The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-20
Frederick Haskin's Letter
tsuress, 81 Arwaal
The Immigrant and the Quota

w dSuiuSluU II. ~ Gu AU.- La
stories of families separated by the
immigration quota law are largely
exaggerated was explained to the
writer by W. W. Husband, commits
sioner general of immigration to-
day.
at has been the policy of the de-
partment," said Mr.. Husband, mot
TO separate families. In no case
has small child been sent back
to his native country without his
parent or guardian. And even
larger children who are debarred
are not allowed to go back without
a reative or some substitute guard
ian authorized by the family.
yet numerous stories are print
ed and circulated to the effect that
this family of immigrants and that
has been separated because one
member was ineligible for admis-
sion under the quota law and must
go back alone. The name of the
family and details of the case give
these stories an aspect of being I'M
deniably true. The trouble with
them is that they are only half
truths"
Mr.. Husband gave an example,
the case of Major Boyd and his
family. The major, an Australian
who fought at GallipoH, came to
this country before the quota law
went into effect. Then his wife,
born in England, came to join him,
bringing their four children all Aus
tralians. The Australian quota was
nYhoncfn6 NH hn w jCh
not. The children were paroled,
however, and allowed to spend the
night with their mother at no.
tel. Next day they went to Ellis
Island and after the case was re-
viewed the family was allowed to
proceed to California. 1t was de-
cided to admit the children tenn
porarily as students since all were
between 10 and II years of age.
The Boyd story as the public
read it conveyed an entirely differ
ent impression of the handling of
the case. 1t said: "a mother was
allowed to land, but immigration
restrictions barred her four chill
dren when the liner docked here
yesterday Mrs. Boyd refused
to leave her children and steps to
have them admitted were taken"
The quota law uses the country
of birth rather than the complicated
and confusing naturalization laws
as a basis for determining nation
ality. Thus, man born in Russia
and married to a woman in Poland
may bring to this country family
of children born in England. At
present, the Russian and English
quotas have not been filed and the
man and children are received. But
the Polish quota is exhausted.
"In such cases." says Mr.. Hus-
band, 1.-THE whole family is held for
a board of special inquiry and the
case is reviewed. The Polish wife
is not separated from her family,
and there is no suggestion of this
being done, but the story of this
first act of the drama attracts at
tention and is printed. The public
learns that a Polish mother is de-
barred from this country and her
children and husband have been
admitted. This is abstractly true,
but in actual fact there has been no
separation.
Cases Decided on Their Merits.
THE board of special inquiry
goes into the case and makes its
decision. Perhaps the mother is
admitted-1,743 immigrants have
been admitted in excess of the
quotas in just such cases as this.
We have admitted them simply to
avoid doing what people think we
have been doing moth
ers from children.
These immigrants in excess of
the quota limitations have been
temporarily admitted in order to
prevent undue hardship. They are
placed under bond to return to their
own countries if congress does not
pass legislation allowing them to
stay permanently. 1t would be al
most impossible to gather up these
1,74S immigrants from all parts of
the country to deport them. 1t is
hoped that congress will legislate
to settle these comparatively few
cases which the quota did not an
ticipate.''
Mr.. Husband points out that the
quota law is new and that these
cases represent the main hitch in