed to be subject to
instant arrest Il found without regis
tration cards.
Organization Lacking
The present delay has been attrib-
uted to organization operations. and
the government still is without ac-
curate knowledge of the number OF
hidden aliens.
William Wallace. .ir.. former special
deputy United States Attorney General,
who has been made head OF the port
alien bureau. managed to get establish
cd here only on March T. Since then his
Gus agencies. military and civil. nation
al. state and municipal. upon which he
must depend o prosecute the drive.
Even now he has no detention quar-
ters closer than Trenton. n j.. where
the few unregistered Teutons and sus-
pected spy agents who have been
picked up at RANDOM are being held
for examination. Lut he said yester-
day that arrangements We're being
made to obtain the use of a wing of
the Ludl Nv Street Jail. the quarters
OF the famous Alimony Club. as
clearing house-a way station on the
route to internment.
That matter is still pending before
Attorney General Gregory The work
Of coordinatinG the activities of the
police departments of New York. New
ark, Jersey City and Hoboken is also
incomplete. Conferences are to be held
carly next week with Police Commits
sioner Enright md the police chiefs
OF the New Jersey departments to ar
range for their cooperation.
Checking Up Under Way
BY that time it is expected that the
a ISt, n ic+C
made by the police last month with
the registrations made during the New
York State military census last year
Will have yielded a fairly accurate idea
of the number and identity of the un-
registered cnemY aliens in New York
City at least. Then Mr.. Wallace prom
lSes drive comparable only to a rab-
bit drive in his native Montana
The apparently fixed government
policy of atfordng enemy aliens the
utmost consideration. however, proba-
ply will temper the rigorous punish
ment to which the unregistered Teu-
tons might otherwise be subjected.
Whlle the registration was in prog
ross last month il was asserted and
frequently reiterated that severe pun
lshment would Immediately follow fail
ure to register. A sit, -dav limit was
first established. That limit was later
extended, with renewed warnings that
d certain 'lateswas final. But it was in
dlcated yesterday that enemy aliens
might still register and escape punish
ment. Mr.. Wallace said that if Teu-
tons who now had no cards should
come in and be examined and finger
printed that would count greatly in
their favor when it came to fixing pen
alties.