Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-02-18
GIVE DEPORTED ALIENS
FULL BENEFIT OF LAW
Secretary OF Labor Wilson Esplains
to brooklyn Macl,iniSis Action
OF Governments
IN ACCORD WITT; STATUTE
Deportation Act Was Adopted by
C"ngrcss With G,ron2 support of
american Fcdc. alton of Labor.
Advocates of Vic .cnrc Must Go.

WASHINGTON. FEB. I,.-Sccrotary
OF Labor Wilson. in a letter today to
inc officers Of Micrometer Lodge. No
~. international Association of Ma
ch;nists. Of E.ooki!r. y. Y. denied that
The proposed deportation OF ntty-cight
a'"o radicals wGs done without due
process OF law
Secretary Wilson'S letter was in re-
Spouse 70 a tc!egraphic protes; of the
lodge which charged that ;ha men
were being sent out OF the country
without an opportunity TO he heard in
their own behalf lis reply follows:
y regret that YOUR lodge should
nave been led 20 commit itself 10 such
a protest without first securing u
knowledge or tn: facts. These aliens
ar" not being deported without due
process OF Law. nor arc they being de-
ported because they are radicals.
Ihosc YOU refer TO as radicals are be
inH sent out OF the country because
they have been found ADVOCATING the
overthrow OF our government by force
LAW STRONGLY ,TPO3rTD
ni FEDERATION on LABOR
Inc immigration act ot February =
1917, strongly supported by the Amer
ican Federation OF Labor. Of which you
arc a part. provides that ANY alien
who at any time after entry shall DC
found advocatin,. or teaching the un-
lawful destruction OF property. or adj
Nocatins or teaching anarchy, or the
overthrow by force or violence OF the
SoHcrnncit Of tho Cuiied states. or
ton Of pubic cilicials-shp!l. upon the
warrant Or tho Secretary OF Labor. be
taken INTO custody ana deportcd
Durir" the period OF tho war while
submarines We're operating. making It
dangerous Tor PASSENGERS to travel by
sc". purely Tor Humanitarian reasons
assumed the responsibilities Of decln-
Ing TO dcpoTt thes" people. No" that
the submarine menace is removed they
arc being dcDorted to the countries
whence they came
! IL,
ro'tunitE both Z, the place where they
were originally arrested some time ago
ana ~ 'hc department in Washington.
- defend themselves against the
la ~. The department; does not porni!;
amy local official 20 finally determine
the dues tion Of deportation. So,h the
" ana the evidence arc reviewed by
tho department before Il waTran, OF
deportation is issuei.
ALL TREATED FAIRI.N
IN SEARCH FOu TnUVII
''AN q ,hese aliens were freely
granted tho privilege or employing
counsel. Some did so; others declined.
bat all. irrespective Of whether or no,
they employed counsel were treated
faiT.%: as Tho department. never acts
as prosecutor, bat simply AS an
agency 10 ascertain tho ;ru;h. The
r'snj 70 resort 20 the courts was not
them awaited Themselves of ths oppor-
tunity; Most OF them preferred to
abide by the departments decision.
1t Is my intention as Secretary o!
Labor, now that tho unusual danger OF
sea travel is over, 10 carry out the
clear provisions OF the law: first, ne
cause 1t is my sworn duty Ia do So
and. second. because any foreigner who
comes TO this country and advocates
the overthrow Of our form OF govern
irent by force is an invading army,
who is treated with great lenicncy
when he ~ simply deported 10 the land
from which he came