The New York herald., 1922-02-14
U. S. Is POWERLESS
TO STOP SMUGGLING
Continued from First Page.

glers. and to check them entirely" said
Mr.. Husband
II do not have to suggest that per-
haps we could have made better head
way IL we had larger forces Of in
spectors. or could effect a closer
coordination OF the available forces.
THE NEW York HERALp's survey of
the alien smuggling situation presents
a true picture of conditions about which
we have known officially for long
while.
'The situation in Florida. one of the
chief areas of ingress for aliens
with complex features. many of them
disconcerting to Government officers
eager to put down the practice COM
planned OF. You will observe that there
are thousands OF inlets and coves
through which the aliens may be
smuggled conveniently from small boats
and in such ways as to escape the
notice of Government inspectors.
Government forces available for this
expected to throw up a perfect defense
against the smugglers."
Both Secretary Davis and Commits
sioner-General Husband believed that
exposure OF the smuggling practices
now revealed might offer a splendid
argument to Congress for a larger per-
sonnel in the immigration inspection
service and possibly greater facilities
and equipment for the United States
Coast Guard, which is primarily charged
with the duty OF running down
smugglers on the high seas or in Ameri-
can territorial waters.
Many Colonixed In Cuba.
Mr.. Husband explained that perhaps
the largest percentage of the Chinese
aliens smuggled into the United States
were colonized In Cuba more than a
year ago, in the recruiting of iaborers
for the sugar plantations. Thousands Of
foreign workmen were brought into the
island at a time when sugar prices were
soaring, Mr.. Husband said, and who still
remained on the island after the price
decline set In. and have Allied the role
of 'loafers" since the Industrial stag
Lation became so pronounced in Cuba.
1t is from the ranks of these Chinese
idlers. according to Mr.. Husband, that
the smugglers have found their easiest
victims-Chinese by the thousands hav-
ing sought the aid of smugglers and
going upon waiting lists to bide the time
when they might secretly slip upon
American territory. Although this type
of Chinese have been loaflng for con-
siderable period, the advices If immi-
grafton officials show that practically
all of them have laid by enough from
their former prosperous working days
to finance their journey to the United
States over the smuggling route.
Commissioner General Husband said
that in recent months the smugglers.
have thrived upon natives of Central
and Eastern European countries reach
ing Cuba, under smugglers' itineraries
mapped out for them on the other side
OF the ocean by the smugglers' confed-
crates in foreign ports
"Hordes of Central Europeans, includ-
ing chiefly the Poles, have been swarm
ing out of the port of Rotterdam headed
for Cuba" Mr.. Husband said.
"The movement from Rotterdam has
gained great impetus since the quotas
of immigration from Poland and some
Of the other countries attained its maxi
mum under the new immigration law,
restricting the number permitted to land
at American ports In the fiscal year
ending June 30, next.
terdam and other foreign ports have
been reaping a harvest by preying upon
those unfortunates. guaranteeing them
entrance into American ports, without
limiting to the victims the dangers in
volved.
Flock to Mexican Border.
1--WE have turned thousands back. but
many other thousands have passed
| through unnoticed Some of the stories
told of the victims caught are pitifu'
They have been assured that for a
price their sponsors could get them
through the immigration barriers, and
they discover their plight too late.
by far the larger number OF aliens
smuggled in. however. ocme In with the
aid of the smuggrers with the full
knowledge that they are being snug
gled, and that they are breaking the
| law
Commissioner General Husband de-
clared that the traffic OF smugglers OF
| aliens over the Mexican border has as
sumed dangerous proportions and is be-
coming more baffing.
Government agents have been ex-
! tremely active, but the increased vigil
lance Of the Government inspectors on