Evening journal., 1919-11-29
DECLARE HOUSE
AIDED THE REDS
Ellis Island Superintendent
Says Deportations Were
Held Up
"A ALIENS ARE
REPORTED MISSING

NEW YORK, Nov. 29.-Testimony that
Frederic C.. Howe, former CommissiOier
OF Immigration at Ellis Island, had or
dered deportation OF radicals held up,
although final orders had been re-
eeiyed from the Department Of Labor,
was given TO the House Immigration.
Committee yesterday by Percy A..
Baker. superintendent Of The island.
Baker put I'm the evidence an order
nc had received from Howe last Mach,
reading:
YOU will stay an dsporlations In
these alien cases until the ATTORNEYS
ran be advised and until after consul
.lilon with me-"
Baker testified that an order Of the
department 10 deport was final and he
therefore, did not understand the no.e
rom Howe and consulted him. Baker
,hcn made this memorandum on the
ropy OF the order shown The COM
mittcc:
Commission stales if deportation
ordera are received. before doing SO he
should he consulted.'
Representative Siegel. OF New York.
said there was no authority I'm law for
such staying of drp0rialiOns.
Baker said that some OF ihe radicals
effected by The siay had been released
by the department and some had OBJ
iilned their freedom by h3beas corpus
proceedings Tile effect of llOwe's
order TO him. he said probably was 90
permit delay for iha Institution of
habcls corpus proceedings.
Representative Sieg read from Inn
migration Department records names
OF two dozen men Who had been held
q. ihe Island With warrants for their
deportation on nle, hut had been re-
leased mostly on their own recogni-
z1nce. They now are missing.
Howe Interrupted Bakers testimony
in an EFFORT Go give his version Of the
matter. but was shut or by ihe COM
mitlce, which promised him AN oppOr-
tunity io be heard later. Failing 90
obtain permission 20 testify earlier In
The day. Howe had issued statement
10 the press. saying that me never had
released a radical without orders from
Washington.
This statement was issued after
Howe ha! Instructed Byron C.. Ull, now
acting commissioner 8t The Island. and
deputy when Howe was commissioner.
I'M had testified that q letter signed
by Howe April - ordering tne c'rcu-
lltiOn OF anarchi-!ir literature 3i the
Island stopped bad not bsen delivered
Go ine proper officers for enforcement
until June Z.
THAT isnt t-ue,' Howe exclaimed
before ihe committee stopped bis state
ment ry informing him that ii would
tolerate no police court" methods
Howe later tried Go Interrupt Go say
that ne was in error in asserting that
Uhl was not telling lhe truth. but The
committee told him TO write "a letter
lbous IT,
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 canicens would De provided. The
canieen never was provided, however
Baker added
Nine husky deputy United state mar
shals were provided for Commissioner
Uhi so that he could break the silence
strike Of 6S radicals ai the Island now
awaiting deportation proceedings The
usual guard at the Island are made
quate. he told the House committee.
The deputies will Use force 10 bring
the radicals BEFORE immigration in
spectors for deportation proceedings,
which they have refused 60 attend be-
cause relatives are not permitted 90
see them except with an iron barrier
intervening.
The silence breakers" have been OFT
a hunger strike for removal OF the bar
rier for four dlys,having last answered
the summons for the dining-room last
Monday night. one hunger striker col
lapsed and was recoved 10 the Island
hospital.