Evening star., 1923-08-26

y
thrashed out in governmental
circles. particularly since Am
- basSador Geddes criticised con-
ditions of this detention station in
a report to the British foreign office.
Secretary Of Labor Davis indorses
a recommendation by Ambassa dor
Geddes, which he believes would do
! more than anything else to remedy
the purported unsavory conditions at
Ellis Island. for the home govern
ment to Undertake the control of
immigration where control is easy
and effective-at the source" Sec
retary Davis points out that the con-
ditions complained of at Ellis Island
result in large measure from this
fact: THAT those who are detained
there are individuals. who, in one
way or another. are at Ellis Island
in violation OF the law. Those who
are clearly admissible to the United
through Ellis Island rapidly, usually
in about two hours. IT is those who
come to America in violation Of the
law who are detained for deporta-
ton
Having said this much perth nently.
cialS concerned with immigration not
to engage further In q wordy con-
troversy on the subject.
Real Truth in situation.
But among those who know the
real conditions regarding immigra
eion and what the truthful situation
Is a: Ellis Island. the matter is thus
explained:
All Europe wants TO come TO Amer
ica. and as nearly at once as poss-
BILE But they shouldn't expect US 70
build a place at once Of sufilciept
size to afford the unprecedented
horde Of unlimited and for the most
part unwelcome guests in commo-
dious and comfortable quarters such
as might be furnished in tirst-class
hotels in their homeland, but the
doors Of which they had never en-
tered.
On July l. when the new quota
opened up. there were vessels with
1900 persons ready TO be dumped
on the United States-at once.
Now consider, the immigration sta
ton at Ellis Island was built in
1895 to take care Of a prospective
large immigration. and II the flow
of immigration was steady this sta
ton would still be large enough to
pitfalls have been erected TO care for
the increased number of people who
come to our shores afflicted with
many and varied diseases, some of
which are NOT at all common in this
country. Since the war the number
OF diseased cared for at Ellis Island
has been multiplied.
Immigrant OF Low Class.
Every one connected with immigra-
u
of today is vastly different from the
immigrant of a few years ago, when
this country was made great and
prosperous by the Immigrants. With
out any thought of expressing an un
favorable opinion of the countries
from which the immigrants arc COM
ing today. il is an irrefutable fact
that they are not Of the same class,
character. quality or disposition as
during the last century. They are
not the homebuilders. nor skilled
labor, nor are they farmers. Many
of them will say they were farmers
at home. but when this is investi-
gated It usually is found they never
were farmers and do not intend to go
on farms here. but will join the hun
CRY and generally shiftless hordes IN
the cities.
Many of the immigrants who come in
now and who are in the jam at Ellis
Island are derelicts, according TO some
officials. They are made SO by hard
ships imposed on them on the other
side. The old immigrant came in with
love OF freedom. and were really
Americans the moment they landed.
They were loyal TO the core. A ma
jority of the. new immigrants. un-
fortunately for US. come in with
hat hitfarnpSS Snh1Prtnd
religious Intolerance. political perse-
cution and other things that go TO
make men morbid and perverSe. These
feelings are trausplanted to our soil,
genius OF our institutions can look
with cquanimity on tranEplanting
such as these TO American soil.
Dream of Coming 10 u. =.
Then. too. there are scores OF mis-
sionary and welfare societies whose
overseas agents are talking TO the
distressed people of other lands about
the beauties OF this country and in
stimulating an immigration that this
country does not need and cannot well
assimilate at this time.
|. If you want TO get Kaleidoscope
picture of the immigrant situation as
it develops at Ellis Island listen to
Terence V. PowderIy. sometimes
called the father of the immi grafton
laws. who has been wrestling with
the immigration problem for we'll
nigh half a century in such notable
association as Andrew Carnegie,
Archbishop Ireland. Charles ". El-
liott and Samuel Gompers. Mr.. Pow
derly is now member of the board
of review on immigration appeals.
A Picture in Verse.
He describes the work as follows:
Just take a day off. if you're will
ing and able. please sit for time.
at one side of our table. and list to