Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-12-18
WANT REFORMS IN ALL
IMMIGRATION STATIONS
Secretary Davis Thinks There
is Room for Improvement
in Service.

adequate laclltleS AT tne lfniilSIa-
ton ports throughout the country.
Secretary of Labor James j. Davis In
his annual report just made pubic
proposed immediate extension and en-.
largemcnt OF many immigration sta
tions. At four of the larger ports,
New York. Boston. Seattle. and San
Francisco. Secretary Davis urged inn
mediate reform. Discussing condi- |
tions at these ports. he said:
THE station at Ellis Island Is in
tended to normally house about loo
people. IL usually has so per cent
more than that and at times twice
that number To handle. Serious CON
sideration should he given To the
thought of charging the available
equipment at Ellis Island so that the
periodically crowded conditions viii
be avoided. Much of the equipment al
the Ellis Island station is antiquatcd
and not in good repair and therefore
not functionng 100 per cent.
earnestly recommend careful Consid-
Grafton for improving and enlarging
the physical equipment at this i'm
portant station.
THE station at Boston is woefully
AiltAh'lAfAf NiAt AAN f''AA WV
its completion. There is no oppor-
tunity within the station for either
hospital service or recreation. We
had hoped To perfect an arrangement
FOR moving the station to the Boston
side OF the harbor into unused piers
built during the war 10y other agencies
of the Government. We find. how
ever. that i'm order 10 comply with re-
quirements Of law the Immigration
Service would have 10 pay rent for
the use of this pier space and the sum
required is vastly in excess of any
available funds under existing appro-
priations II was therefore necessary
10 abandon this plan. earnestly
recommend careful consideration ~
the suggestion that proper legislation
he had which Will make possible the
use of otherwise unemployed Govern
ment buildings FOR the immigration
Service At Boston.
The station building used al the
port 81 Seattle belongs To- private
owners and r. rented for Government
use. The rentelS required are very
high and the building used - more
than 20 per cent too small for the uecds,
r 90 Allf' SCI sf'f. ilff ltH AA4ffll ga tllf
building also - awkard and mt con-
nected with t.dewater. ] respectfully
recommend the construction by the
/ Government Of a suitable immigran,
station at the port 81 Seattle IN keeping
/ With the volume Of business transact
ed there and I'm tho iu,crce; Of economy
rs We'll rs efficient service.
The station at the port e san
Franc.co - located 'on Aug" Island
.n san FranciS1co Eay. Jus; why il
should have been located where .t is {.
a mystery 10 me. The island les man,
miles from the city 90 san Francisc,
and = wholly unsuitcd for the pu-pos,
f,r which i = being used. The build
ngs are Of wood without even a sem.
b.ance az fire protection. They ar,
wholly unsuited for the purpose foi
which they were built and in every
way 50 arranged as to make operatio,
mos; difficult and expensive Their,
8 n water supply on Angel Island an,
all fresh water must be carried there IL
scowS. The plant is woefully out OF 70
pair and would require the eXpenditur,
~ hundreds Of thcslndS of dollars Z,
put in repair Careful cons deratioi
has been given go the question %
abandoning The station on Angel Islam,
, and establishing one on the mainlan.
within the city OF san Francisco
S"Nera, sizes have been found wa.c'
would j." suitable Tor the purpos
, and proper buildings could Do erec.e
: az Coz; Of approximately $500 90,
II has been estimated by men well Dos.
ed on the subject that a saving in over
head Of operation could he made OF ny
whore from $4,000 Z, sl0O. OOo a ve,
1.-THE station We're located in "a, Pm,
: cisco instead Of on Angel Island ]
would seem thar good business woul
% g. tate ihe erection - q new STATIC
upon the mainland and ahandonir. n
plan; ~ Angel Island. With an pos
, S.'.o rep7.rs and Improvements Tine
r ''uid be made ~ Angel Island Their
would constantly remain tho f3ctor ,
s IRE hazard and the factor. 80 los .
e time by employees I'm daily eDand.p
more than an hour .n travel ba,wae
Z The city Of san Francisco and An,
z island. Tho est OF putting IA
present station n Angel Islam
mo any sort % proper coudif,.
O. 'uld 80 long way toward cor
n Struct.ng new station on tho ma,
4 land. therefore recommend mo.
earnestly that proper stone 10 TAX.
b, Tor the erection 81 a su.tahl. i,,ni,,r,,
Z Siatl .n the city az san Franc,s,
20 WIN view IL abandoning the static
. AZ Angel Island"
Secretary J. Davis cited al lengt
correspondence with Surgeon Gercr
H. >. Cumming Of the Public Heal,
service discussing the lack 81 faciliti,
Tor the medical examination Of allie,
-8at Immigration stations. The Seer
tary included i'm his report a lcft,
y. from the Surgeon General poiniir
', out that efficient medical cXamInatio,
y could be- made only ar the ports
New York and san Francisco ar
mat other stations We're wo,fully Iacl
lng iu the necessary equipment +,
70 examinations. In this letter the Su
" geon General said:
u am 81 thu opinion that the urop
+, conduct Of the immigration exatnip
ton would necessit8te the enlarp
ment Of the immigration stations at
number 81 ports 50 as 20 include no
- pital facilities and quarters for nurs
~ and administrative personnel. I'll
u especially applies TO Portland. NJ,
De- Boston. Mass; Philadelphia. ia
T. Baltimore. Nd; Norfolk. Va; NJ
De- Orleans. La: Galveston. Tex. /.
Angeles, Calf; Seattle. Wash; al
'' san Juan. y. r.. as these constltu
'n the more important immigration por
. Of entry.
- Consideration might also be Civ
20 the investigation Of the detenti
facilities at border points Of entl
where such facilities are secured
IA the use Of local jails. procedure