New-York tribune., 1921-01-08
Siegel Assails
Bill to Stop
Immigration
Tells Senate Committee That
Presence of Foreign.Born
Is Not Responsible for
Crime in New York CITY
Charges Passport Graft
Asserts Some Government
Officials Hold Up New
cOmers for Their Vises


WASHINGTON, Jan. T. - Vigorous
denial of charges or insinuations that
New York City is beset by more crime
than other cities because of the pres
enee of large elements of the foreign
born was entered to-day By Representa-
tive Isaac Siegel, Of New York, before
the Senate Committee on immigration.
Mr.. Siegel appeared before the conn.,
mittce in opposition to the johnson
bill to shut off immigration for a. year.
eve hear considerable in regard to
crime in New York; he said, "but it is
practically the m0N Norderly city in the
"Take the City Of Washington, with
a population by the recent census of
about 4S5,ooo. There were $4,000 crimes
committed here in the last year. In
other words, about 10 per cent of the
people committed offcnses. The City
of New York, with its five or six
million people. had total number of
about 200, 900 cases, and we have some
problems in New York that do not exist
in Washingtor."
He pointed out il the boys played
baseball in the streets or woman
hung her washing OH the line where it
wasn't permitted, or man was caught
smoking a cigar in the subway arrest
followed, and yet such petty offenses
went into the list of cases Of violations
Of law.
Safer From Murder Here
AS far as murder is concerned, we
are three times as safe in New York
rs you are in the District of Columbia.
The statement has been made in the
House that crime is more prevalent
among cities Of the foreign born. This
IS rot true"
Mr. Siegel also stressed the fact
that in New York the children of the
foreign-born are more anxious to take
advantage of the puhlic school facili-
ties than are the children Of the native
horn, and he invited the Senators of
the committee to visit New York and
go with him through the public schools.
He told of the excellence os foreign
born children in gymnastics and cited
the fact that three of the American
winners in the Olympic games were Of
foreign parentage.
the subordinate officials of the coun-
tries whence immigration is coming
with reference to the viseing Of pass
ports, but among some of the officials
on this side of the water, according to
Representative Siegel.
Charges Graft in Passports
Gwen some OF our own Department
OF Justice men who were making these
vises of passports were corrupt" said
Mr.. Siegel. "A certain Department of
1ot son 4.
own signature saying: If you desire 81
wise to go through you must pay SIS
to certain attorney in Washington.
otherwise the wise can't go through
We indicted n number of them in New
York"
The committee did not ask Mr.. Siegel
for particulars and he did not men
tion names. He referred to corruption
as one Of the obstacles in the way of
efficient enforcement of existing immi-
grafton laws.
Not tinkerng with existing immigra-
tion laws but more complete enforce
ment Of these laws, he held, was need
ed. lie presented data to show the
utter inadcquacy Of the INN igration-
inspecting force ot Ellis Island and
elsewhere to cope with the REQUIRE
ments.
Mr.. Siegel. questioned by Senator
Dillingham; about percentages of wom-
Ell and children as compared with men,
said the percentage of children was
very large and the number Of women
larger than that OF men. Many old
men are coming.
Immigrants of Better Element
He also asserted the people coming in
now from Poland and elsewhere are the
better element. He emphasized the
point that the immigrants stay in New
York temporarily only and soon scat
ter all over the country. The Depart
ment Of Labor figures he called in
complete, and he said the reason they
showed more males than females was
that male children exceeded female
children and the male children were
included in enumerating the total Of
males
Senator Sterling wanted to know
why 80 many landed with no money.
cover at the ports of embarkation,"
replied Mr.. Siegel, "the thievery that
is going on is continuous. On the ships
it is going on" He added that If
sailor was accused of theft on a ves-
sci not flying the American flag he
could not be prosecuted under our
Jurisdiction.
Mr.. Siegcl told of the lack of people
in the manufacture Of clothing and
said every one wanted to join the
'"white collar brigade" He asserted
children of the native-born were not
inclined to work with their hands.