The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-12-01
Undesirables But Human
BY FREDERICK J. HAskIN

NEW YORK CITY, Dec. lin a few
days, Jackie Schumacher, a little ~
year-old cripple boy, must go back
alone 10 Scotland All of Jackies fam
lily, who are devoted 10 him, live in
White Plains, n. Y, and he hasn't
single relative or friend left in his
native country. Nevertheless, he must
90 back. American immigration Off
Gals have said so.
Jackie's father accompanied by an
elder son and daughter, came TO this
country from Scotland soon after the
war ended. Mrs. Schumacher and
Jackie, with another boy and girl, did
not arrive in New York until the early
part of 1920. immigration agents i'm
mediately raised an objection to
Jackie's admittance upon the ground
that he was defective. and detained
him at Ellis Island.
Through the aid of friends and the
good offices of a Congressman, the
family was able to obtain the boys
release by filing a bond guaranteeing
that he would not become a public
charge. Later this bond was extend
ed. Still the matter was not perma-
nently settled. The family was CON
stantly haunted by the fear that
eventually Jackie would have to go,
that an immigration officer would
come and get him. Several months
ago, Mrs Schumacher died The doctor
who attended her said that her death
was due to constant fear and worry Cv-
er the fate of her son.
And now fate has come. A general
roundup of detectives was recently
ordered by the immigration authori-
ties. and Jackie is only one of large
number of forlorn human beings who
are to be disposed of in the usual
cOld-blOOded, arbitrary manner at Ell
lis Island. On the list of undesirables
awaiting deportation are likewise
mothers and infants who will be torn
! from their families now residing in
| this country; husbands and fathers
prevented by various technicalities
! from joining their families here. anC
mentally and physically defective
| children who are to be cast back upon
! lands where they no longer have
! homes
! The blame for this cruel and inhu
| man treatment of aliens does not be
| long to our immigration officials They
! have no personal influence or authorit
| ty and merely act as autOmatoms il
| carrying out the immigration laws
! Neither does the blame lie in the laws
which are necessary evils for the pro
| lection of the nation from large mass
| es of undesirable citizens. But the
! blame must descend upon a govern
ment which fails to provide the means
to set aside the laws when it is seer
that in individual cases they cause in
| tOlerable hardship
Relentless Law
/ Even the Secretary of Labor is viz
| tually powerless to interfere with IN
immigration machinery, once it is Sc
in motion. The late Secretary of La
Dor Wilson went about as far as h.
could when he issued the following in
structions to immigration officials:
While regulation and exclusion ant
! therefore detention, are necessary il
respect of immigration" he said. Il
should be understood by all who PAL
ticipate in administering these law
! that they are not intended to be pc
nalizing. 1t is with no unfriendlines
to aliens that immigrants are detaine,
and some Of them excluded, but sole