The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-09
RED TAPE KEEPS
2,7OO WARRIORS
FROM FREEDOM
British Americans Arriv-
ing on Mauretania Sent to
Camps Oh Technically.
HUNDREDS NEW WORKERS
Treatment Of Men Who Fought
From Ypres to Palestine
Ar0uses Resentment.

The maddest lot OF soldiers who ever
scored temporarily at the Land of
the Free were herded yesterday into de-
bsrkation camps. They were the 400
men. mostly Americans, who fought In
British srmies from Ypres to Palestine
ana supposed that they could scatter
10 their homes as soon as the Maure-
tania. reached Hoboken on Monday
instead they were bottled up all night
On the liner and until midafternoon yes
terday. when 2.10O were transferred to
Camp Mills and the rest to Camp Mer-
ritt. There they have to prove that they
nave n right to enter the United States
ana are not likely to become public
charges, the same as any immigrant.
They also have to 20 through the SAM
tization process. But it was said last
night that these formalites would not
take long and that all the puzzled vet
Grams Will be turned loose to-day with
money to pay their fares to their home
towns, which in the case OF several hun
bred Of them Is New York city. 70
AZ few of the troops knew just where
lay the responsibility for their deten-
ton they cussed impartially the British
Government, the United States Immigra-
ton authorities and the Cunard Steam
ship Company. 1t certainly was the inn
migration inspectors who would not let
them land on Tuesday night Byron II.
Uhl, deputy Commissioner of Immgra-
ton at this port, said yesterday that
the law OF the land made this necessary
because the Cunard company had no
manifest list giving information required
az to each passenger, whether he be civil
liam or soldier. allen or citizen.
Eligibility Proof Demanded.
From the standpoint OF the immigra-
ton service. these 1900 veterans of the
British service were merely 2.7O0 men
trying to get into this country and for
or b. whom proof of eligibility under
the law had to be offered. The founda-
ton for such proof Is usually a ships
manifest list. Mr.. Uhl said that the
British Consul-General and the British
army authorities here were informed
several days ago that the returning
Americans who served with the British
army had the standing of aliens and
were to be treated accordingly. He also
said that the Cunard company knew
that the requirement Of manifest would
not be waived. :
On the other hand. the Cunard COM
pany seems to have thought that the
British and American Governments had
made an agreement whereby the men
were to come through without any list.
The Mauretania's purser. C. T. SPEEDING.
said that he had spoken Of the manifest
to Major McPhee. British debarkation
oficer at Winchester. England. where
ri, 900 Americans who fought under the
British flag are assembled. Major Nc
Phee told him. the purser said. that
manifest was not necessary, as complete
arrangements had been made by the
1-lt t.A o,I
"a cable to this effect was shown to
me-" the purser added. 1T came from
the United States did not look at the
signature. as I took the British officers
word that everything was all right. II
had known that the immigration authori-
tiss would require passenger manifests
for these men I should not have sailed
on the Mauretania, as it was physically
impossible to complete such q task dur
ing the voyage"
Ohncers Saw Cable Message.
Lieut. H. L. whitelaw of Chicago, who
served with the Royal Air Force eighteen
months, and Capt. r. W. Meiklejohn OF
Paradise Island. Kissinnee. Fla. who
was with the British Hussars throughout
tho war. said that they. too. saw the
cable message.
6uN that he knew Of no such message,
o. Of any understanding having been
reached suspending the usual regula-
tons He conceded that possibly Wash
inaton might have sent such IA cable and
omitted telling him about II, but he
was Inclined to think that the purser
was mistaken as to what the MESA SO
really said.
these men who came on the Mature
IL IL
charged from the British army. Some
are American citizens. some have lived
in America but not acquired citizen
ship; some are from Canada, and some
from the British West Indies. They
are seeking admission to this country
Each has to establish his identity and
place of former residence. This would
be easy II tho Mauritania had brough,
a manifest list Tho failure OF the
steamship company to provide such q
list IL responsible for the whole diff
Guilty. To expedite the gathering OF
tho necessary information we have SEM
plenty Of immigration inspectors &c
Camp Mills and Camp Merritt"
ssThen II you had let these soldier,
land and go their ways yoY/would have
been violating the law yourselfT' was
asked
Exactly" Mr.. Uhi replied.
Some of the heated remarks hearo
on the Mauritania were aimed at the
officers of the port OF embarkation bu'
apparently this was the wrong target
Major-General Shanks, commanding the
port, said that Lieut.-Colonel Thwaites
in charge OF the British provost mar
shars office here. asked him to take
care of the men when they were landed
as the British have no house room fol