Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-09-26
BRING ALIENS
To j. s, WORK
OF SMUGCLERS
Fake Marriages Entered
by Americans and Any
Desiring to Arrive.
Women Barred by Laws
Flock to Havana in
Swarms of Thousands.

Washington, Sept. 25.-(By The
Associated Press). - Smuggling of
European aliens into the United States
from Cuba, surreptitious, has been
submerged temporarily into the waters
of the Florida coast of large quanti7
ties of liquors by international boot
leggers and mock marriages designed
to ensure entry into this country of
women barred by immigration laws
form the basis of a report submitted
to Secretary Davis by the bureau of
immigration
This report, Commissioner General
Husband said Monday, is the most
comprehensive vieW of smuggling con-
ditions ever prepared by American
officials and is expected to be con-
sidered by the treasury, labor and
agriculture departm in connection
with the proposed coordination of
border patrol forces.
Government investigators, by direc-
ton of Husband, visited Jacksonville,
Tampa, Tarpon Springs, Miami, Key
West and Havana. They mingled, it is
said, with the kings" of the Snug
Cling industry" and talked with aliens
of every nationality who sought entry
to the United States. The data gath
cred, it is said, will prove invaluable
to the government in coping with the
situation. The smuggling ramifications,
it is declared, extend to the capitals
of Europe and involve Greeks, Spani-
ards, Poles, RoumaniaDs, Russians and
Chinese.
Have Fake Marriages
The report states that the favorite
method of gaining entry to the United
States from Cuba for certain alien
women has been for them to enter
fake" marriages with naturalized
American citizens, who go through
mock ceremonies and then accompany
their wives" to some Florida point.
Frequently, it Is said, obliging bride
grooms" have been paid as high as
5000 for their part in the scheme.
The principal smugglers in Havana,
the investigators declare. do not con-
fine their activities to smuggling aliens
into the United States, but also handle
whisky and narcotics. The majority of
the leaders are said to be naturalized
Americans.
A great many Of the smuggling
craft, 1t is declared, land and depart
from Mantanzas, and do not enter or
clear at the custom house there. In
Havana, according to the report, hun
dreds of aliens throng Central park
in the afternoon and at night, and
constantly a dozen or more men, OBJ
viously not of the floating alien type.
operate among them, going from group
to group. These men, it is explained,
are runners" for the smuggling
kings"
Thousands Unemployed
There is no employment in Cuba for
thousands of the Chinese and Europ-
can aliens now there, it is reported.
Yet since the present passport and
amended immigration restrictive act
became operative in this country last
May, at least 1000 aliens are said to
have arrived in Havana with the ulti-
mate hope of gaining surreptitious
entry to the United States. The usual
fee charged for smuggling aliens. it is
learned, ranges from $500 to $1,000
for each Chinese and about $3.50 for
an European alien.
Many of the master smugglers" in
Havana conduct shops as blinds" the
report declares.