New-York tribune., 1919-12-06
Starting the Exodus

Starting the Exodus
Alexander Berkman and Emma
Goldman were taken to Ellis Island
yesterday. In letter to their coun-
sci the Commissioner General of I'M
migration announced that they will
be deported to Soviet Russia Sin the
usual way"
Both are fighting election and say
that they will come back. Emma
boasts that she will return as am
bassador from Soviet Russia to a
Soviet United States. She and her
associate are still pathetically blind
to the great Transformation in
American opinion which has now
forced them into exile after so many
years Of contemptuous tolerance.
They are sending farewell messages
to radical labor" here on the mis-
taken assumption that what has
hitherto been known as radical
labor" has at present any use for
them.
The radical and radical labor"
influence which was exerted to pro-
| long their stay in this country
looked on them as harmless fanatics
and was not averse to see them go
on making living as political pam
handlers. That protective influence
was powerful inside the Wilson Ad-
ministration. 1t deprecated sitting
radical" thought of any kind. But
when the thought of Berkman and
Goldman began to be converted into
l. w. w. sabotage, conspiracy and
terrorism the labor radicals Of the
old school found their own power
rudely challenged. They do not be-
lieve in individualist or soviet an
archy. They want to operate
through collective bargaining within
the existing democratic structure.
In the view of the labor unions and
the labor politicians who have large
ly controlled the governments policy
in recent years, the I. w. w. agita-
tor, trying to reduce anarchist the
ory to action, has become a pestif-
erous interloper, whose room is more
desirable than his company.
The American belief in orderly
democracy goes deep. 1t is potent
even with the highly organized and
more aggressive Unions. These or
eanizations see in the l. W. w. and
The alien agents Of Leninism force
as dangerous to unionism as it is to
Americanism. So the former "labor
radicals" and even many parlor
liberals" have joined with all other
groups in demanding the exclusion
and election of all alien enemies Of
democracy.
The deportation of alien anarchists
has heretofore been farce. 1t will
not be farce much longer. A bill
has been introduced in the House Of
Representatives by Mr.. Davcy, of
Ohio, which greatly broadens the
definition of sedition and subjects
aliens convicted Of sedition to depor-
tation at the expiration of their SEN
tences. Cancellation of naturaliza-
tion Is also provided for. Dissatisfied
at the laxness with which the depor-
tation law has been enforced, some
members of the House want to trans
fer the power of deportation from
the Labor Department to the Depart
ment Of Justice. That may not be
necessary if the Labor Department
gives evidence that it has completely
changed it's point of view. The
Davey law should be passed as
quickly as possible. 1t has the great
merit of reaching all agitators
against the democratic principle and
all terrorists, whether native or
alien. The latter class, more intelli-
gent and more cunning, deserves less
quarter than the former.
Berkman and Goldman are our
best known professional anarchists
Of the foreign brand. Their long
stay here has been a scandal. They
ought to head vast procession of
undesirables through the immigra-
ton stations, outward bound. The
United States is no place for them
or for reyo1,1tionists of their. kind