Evening star., 1922-01-14
LEGION PROTESTS.
SEM|ON0FF ENTRY
Record Speaks for Itself,
Legislative Committee In.
forms Secretary Davis.
BY JUNIUs b. WOOD,

A protest to the American govern
ment against permitting Ataman
Gregorie SSmionoff, the notorious
Cossack chieftain of eastern Siberia,
to enter the United States has been
filed with James J. Davis, Secretary of
Labor. in behalf Of the American
Legion. The protest from the legion
came through it's national legislative
committee, whose headquarters is To-
Gated in Washington. 1t Is signed by
John Thomas Taylor as vice chairman
of the committee. The action quickly
followed the State Departments an
nouncement that it had authorized the
American consul general in Tientsin,
China, to wise Semionoff's passport SO
that he can start for the United
States. This is not an assurance that
the holder of the passport will be ad-
mitted by the immigration authorities.
Record in War Department.
The protest filed with the Secretary
of Labor, after referring to the fact
that wise had been authorized for
Semionoff's passport, continues:
The record of this man speaks for
itself, and can be obtained from the
War Department.
while the whole country is exer-
cised over the deportation of foreign
ers of this character, we are at loss
to understand why il is that the Stat.
Department should be so ready and
willing to permit another the privi-
lege of entering the country. We take
this opportunity of registering our
protest, and We hope that you, as
Secretary of Labor. will, through your
official office, prevent this man from
on Dtay. y.irotr hn Uni Stat
Long Record of Atrocities.
The long record of unprintable
atrocities, especially those against
women and girls. perpetrated by the
men under Semionoff's command and
their murderous attack on sleeping
camp of American soldiers during the
allied occupation of Siberia evoked
the protest. The record of these,
mostly secured from Semionoff's own
men during an investigation conduct
ed by Col. Charles II. Morrow, COM
manding the 27th Infantry and now
stationed in Frankfort, KY, is in the
archives of the War Department.
At the time of the allied operations
in Siberia Admiral Kolchak. who was
in supreme command. denounced
Semionoff as a traitor and the allies.
except the Japanese command. re-
pudiated him, according to the Amer
ican officers with our expedition.
The action of the State Department
in authorizing wise for Semionoff's
passport is in no way an authorize
ton for him to enter this country, it
was explained today. The question
whether he shall enter is decided en-
tirely by the immigration officials of
the Department of Labor.
Not Guarantee Of Entry.
american consuls abroad when
they wise passports of aliens GUS
tomarily warn the holders that the
wise is not guarantee of entry into
the United States and that in case
any question arises the wise cannot
be considered as a waiver of the
right of the American government to
exclude or deport them,' said rep
resentative of the State Department.
"In many instances the alien receiv-
ing the wise is required to sign an
acknowledgment that he has receiv-
ed this warning, it is stamped on the
passport and the steamship COM
panies notified that they carry the
emigrant at their own risk.
THE authority of the immigration
bureau does not extend beyond the
shores of the United States. For this
reason it cannot prevent aliens
starting for the United States. and
the Representatives of the State De-
partment abroad by stamping wise
on a passport neither give assurance
enter the United States nor pass on
his or her eligibility to enter under
the immigration laws. In fact, the
passport of a man who is blind, dumb
or illiterate can be vised by a consul
abroad. though the consular official
has every reason to believe that the
immigration laws will not permit
him to enter the United States and
so warns the man. If the man wants
to take the risk and come, when it is
certain that he will be deported. the
State Department has no further re-
sponsibility after he reaches the
shores of the United States. except as
to the legality of his passport and
the department wise"
Copyright, 1927