The Denver Jewish news., 1923-12-13

were all, or mostly Russian-many
Russian Jews,
On November 9TH or thereabouts,
anyway one or two days before the
votes had been garnered in. Mr.. Davis
returned TO Washington and caused it
To he known he had not paroled the
British passengers on the Leviathan
mt all. He had not parolcd them be-
cause they did not need paroling,
check-up of the figures in all parts
having shown that the British quota
had not been exhausted and that the
previous figures showing the quota to
have been exhausted had lied. There
were those who permitted themselves
TO doubt the figures. There were those
who, like The World of New York. pro-
| fesScd to see n modicum of prediction
| politics in the humanitarian parole. But
| the World is Democratic and Mr.. Davis
| is Republican administration mem
ber. 1t is perhaps fairer TO Mr.. Davis
| 10 quo,e. not what the World said upon
| the subject hut what the Republican
Evening Post said. And this is what
it said:
lit has been suggested that the
parole order was partly due to the fact
that many of the excess British i'm
migrants came here on the Lcviathan
and that an order of deportation would
have subjected the ship 10 a very
f,,n in rln n with
precedent. But we do not think that
the desire to save the Shipping Board
n large sum of money is good enough
reason fer discrimination In the dis
tribution of money And certainly dis
elimination as between British immi- |
grants and immigrants of other races
Is not n good enough reason. If Con- |
gress in its wisdom wishes to decree !
that the law shall he applied gently to
Anglo -Sayons and other Nordics and |
harshly to all other races let that de-
cision he stated in law. If we discrim- |
mate. let us discriminate openly.
"A generous parole order with a |
soc.l-sized string to it will not arouse |
much sympathy. American fair play |
will balk mt mercy tempered with in
justice"
The decree for the temporary ndmis-
sion of the British immigrants was sub
scuuently made permanent. The spe-
cial objects of Mr.. Davis mercy We're
relieved of their bonds. Remained the
Jewish immigrants and sOme .'undcsir-
able" Russians. who evidently were
not included in the parole and who
were not released under bond pend
ing the 'chcck up but We're trans
ferrcd from the ships to Ellis Island.
The subsequent check-up was said to
show the Russian quota had indeed !,
been exhausted. There was no hope |
for the quota-victims. They were or
dered dcported.
Moved by the abysmal tragedy of the |
deportccs. the alleged injustice and dis |
elimination and probably also the
seemingly calculated affront to the body \
of Jews in this country, the executive
committee of the American Jewish |
Congress met on November 18Th and
decided to send Il delegation to i'm
plore Secretary Davis 10 release the
immigrants under bond, chargcablc to
the new Russian quota in July. 1924.
Mr.. Davis refused. promising only to
exempt the extreme hardship cases
from deportation. On the next day
Louis Marshall lodged n similar plea
with President Coolidge. The presi-
dent refused to issue n blanket parole,
reiterating the promise made by Mr..
Davis of special dispensation for cases
of extreme hardship. whatever such
may be. There was no hope for the
dcportecs except in the dubious com
for. that more We're to be released. as
nm act of mercy. than would have been
the case had no appeals been lodged.
There would be no hope today but
for Mr.. Barondess' saving ingenuity in
having proposed that Canada be asked
to admit temporarily the dcpor'ccs.
until the new quota in the United
States enters into force. II matter of
seven months. The suggestion was
promptly acted upon and the Congress
deputed Mr. BarOndesS to proceed to
| Ottawa to urge. with the support OF
the leaders of Canadian Jcwry. that
Canada offer n refuge to the immi-
grants rejected by the United States.
The Canadian authorities generously
acceded. Before his departure, Mr