The New York herald., 1922-04-09


companies and agents OF some OF the
immigrant welfare societies-men whose
business Il is TO give the pilgrim from
foreign shores a helping hand II he
rightfully belongs here. but who instead
have made bribery the price OF admis-
sion for the wanted and the unwanted
alike.
The indicted men have not been tried
and their innocence under the law must
re assumed at least until juries have
given Their verdict. but without refer
ence to particular persons THE New
York HERALD is able to give an account
OF what has been going on.
A liner. crowded with foreigners.
comes up the bay to her pier. Under the
law the third class. or stecrage. passen-
gers must stay aboard and go on to
Ellis Island for detention and examina-
ton The second class passengers may.
like those IN the first cabin, land at the
nier IL they are properly passported.
fealthy and otherwise qualified and IL the
quota from their home country has not
been exceeded.
On or about the pier swarm relatives
OF the expected travellers. also agents OF
various societies which specialize in the
welcoming and guidance of immigrants.
How "Shakedown" Is Worked.
Here Is a typical case: A society
agent sharp eyed. quick at appraising
character, sizes up an anxious stranger
and says 10 him: You have friend
on the ship?' Yes. a sister," the
other answers "Ill see what ! can do
to get her off in a hurry" offers the
agent. He gets the name Of the pass
enger, boards the ship and seeks out an
immigration inspector with whom he
has worked before.
This GIRL, Rebecca. has a brother
out here who looks good" says the
agent. Hold her up a while" The
inspector mods. He understands. Back
to the pier hustles the agent.
II found Rebecca but she can't come
in" he tells the brother. Her pass
port isn't properly made out. She'll
have to go to Ellis Island. and prob
ably they'll send her back. You know
how careful the Government is nova
days"
The SUGGESTION of Ellis Island. depor-
tation. Is alarming. Rebecca's brother
asks: What can we dor The agent
saws maybe he can fix 1t and asks:
Got any money with your"
"Only s25," says Rebecca's brother.
The aim OF the grafters is to get $3.50
IL possible-all that can be extorted-
hut a bribe of SIS is not unknown. IL
depends on the affluence Of the rela-
live and the skill of the extortor.
ship Records Altered.
One Young man told Mr.. Livermore
that he went to the pier to meet MS
parents, whom he had not seen since
he left Germany in 1918. Naturally he
wanted to show them how prosperous
he was. He drove to the pier in his
new car. When a society agent mem
toned money the youth proudly flashed
a thousand dollar roll. The agent Of
fered to land the parents for $500. The
youth felt himself lucky in beating the
bribe down to $50.
Having successfully dickered with the
relative ashore. the society agent re-
turns to the ship and gives his immi-
grafton inspector the Q. X. The inspec-
tor has in his hands a manifest list
containing the names of all the pas
sengers to whom he has been assigned.
with information about them. He takes
his pen and scratches Rebecca off the
list. That makes 1t appear that al
though Rebecca was booked to sail from
the other side of the Atlantic she did
not actually do so.
Thus she escapes the stiff examna-
tion required for entrance into the
United States. Having thus eliminated
her from the passenger list the immigra-
tion inspector hands Rebecca a stamped
landing card. without which no passen-
ger can come ashore In the United
States. She marches down the gang
plank with her bundles, her brother car
ries her off and she is free to go where
she pleases, although she may be dis
qualified In dozen ways for entrance
into America.
Ship Agent Gets share.
The society agent on the pier divides
his bribe with the inspector who
scratched the manifest and issued the
landing card. If the passenger thus de-
barked is from the steerage some of the
money. so the investigators say, goes to
landing agent of the steamship COM
pany on the pier. for he is quite aware
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