Evening star., 1919-12-19
ellis S|SLANDP0RT
Of ENTRY |NT0U.S.
COVERS 20 ACRES
Tract Really Three Small
Isles in N. Y. Harbor-372
Employees in 19 Buildings.

NEW YORK, December 19-Ellis
Island, known for years as the open
door to the oppressed of every land
and which has become the subject
of a congressional inquiry by reason
of it's new character as a place of
detention for hundreds of anarchists
and other dangerous radicals. Is
really three small islands in New
York harbor about one mile south
west of Manhattan. Their total area
is approximately twenty acres.
Upon these islands. known as Nos
1, and g. are nineteen large and
small buildings of brick and stone.
many of them handsome structures
of four and five stories. used as the
United States immigration station for
this port, and through which. from
July / to December 1 last, nearly
80 900 aliens entered the land of op-
portunity and freedom. Hundreds of
''undesirables." it should be stated.
the lands of their birth. The immi-
grafton service here employs S72
workers, including inspectors who
board incoming ships.
Never Intended ms n Prison.
1t seems an incongruity that Ellis
Island, which. in summer, gives the
foreigner his first glimpse Of the
wonders of the new worlds metropo-
lis, pleasing view Of beautiful lawns
and flowers, well kept buildings and
a fine harbor, with the marvellous sky
line of New York in the distance.
should have metamorphosed during
the war into big detention place for
political criminals and the foes of or
ganized government.
The fact is, Ellis Island, according
to the authorities, was not intended
as a prison for such offenders. Fed
eral judges, in the past two years.
acting under the authority vested in
gerous aliens" either upon their own
recognizance or in the custody of
their lawyers, according to Repre-
sentative Isaac Siegel. a member Of
the House immigration committee
which is Investigating the red peril.
Reds Received from Various Ports.
During the same period 6s7 an
archists, bolshevists and other radi-
Gals have been sent from various
parts of the United States to New
York. OF this number eiehty-five are
now in custody of Acting Immigra-
ton Commissioner Byron G. Uhl, the
successor to Frederic c. Howe, who
until recently and since 1913 had serv-
ed as commissioner.
A representative of the Associated
Press was permitted to make a tour
of the Ellis Island buildings.
Nine hundred immigrants were be-
ing fed in the large dining hall at
the time. Not only did there appear
to be an abundance of food of a
wholesome kind, but the tables and
dishes were clean. Fresh white paper
in long rolls was used as table
cloths"
what Aliens Get to Eat.
The menus for breakfast, dinner
and supper for four successive days.
for instance, showed the following
variable diet: Breakfast-Farina.
corn mush or boiled rice with milk.
stewed prunes or peaches. bread and
butter (substitute). coffee: Dinner
Soup (split pea. farmer style; mock
turtle, English beef and lima BEAM,
Irish stew with vegetables, baked
Goldfish a la Italien. French roast
with bordelaise sauce. kidney stew
with race. cole slaw, bread and but
ter (substitute). rice or liberty pud-
ding, coffee. Supper-Salisbury steak
with onion sauce. roast beef hash
with green peppers. ham with maca
roni. baked pork and beans, bread
and butter (substitute). apple sauce
or blackberry jelly. tea or coffee.
1t should be understood that the
menus given constituted the variety
for more than three meals. An in
teresting feature of the dining hall
was a "kosher" table set apart for
the orthodox Jews.
Aliens Fed ON Contract.
The aliens are fed by general con-
tractor, who Is allowed a profit of S
per cent above cost by the govern
ment. According to Commissioner
IJhL meals have been served for as
low a price as % cents and recently
for Sc cents.
When the immigrants arrive at Ellis
Island, after having undergone medical
inspection. they are ushered into large
room filled with twenty lines Of benches.
inspectors and interpreters. after exam
lining each alien. pass him on the way
to the railroad room or detain him
for a special board of inquiry. This
board is composed Of three inspectors
designated by the government at Wash
ington, and handles only cases which
are suspected Of inadmissibility. AS
many as 5000 immigrants have been
thus handled in one day.
Numerous Sleeping Quarters.
This reception hall is in the center
Of the largest building on Island No. /.
On the second floor Is a gallery running
the entire circumference and on this
floor and on the other floors above are
numerous sleeping quarters. in the CEN
ter of which are triple-deck hunks for