Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-12-12

by lack OF specific authority ana Oy
meager appropriations"
in this CONNECTION" the report
continued, "there ID at present one
outstanding need. That 10 the need
for protecting from industrial acci-
dents the men, women apd children
who work. As preliminary step !
would recommend that the DEPART
ment be authorized to organize a
thorough and complete survey Of in.
dustrial health and accident c0ndi-
lions in order that we might have
the necessary facts. upon which to
base an intelligent, effective pro-
gram of health conservation and ac-
Cident prevention in industry.
'In the Improvement Of working
conditions generally there Is one
American worker who is sadly handi-
capped. He Is the s0-cailed migratory
worker--the lumberman. the harvest
hand, the cannery employee, the fruit
picker. AS a class these migratory
workers are generally Of high type
of citizenship. The men in the
lumber industry and those who work
in the harvest fields may be seen
when their season OF employment Is
over haunting the Sums of our great
cities, eking out a precari0uS
existence, undernourished, and Sleep
ing in the cheap lodging house. We
might do we'll to attempt something
for their relief. 1t has been suggest
ed that means might be found to in
sure the employment Of these men In
some other industry when their sea-
son of regular work has eRded. At
present we are without sufficient
facts upon which TO zeal with this
problem properly. Here, too,
would suggest complete investiga-
tion."
Mr.. Davis also recommended that
the benefits of the infancy and
maternity act be extended to Porto
Rico, Hawaii and the Philippines,
that the federal courts set up
separate system for handling Juvenile
cases, and that greater funds be
provided the WoWep's Bureau for in
Quiry into Influences affecting wO-
men workers.
In recommending more stringent
laws 10 prevent the entry of unde-
sirable aliens. the Secretary declared
the present prohibitive statutes could
not be enforced successfully until
heavier penalties were authorized.
He suggested that In addition to de-
portation, those who enter the coun-
try Illegally be given a Jail sentence
not more than $500. Any alien
found in the United States after
having been once excluded he suy-
gested, should be made liable TO i'm
prisOnment for not more than two
years or fine Of not more than
$1,000.
One of the chief sources of illegal
entry, the report said, lay in the
deSertion of alien seamen from for
etgn ships in American ports. In the
last fiscal year the number of such
assertions reported was 23,194, with
those in New York alone totalling
14,734. In the previous years the
number for all ports had bsen only
6,S79. The Secretary recommended
that instead of bringing such aliens
DefOre a special board for examina-
tion, as provided under the present
law, the Labor Department be EN-
powered to deport them forthwith.
In q summary of his recommends.
tions for increased facilities for deal
ing with aliens. Mr.. Davis said:
In my report rendered year ago,
l called attention in great detail to
the necessity for providing proper
equipment at the various immigra-
ton stations of the country, parti-
cularly Ellis Island, Boston, Seattle,
and San Francisco. l specifically re-
peat the recommendations then made.
l feel particularly that the Govern
ment should construct It's own
station at Seattle and that the San
Francisco station should be moved
from Angel Island to the City of San
Francisco. In my report OF last year,
it Is pointed out that the cost of
overhead of operation alone would be
Sufficient to build a new and ade-
quate station on the mainland and
pay for same in about five years.
In my report Of last year | also
called attention to the need for more
thorough medical inspection at the
various ports. | can not refrain
from repeating that don
with emphasis.
Il recommend the enactment of an
alien code, and suggest as the prime
features of it the following:
Definite. clean-cut provisions as
to citizenship. consistent with our
laws on immigration and our ma
tional destiny.
The exclusion, as permanent resi-
dents or immigrants, of all nom
riaturalizable aliens OF all races.
THE requirement that aliens ad-
mitted as eXempts under our immi-
grafton laws must maintain their
exempt status while here, and must
when that status is lost either
qualify as immigrants under out i'm.
migration laws. IL of the admissible
races and classes. or depart
Selection OF immigrants of the ad-
Missile races and Qualified classes
on the basis of our needs as Ma
ton and economically.
Selection and inspection abroad
sufficient to avoid the return to the
land whence they came Of large
numbers of prospective immigrants
after they arrive at our ports.
THE annual enrolment Of all
aliens so long as they remain alien.
The deportation promptly OF aliens
found within the, United States in
violation of our laws regardless of
the length of time. they may have
been within the United States.
"The speedy and efficient Ameri-
canization of all naturalizable aliens
within our gates and the elimination
of those who can not be American
lied or naturaliZed for any reason.
II am convinced that an alien code
based upon these broad principles
and carefully framed would make for
better aliens for Anprtra oofl n hot