Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-12-21
ELLIS ISLAND IS REALLY CQMF0RT52:5l.E:: .E::
 SF0T FGR STRANGER
We'll Housed, WeN-Fed In mates are n0t Like
 Prisoners

New fork, Dee. 20.-Ellis Is. land, known for years as ''the op. en door to the oppressed of every land" and which has become the subject of congressional inquiry by reason of it's new character as a place of detention for hundreds of anarchists and other danger. ous' radicals, is really three smal islands in New York harbor about one mile southwest of Manhattan Their total area is approximately 20 acres.
 Upon these islands, known as Nos 1, and 8 are nineteen large and small buildings of brick anc stone, many of them handsome structures of four and five stor- ies, used as the United States I'm. migration station for this port and through which from July 1 to De cember 1, last, nearly S0,0O0 aliens entered the Land of Opportunity and Freedom. Hundreds of "unde- sirables," it should be stated, were at the same time sent back to the lands of their birth. The immi- grafton service here employs 3T?o workers, including inspectors who board incoming ships.
 It seems an incongruity that FL lis Island which, in summer, gives the foreigner his first glimpse of the wonders of the new worlds metropolis, pleasing view of the beautiful lawns and flowers, we'll kept buildings and a fine harbol with the marvellous skyline of New York in the distance, should have metamorphosed during the war in- to big detention place for politi- cal criminals and the foes of or ganized government.
 Not Built for Prison.
 The fact is, Ellis Island, accord ing to the authorities, was not in- tended as a prison for such offen- ders. Federal judges, in the past two years, acting under the author ity vested in them, liberated 557 sc-called dangerous aliens" eith- CT upon their own recognizance or in the custody of their lawyers, ac- cording to Representative Isaac Siegel, a member of the house im- migration committee which is in- vestigating the Red peril. During the. same period 697 anarchists, bolshevists and other radicals have been sent from various parts of the United States to New York. Of this number S5 are now in custody of acting Immigration Commissio- ner Byron G. Uhl, the successor to Frederic c. Howe, who until re- gently, and since 1913, had served as commissioner.
 A representative of the Asso- ciated Press was permitted to make a tour of the Ellis Island buildings.
 Nine hundred immigrants were being fed in the large dining hall at the time. Not only did there appear to be an abundance of food of wholesome kind but the ta- bles and dishes were clean. Fresh, white paper, in long rolls, was us- ed as table cloths"
 The menus for breakfast, dinner and supper, for four successive days, for instance, showed the fol- lowing variable diet: breakfast, farina, cornmush, or boiled rice with milk, stewed prunes or peaches bread and butter (substitute) ;; coffee. Dinner: soup, (split pea farmer style, mock turtle, Eng fish beef, and lima bean) Irish stew with vegetables; baked cod fish a la Italian; French roast with bordelaise sauce; kidney stew with macaroni; baked pork and butter (substitute); rice or liberty pudding; coffee. Supper: Sails bury steak with onion sauce; roast beef hash with green peppers; ham with macaronia; baked pork and beans ;bread and butter (substi- tute); apple sauce or blackberry jelly; tea or coffee.
 Table for Jews.
 It should be understood that the menus given constituted the va riety for more than three meals. An interesting feature of the din ing hall was 'kosbe" table set apart for the Orthodox Jews.
 The aliens are fed by a general contractor who is allowed a profit of five per cent above cost by the government. According to Con- missioner Uhl, meals have been served for as low price as P cents and recently for 36 cents.
 When the immigrants arrive at Ellis Island, after having under gone medical inspection, they are ushered into a large room filled with lines of benches. Inspectors and interpreters, after examining each alien, passes him on the way to the railroad room" or detair him for a special board of inquiry This board is composed of three inspectors designated by the gov ernment at Washington and hand les only cases which are suspected of inadmissability. As many as 5000 immigrants have been thu: handled in one day.
 This reception hall is in the cen ter of the largesc building on is : land No. 1. On the second floor i a gallery running the entire cir conference and on this floor an' on the other floors above are mum erous sleeping quarters in the cen ter of which are triple deck bunk for 72 occupants. These quarter appeared clean, light and well-ven tilated. The hunks are of stee with wire mattresses. More com