New-York tribune., 1918-02-05
Registrants


The smallness Of the actual registra-
tions, considering the fact that it was
the first day and ''wcrkless Monday"
to boot, caused a great deal of worry
for the police officials in charge, who
are thinking of the rush at the end OF
the week. 1t was predicted that at the
more congested police stations is
would be utterly impossible to com
plete the task OF finger-printing and
listing the aliens unless the period was
extended or greatly augmented force
placed in each station.
At the East Eighty eighth Street sta
ton. IN the precinct with pro 'sably the
largest German population in the city.
force of twelve men. working under
Sergeants Neilan and Quinn, was busy
from opening time. 8 a. n, until 10
o'clock last night in registering 1870
aliens. There are 1900 to be booked
in all. and at the present rate two
weeks of seven working days each
would be required to get them all
listed.
Fifteen Minutes Per Person
sAt this station members of the Home
Defence League, some of them able TO
speak German, assisted the police
When there was a question of inter
pretation in the filing out of affdavits
or answering questions they were
called in.
1t took from fifteen to twenty min
utes to register each man who ap-
peared The work was complicated BY
the taking of four different sets OF
tlnger-prints, one for each affidavit
filed. When it came to the finger
printing the only annoyance manifest
ed by the registrants was shown.
I'm no criminal Why should you
10
a s crock or murderer?' said burly
Gerr'an at an East Side station He
refused 20 be appeased when it was
explained that the plan was used to
identify bank clerks and other per-
fectly law-abiding citizens, and went
away snorting angrily.
Among the problems confronting the
registration officials was the status Of
French Alsace- -Lorrainers who had not
been naturalized. These We're told to
register, not as "enemy Aliens but as
friendly aliens" so that their aft
davits could be kept separate and given
special consideration. They were re-
CURED, however, to present credentials
vised by the French consul.
Mrs. Oscar Straus aided the police
at the East Sixty-seventh Street sta
tion, volunteering to help guide per
PieN'u Nei htals III HillIS Out Inc am
davits.
Each registrant yesterday had to
supply five photographs of himself, to
be attached to the affidavits. Each aft
davit took up in detail the history OF
the German not only while in this
country but in his native land.
Liberty Loan and Red Cross buttons
were conspicuously displayed on the
coats of many Of the 279 alien enemies
who registered in Hoboken yesterday
1t is expected that the authorities will
have record of more than 1000 sub
jects of Germany when registration is
completed
Thirty per cent Of the registrants
stated that they had brothers, nephews
and cousins with the Teutonic forces.
and Martin H. c. Woelper, of 507
Washington Street, said that he had
disowned his son because he was with
the enemy army. Woelper said he had
applied for his first naturalization
papers.
Many of the men admitted having
lived in Hoboken for many years
several of them for thirty years
without having expressed a desire to
become citizens