The New York herald., 1922-02-13
CHINESE SLIPPING
IN FROM MEXICO
Smuggling Traffic Develops
on Border, Especially in
Southern California.
500 A HEAD is CHARGED
Chicagoan in San Francisco
Said to Be Financing IL
legal immigration.

Special lSspotch to THE New YosK HERALD.
SAN Francisco, Feb. 12-Interesting
facts recently have come to light in con-
nection with activities Of United States
immigration offices on the Mexican bor-
der.
The service there is strenuous. Busi
ness does not come to the inspectors. 1t
is part of their every day duty to go out
and get the business. This is far from
an easy task. At Ellis Island and other
Atlantic ports immigration officers
merely watch people who necessarily
come to them. In the southern part of
California, along the great stretch of
Mexican border, these men must be con-
stantIy on the alert.
There are smugglers by the score who
operate between the Mexican republic
pnd various California cities. OF the
cities favored by the gentry. San Fran
cisco probably is foremost. although Los
Angeles. San Diego, Riverside, Bakers
field, Fresno and other communities
come in for share.
Many Chinese Smusg:ed In.
1t is a fact we'll within the knowl-
edge of the authorities that many Chi
nese are smuggled from Mexico into
this country immigration officers on
the border contend this particular traffic
is financed by willy Chicagoan in San
Francisco.
tnadequacy Of the immigration force on
the Mexican border is recognized when
one contemplates the broad stretch of
territory necessary to be guarded day
and night Smugglers slip over the line
at various points between the Pacific
Ocean and places east of Imperial Val
ley
Their methods are not unknown to the
authorities and many are captured
others elude the officers and reach their
respective destinations. The usual GUS
tom is for the smuggler to send con-
federate, American or Mexican, into
Mexicali or some other Mexican border
town. where he is met by representatives
of the San Francisco Chinese organi-
zation with the contraband Chinese.
The Orientals meet the confederate
are, advised as to their course of con-
duct and then are taken to some distant
point already agreed upon between the
smuggler and his confederate. If the
coast Is thought clear, the men work
across the line, where they find waiting
automobiles and make their way out of
the desert, through the mountains and
into San Diego or other California
cities.
Every Trail Familiar.
There are two main roads from these
border points into San Diego, One is
the coast route, the other the inland
route. Smugglers know every trail.
Sometimes the unlawful traffic is brought
along the Mexican side of the bor-
der to Tecate, Just west of Calexico.
There they cross into the United States
south of a. place between San Diego and
FL Centre, where they go east again
to a connecting road that runs through
the Cuyamaco Mountains and connects
with the inland route.
With the advantage resting with the
smugglers the success that attends the
efforts of the immigration officers is re-
markable. With several good roads and
hundred obscure trails to watch the
present force comprises eleven men.
Their eternal vigilance can be attested
by many an automobilist who driving
over the mountains at night, suddenly
ind a strip of white canvas barring
his progress with the words "Stop, Of
fcers.' printed on the sign. An immi-
grafton officer quickly steps up to the
automobile and looks at the occupants
while a companion probably lies behind
handy bowlder with rife trained
on the car until such time as the char
acter of the automobile party shall have
been determined.
Some conception Of the alertness OF
the men may be gathered from knowl-
edge of the price paid the smugglers
for getting Chinese across the border
and into the hands of friends in San
Francisco or elsewhere. The price
ranges from 5000 to $500 a head, the
barometer rising or falling as the inn
migration officers evince greater or
lesser vigilance. At present the price
Is $500 head, which speaks well for
the activity of the immigration force in
that no of tho onuntr.x-