The Topeka state journal., 1922-05-11
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC J. HAsKIN. Director.
Washington. ID. @.
THE THREE PER CENT LAW.

u
OF that nationality settled in this
country at the time of the census
of 1910.
This law was essential following the
end of the war. With Europe laid
waste. poor. its money greatly de-
preciated, with little outlook of hope
for millions of the poorer classes. it
was known that these millions would
look to the western world-the United
/ States first-as a land of promise,
where they might live and work. But
in such cases American citizens had
to be looked after first Foreseeing
the end of the war boom to business
and manufacturing, the congress de-
cided to protect American labor from
| cheap foreign competition
A law of this sort, naturally hits
| hard in individual cases. Excluded
! aliens or those ordered deported, may
appeal from these orders in many
/ cases, the appeal being made to the
labor department Until compare
/ lively lately, these appeals have gone
to the secretary of labor, Mr.. ]. ].
Davis, or the assistant secretary of
/ labor, Mr. z. J Henning. So great
has this volume of business become
| however, that board of review has
been appointed, which passes upon all
such cases, recomm ending the final
action which still rests in the hands
Of the executive heads of the labor
department
AAAS bOdA u 10 laCt0 Win q lTeInen-
| dously hard and unpleasant set of
/ duties. Practically every appealed
| alien case mas behind it a dramatic,
pathetic, or tragic phase which cannot
help but make an appeal to anyone
| whose heart is not of granite. But
| the sworn duty of this board of re-
view is protection of the United States
| and its citizens AS in any court or
| law, the single case before the board
/ is not the sole consideration. If a
| point or two is stretched here anu
there, while it may be and usually is
the humane course to take, it estab-
fishes a precedent which lawyers
would not be slow to use to the utmost
limits in future similar cases before
the board. The board is faced with
the necessity of appearing, on occa-
sion. to be cold and heartless toward
| some alien individual or family, but
the underlying reason is for the bene-
fit of hundreds of thousands of other
individuals and families.
Propaganda Is Used.
The present immigration statute has
been the target of propaganda by spe-
cial racial interests which have been
cases Of appeal are conducted by law
yers. So often lawyers will make a
heart-stirring appeal to allow some
alien, ordered deported, to remain IN
this country. The order has been is
sued because the alien, who may be
one of family of perfectly accepta-
bic immigrants is defective mentally
or physically. 1t is easy for a lawyer
to dwell upon the undisputed fact that
the hundred million odd people of the
United States are not going to be
harmed by admitting this one man
or boy or girl-and thus prevent
misery and heartache in breaking up
a family.
1t would be the easy way and the
way dictated by considerations of hu-
manity and compassion to let this one
alien remain. Also, it falls within the
discretionary powers the law gives to
the secretary of labor. But one de-
cision of this sort would bring down
upon the heads of the members of
the board of review an avalanche OF
similar cases, with the reproachful
fingers of the lawyers in the cases
pointing TO this single decision as a
precedent which should be followed.
Unfortunately for the peace of mind
of the labor department and the board
Of review, not all of the steamship
companies have tried hard to assist
in carrying out the law. Aliens in
excess of national quotas have been
brought in. These poor people must
ers OF the labor department do not eX-
tend so far that utter disregard of the
law may be included. The offending
steamship lines now have to bear the
expenses of carrying these bewildered
people back to their starting point.
The saddest feature of the whole
thing, perhaps, is the fact that these
helpless people, who have looked for
ward for years to coming to this land
Of promise, unable to comprehend any
thing about the whole business, are
sent back to the misery they have
tried and failed to leave behind them.
The steamship companies were
greater offenders under old immigra-
ton laws than they are at present.
That is because under the so-called 80
per cent law the fine for bringing to
this country every alien certain to be
turned back is the sum of $500. I'm
der the old law the fine was only
500, and the steamship line could
keep the passage money and even
make a charge for taking back the
aliens refused admission at American
ports, or ordered deported after their
cases have been examined. The new
law compels the steamship companies
not only to refund the passag ge money
originally received. but to take the un-
desirable aliens back to the point
where they boarded the ship, entirely
free of charge. Naturally. with a
been more careful about how they fill
their steerage spaces with this human
freight.
Many Chinese Cases.
There are other immigration laws
and agreements which furnish cases
for the board OF review to handle.
The question OF Chinese immigration
is always a perplexing thing. 1t is an
open secret that Chinese laborerS are
smuggled into this country to some
extent. Many of them are stopped,
but the department of labor has not
the funds with which to draw cor
don tight enough to guarantee abso-
lutte exclusion.
In Chinese cases and in some others
the draft records compiled during the
war are of considerable assistance,
giving a means of information for
merly impossible Cases will come
hafNrA the hCa ri cf v-nvfeu-
man will swear to being born in Los
Angeles. His oath will be supported
by other Cinnamon. They will swear
that they have known him q long
IL. L.