The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-01-15

1eR't AiAAtN utNhS ADONE--LHiS N dI food for wonder. And for reflection.
 Reise as, result of the reflection, I is beginning to like America Now that she comprehends a little of what the uproar was about, there begins to be fugitive glint in the black eyes. Today she sat on the balcony | Of the first class headquarters at ! Ellis Island and looked earnestly down the hallway at the large Amer tcan flag and meditated. The first class quarters were those in which Immigration Commissioner Robert L. Todd had insisted upon placing her, despite the fact that a steerage paa senger is not entitled to such com paraEve luxury. The room was as good as the one Moishke had, and the officials were as polite to her as they were to Moishke in spite of his flowing white beard and his high black hat Tell the truth, the of ficials were more polite to her. There seemed to be a point of being of especially polite to her at such times as Moishke stood neglected in the background
 Detained on the Island
 For a few days more the Melo- meds will be detained on the island Their passports, which had expired will doubtless be renewed by Wash ington so that the parents can jour ney to their son in Philadelphia. And until then Reise. staring rom her diminutive husband to the huge and smiling officials, learns little more daily of woman's status in this as founding United States.
 Don't you know you can vote for President here?" a guard asked Reise this afternoon, "vote-just like your husband does?"
 eso-o29 said Reise. in her gentle voice. Another quaintness. Her black eyes rested on Moishke again. and he responded with kindly laugh. Not deliberate cruelty. eer- tainly, but just the custom of his country, which had made him accept endured the steerage.
 Tt was necessary that have calm.e he explained. with eager ges lures. T cannot study where there Is noise.'
 But how about Reise? Did she en- joy the noisy thirdclass accommo- dations?
 Doesn't Mind Noise
 "Ah. but I do not mind noise." Reise hastened to cry. T did not want to come by first class. askee
 
 because-because l did not think I should feel at ease among the people of the first class. Besides it meant so much more money spent. When my sons sent the tickets 1 took that one marked third I preferred it. But" a hint of fire at last; pass ing flicker of indignant embarrass- ment-''had I known all the trouble this was going to cause l should tx;. .f ing III at ease"
 And Moishke, the relentless ques- tioner. proceeded. Had he not felt i'll at east amid the style and ex pense of a first class cabin? Espe- eialiy with Reise away down in the cellar of the boat, tossed woefnlly about among sliding baggage and bowling babes? Did Moishke then feel entirely at ease?
 An. yes. Moishke felt quite com fortable. Why not? For again the patient explanation, Moishke was simply exercising his traditionai right. Moishke, you see, was a man. In Koyno a wife takes second place.
 But Deputy Commissioner Harry R. Landis couldn't see it that way What gets me" >he repeated, lis that the husband calmly ushers his wife into the steerage and then calm ly marches off to his own place in one of the first cabins entirely as . matter of course. He wasn't being hateful. He was just being conven- tional-for Kovno.
 Different Points of View
 We have never had just such case as this before. But every day we have cases Illustrating the Me1o- med point of view. Immigrants from the far east and from eastern and southern Europe invariably make everything easy for the man and leave the hard things for the woman. Watch them leave the detention pen. out walks the husband first. If there's a heavy or an unwieldy piece of baggage. it is left as matter of course for the wife. As for the sons. they seem a bit apologetic, but still not wholly clear as to what all the fuss is about. Mother referred the steerage. Father wanted to study. Father had been awfully good to them when they were boys. Fla ther was man. And they are going to take care of the old people. Sam uel Miller-nee Melomed--has steam laundry in Philadelphia. and Alfred Aden-nee Melomed-has sl.500 invested in two markets at At tleboro. Mass. Samuel cleared s2,O0a last year. Alfred gets $50 week
 But why" the immigration au thorities inquired, didn't you split the price of the two tickets and brin.: both your father and mother over in the second class cabin?"
 The sons looked puzzled. Be cause" they replied. second class isn't much better than steerage."
 So there you are.