Great Falls daily tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1895-1921, 1919-11-29
Former Chief at Ellis
Island Breaks Into Pro-
ceedings, But His Ex-
plantations Barred.
Nine Huskies Are Hired
to Handle Deportables
on Silence and Hunger
Strike in Quiz.

New York, Nov. 2S.-Testimony that
Frederic Q. Howe, former commissioner
of immigration at Ellis Island, ordered
deportations of radicals held up, although
final deportation orders had been re-
ceived from the department of labor,
was given to the house immigration
committee by Percy A. Baker. superin-
tendent of the island Baker put in
evidence an order he had received from
Howe last March, reading:
You will stay all deportations in
these alien cases until the attorneys can
be advised and until consultation with
me-"
Baker testified that an order Of the
department to deport was final, and he,
therefore, did not understand the note
from Howe and consulted him. Baker
then made this memorandum on the
copy of the order shown the committee:
Commissioner states if deportation
orders are received, before doing so, he
should be consulted"
Radicals Freed, Now Missing.
Representative Siegel of New York
said there was no authority in law for
such staying of deportations.
Baker said that some Of the radicals
affected by the stay had been released
by the department and some had OBJ
tanned their freedom by pardon.
The effect of Howe's order to him,
he said, probably was to permit delay
for the institution of deportation appeals.
Representative Siegel read from i'm
migration department records names of
two dozen men who had been held at the
island with warrants for their deporta-
ton on file, but had been released, most
ly on their own rec0gniZance They now
nre missing.
Howe Told Not to Howl.
Howe interrupted Bakers testimony
in an effort to give his version of the
matter, but was shut off by the com
mittee, which promised him an oppor-
tunity to be heard later. Failing to OBJ
tain permission to testify earlier in the
day, he had issued statement to the
press saying that he had never released
radical prisoner unless on orders from
Washington.
Commissioner Uhl testified that q let
ter signed by Howe. April "a, ordering
the circulation Of anarchistic literature
at the island stopped, had not been
delivered to the proper officers to en-
force it, until June f.
That isn't true" Howe exclaimed
before the committee could stop his
statement by informing him that it
would tolerate no police court"
methods.
Malone Had Talk With Germans.
Dudley Field Malone. then collector
Of the port of New York, addressed in
termed German sailors at the island the
night after war was declared. Baker
testified. and promised them that their
treatment would be such that they
would have no cause for complaint and
that canteens would be provided. The
canteens never were provided. however,
Baker added.
Nine husky deputy L. S. marshaIs
were provided for Commissioner Uhl,
today. so that he could break the
silence" strike Of 6S radicals at the
island, now awaiting deportation pro-
reedings. The usual guards at the island
are inadequate and not strong enough,
he told the house committee. The
deputies will use force to bring the
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