The New York herald., 1921-12-19
ORDERS CUNARD
FINED TO THE LIMIT
Secretary of Labor Requests
Protest to BE Sent to Brit
ish Government.
IMMIGRATION LAWDEFIED
Complaint Made Against Aqui-
tania Bringing Hungarians
in Excess of Quota.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1s.-Secretary of
Labor LAWS has ordered that fines to the
limit OF the statute be assessed against
the British Cunard Steamship Line. and
has asked the State Department TO make
diplomatic representations to che English.
Government against what he officially
classed as bold and, l believe, know
ing attempt on the part of the company
to violate the immigration law either
because of the paltry profits to be gained
thereby or to discredit our immigration
policy"
The circumstance complained of arises
out of the arrival on December 10 at
New York of the liner Aquitania with
800 Hungarian immigrants, despite that
on December l the Immigration Bureau
had announced to all steamship lines
that the quota Of immigrants from Hun
gary legally entitled to enter the United
States up to July, 1922, was exhaused.
Mr.. Davis has likewise addressed let
ter to Attorney-General Daugherty, ask
ing for legal opinion as to what action
can be taken in IAN appalling situation
which has arisen by the reckless dis
regard OF the law by steamship COM
panies."
Continuous Controversy.
Since the enforcement of the new i'm
migration act, which limits the number
Of aliens entitled to enter the United
States in any one year to a definite per
cent. of the number of that nationality
already resident in the United States,
the immigration authorities have been
IN practically constant controversy with
steamship lines. which they have
charged with deliberate intent to make
the law futile. The situation has been
enlivened by midnight races to the port
of entry between vessels carrying mmi-
grant cargoes from countries whose
dwindling quotas made it probable that
arrivals on the last vessels would be ex-
cluded and deported
THE chief offender in this instance
IL the Cunard liner Aquitania." Mr..
Davis said in his letter of protest to
Secretary of State Hughes. (which ar
rived at New York on or about Decem-
Der 10. with somewhat more than 800
OF this nationality (Hungarian) on
board. This vessel is said to have sailed
from Cherbourg on or about December
4, II being understood that the Hun
garians were embarked at that port.
Some of these aliens We're admissible un-
der exemptions found in the law. but at
the last count 204 of them had been
found to be mandatorily excluded from
admission.
THE Cunard Line has been, so the Com
missioner of immigration informs me.
one Of the principal offenders against the
quota law, and up to this time every
possible leniency has been shown. In.
this case the actions seem to have been
deliberate. No account seems to have
been taken by the company involved of
the known hardships and probable de-
portation that would be inflicted upon
the innocent immigrants concerned, to
say nothing of the sorrow and anxiety
which the act was certain to bring to the
friends and relatives OF the immigrants
awaiting them in the United States.
Asks for Protest.
81 am bringing the matter to your
attention in the hope you will consider
Il wise to address a protest tn the Brit
ish Government with the request that
some action be taken which will pre-
vent the Cunard Company from further
violating our immigration laws.
Writing to the Attorney General, Mr.
Davis said that In his opinion "the aw-
full wrong being perpetratcd on these
poor aliens cannot be prevented except
by the imposition OF these ines. The
heart OF Americans is SHOCKED at this
mercenary practice and demands that
some one be punished for he grent
wrong that is being done them"
81 am giving instructions that fines be
imposed" Mr.. Davis continued. "Ci.-
uuestonably opposition 20 this course
will be made at the very threshold VIII
you be good enough to give me your
opinion as TO whether under tile law
fines may be properly imposed on these
steamship companicsg'
Mr.. Davis further pointed on. IN Tie
correspondence that he was acting under
imposed statutes in ordering the fines
imposed and suggested that Congress
should enact speci'ic penalties TO Apply
TO the quota situation and make the
~ nj -. A..