Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-02-21
THE IMMIGRANT AND THE QUOTA
BY Frederic ). Haskin

Washington, Feb. z1.--That stories
of families separated by tho imrnigra-
ton quota law arc largely exasgera-
ton was explained to the writer py
Mr.. w. w. Husband, Commissioner
General OF immigration today.
1T has been the policy OF tho DE-
partment," said Mr.. Husband, mot
10 separate families. In no case has
a small child been sent back TO bis
native country without his parent or
a guardian. And even larger chill
dren who are debarred are not allowed
TO 20 back without relative or some
substitute guardian authorized BY
the family.
yet numerous stories hre printed
and circulated to the efect that this
family OF immigrants and that mas
been separated because one member
was ineligible for admission 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 undeniably true. The trouble
with them is that they are only half
truths"
".
the case of Major Boyd and MS
family. The major, an Australian VINO
fought at Gallipoli. came TO this coun-
try before the quota law went into
effect. Then his wife, born in Eng
land. came TO join him. bringing then
four children, all Australians. The
Australian quota was exhausted, whiie
the English was not. The children
were paroled. however. and allowed tc
spend tho night with their mother a.
a hotel. Next day they went to Elli'
Island and after the case was review
ed the family Was allowed 70 proceed
TO California. II was decided 20 ad.
nit the children temporarily as stu
dents since all were between 10 ant
II years Of age.
The Boyd story as the public reaf
II conveyed an entirely different I'm
preston OF the handling Of the cass
II said: "a mother was allowed u
Hand. but immigration restriction
barred her four children when tn
, liner Finland locked here yesterday
ii. Mrs. Boyd refused 20 leav
J her children and steps TO have ther
admitted were taken"
, Tho quota law uses the country G
Q birth rather than the complicated an
confusing naturalization laws as
n basis for determining nationalit,
; Thus, a man born In Russia and mar
s rled 20 q woman born in Poland ma
o bring TO this country a family Of chi
e .dren born in England. At present, Tn
Russian and English quotas have NJ
# been flied and the man and chi
i dren are received. But the Polls
!? quota is exhausted.
}. "In such cases." says Mr.. Husben
: "the whole family IL held for boa'
x, Of special inquiry and the case
e reviewed. The Polish wife is not SCI
arated from her farnily, and there is
suggestion OF this being done. b
m the story OF this first act Of the dram
p attracts attention and is printed. IT
L public learns that a Polish moth
J. is debarred from this country and h
children and husband have been adm,
ted. This In abstractly true, but
actual fact there has been no separ
ton
Cases Decided on Their Merits.
The board OF special inquiry go
into the case and makes it's decisic
Perhaps the mother Is admitted
l,743 immigrants have been admit
In excess Of the quotas in just su
cases as this. We have admitted the
simply to avoid doing what peol
think We have been doing-separati
mothers from children.
These immigrants in excess OF |
quota limitations have been temp'
arily admitted in order to prevent l
due hardship. They are placed un,
bond TO return TO their own countr
IL Congress does not pass legislat
allowing them to stay permanently.
would be almost impossible 10 gait
up these I.743 immigrants from
parts OF the country to deport this
1t is hoped that Congress Will leg
late 10 settle satisfactorily these CO
parativeIy few cases which the gu
law did not anticipate"
!, Mr.. Husband points out that