New-York tribune., 1919-11-27
Anarcllistic Literatur E
and Gambling Flour
ished at Ellis Island,
Congressmen Are Told
Quick Deportations
Promised as Result
Commissioner Regarded
as Friend by Radicals,
Letters In dicate

Byron Fl. Uhl, Acting Commis-
sioner Of Immigration, testifying yes
terday before the Congressional COM
mittee, pictured Ellis Island during
the administration of Commissioner
Frederic c. Howe as place where
gamblers had free rein and anar-
chistic literature fourished.
Mr.. Uhl declared it was often the
custom of Mr.. Howe to "go over the
head" Of Commissioner General
Caminetti and transact his official
business with the Department of
Labor.
"Was it the desire of Mr.. Howe
to make this island a place of indi-
vidual government" asked Chair
man johnson.
"That was my impression" said
Mr. Uhl.
Tells of ''Red' Literature
"Am 1 right in saying that it was
little more than a gambling house?"
asked Representative Raker.
81 wouldn't want to go quite that
far" testified the witness GLOW
ever, the prostitutes here were
given the privilege of mingling with
decent women. individuals did
pretty nearly as they pleased"
Mi. Uhl declared that all sorts of
anarchistic literature were circulated
at the station during the time Mr..
Howe was in office. He said Mr.. Howe
had resigned after he had been at
tackled on the floor of the House by
Representatives Siegel and La Guar
dia.
Seized Letters Read
The immigration Committee read
from the letter files of Mr.. Howe
These files were seized on Monday The
letters indicated sympathetic atti-
tude on the part Of the commissioner
toward men neia "nder charges of
anarchy. 1t was announced, following
a secret session of the committee in
the afternoon, that Mr. Howe would be
called as witness before the investi-
CATION at the island is completed. More
letters written and received by Mr..
Howe will be produced at future hear
! ings, it is said. The committee will
continue it's Investigations OH Friday
morning
Quick Deportation Promised
Anthony j. Caminetti Commits
I sioner General of Immigration, arrived
yesterday. He conferred with the com
mittee in the afternoon. He will re-
main at the station to see that the
hearings Of cases Of alleged anarchists
stated by a member of the committee
last night the Commissioner General
had Informed the Congressman he re-
peatedly had urged the removal Of Mr..
Howe from office.
THE committee.'' said Representative
Isaac Siegel, of New York, last night,
has discovered many conditions it did
not believe existed. | can say now the
deportation Of anarchists, as a result
| of the investi tigation, is to be expedited.
"In less than two weeks, we have rea-
son to believe many undesirables who
have no business in America will have
left America. For months and months
! these deportation cases have been ac-
curlulating and no action has been
| taken.
Labor Department Censured
"We're going to see now that they'r
deported, and deported at once. They re
going back to Soviet Russia and other
countries from which they came.
sin this connection | might say that
the United States Department of Labor
is to blame for the radicalism which
now exists in New York. This radical
ism was caused by the dumping of $50
anarchists in this city"
MIR. Howe told The Tribune last night
that Mr.. Uhl's. statements were cab
surd and astounding" He vehemently
denied gambling and anarchistc litera-
ture fourished under his administra-
l.tion. He said: "Mr. Uhl must have been
'out of his mind"
The letter taken from the private
correspondence files to which members
of the committee attached the most sig
nlticance was that written to Mr.. Howe
by Emma Goldman, the anarchist, un-
der date of October Is. 1918. The
letter was written on a letterhead of
the Mother Earth Publishing Associa-
.ioi, ~ magazine OF anarchlSC Chought,
20 East l25th Street.
Feared Deportation to Trenches
The letter read:
"Mr. Fred Howe,
Commissioner of immigration.
ellis Island, N. Y.
my Dear Fred Howe:
The bearer of this note, Max Bag.
inski an old friend of mine, is deeply
interested in the case of Joseph Gold