New-York tribune., 1921-02-18
Inspectors Send Them to
Hospital From Ferry
Landing and Boston
Trains for Cleansing
Italy Stops Rush
From Disease Area
closes Frontiers to Cen
trail Europe; All Ports
Adopt Drastic Rules

Lack Of Federal facilities at Boston
,na the Ellis Island immigration sta
ton to combat the typhus fever
nlague was responsible for the dis
eoyery yesterday by the City Health
department Of 141 vermin-infested
Immigrants. They were taken to Will
lard Parker Hospital for thorough
cleansing Of person and baggage.
These 141, all suspected of carrying
the trasmitting agency of European
tgphus, we're taken from among nearly
sao Of the steamship passengers who
we're examined promptly upon their
arrival at Grand Central Station bv
train from Boston and at the Battery
BY ferry from the local immigration
station They had previously been
passed through the country's gates BY
the Federal authorities.
Their discovery by the examining
forces OF the New York City Health
Department convinced DR.. Royal S.
Copeland, Commissioner, that nothing
short of radical readjustment of view
point on the part of responsible Off
eisls in Washington would relieve the
situation permanently.
News that Italy has closed her from
tiers to emigrants from Central
E0rope and would permit no more of
them to sail for America until the
typhus scourge had abated. was one
Cf the few encouraging developments
icr the health authorities yesterday.
1t was pointed out, however, that this
actIon OF ltalys would not meet the
sitsation entirely and that only Fed
err. activity could hope to meet the
menace of the increasing tide of immi-
efdtion here.
Hope of Action by Congress
Indications that Congress may take
acton toward providing the facilities
eded, not only at this port but at
bestoa, Philadelphia and possibly Bal
tlmoge as well, for cleansing and disin-
leeting the increasing number of aliens
cunning to these shores, were seen in
.etter received by Commissioner Cope
land yesterday from Ere derrick II. Gill
leit. Speaker of the House Of Repre-
EentatIves. The Comm ssioner tele-
es5saPhed TO Mr.. Gillett on February Il
and to other members OF Congress, in
clud'ng Senators Calder and Lodge, in
forming them of the conditions at this
EOlt ard requesting that they use their
influence to improve them Mr.. Gill
FITS letter said he had referred DR..
SopelaHd's message to the Immigration
Committee of the House Later DIR.
copeland received the following tele-
gram from Albert Johnson, chairman
OF the commttee
=, Your telegram to Speaker of the
mouse concerning admission of vermin-
INFESTED persons referred to Committee
on lmml grafton. What s the present
situation? Is Federal quarantine eff
fective ?"
Dr.. Copeland telegraphed the follow
Jug reply:
This morning we stopped 1875 YER
min-inteSted persons passed by Port of
noston. Philadelphia port lacks equip
ment Ten per cent of persons who are
admitted to this port through Ellis
island are vermin infested. Federal
quarantine at all Eastern ports dis
gracefully Ineffective"
Philadelphians in Conference
reference TO the situation at Phila-
aelphis was occasioned by conference
Yesterday between DR.. c. Lincoln Fur
gusn. Director Of the Department of
Fublie Health, Philadelphia; his assist
ant, Or S. T. White, and Commissioner
copeland at the latter's office.
oF' Furoush had the same complaint
70 make against the Federal facilities
a. a. philadelphia as has been emphasized
by Dr. Copeland in connection with the
ssspage OF unclean or diseased imrni-
grants through this port. They agreed
tnat 1t was up to the government to
establish the proper hospital and de-
iouslhg facilities at the various ports.
Wallis to Make Appeal
Frederick A Wallis, Commissioner
oi immigration at Ellis island, depart
ca Yesterday for Washington to confer
sith ms superiors on conditions at the
N'snd and to ask for an appropriation
ss,oheient to install 800 baths pre-
"mlnary to taking over the work
tcont'uued next 9ase)