Evening star., 1923-08-16
F|NDSEL[|S ISLAND
SMALL AND FILTHY
Geddes Recommends Twelve
Steps Considered Needed to
Improve Conditions. d.
BY the Associated Press.

LONDON, August 16.-Specific recon
mendations for the Improvement o
conditions at Ellis Island. the prin
cipal gateway into America for Eu'
ropean emigrants, are contained In
a report to foreign Secretary Marqui:
Curzon from Sir Auckland Geddes, the
British ambassador to the United
States. made public here.
The report, drafted by the ambas-
sador following visit to the island
last December, was issued in the form
of white parliamentary paper. The
general criticism is that Ellis Island is
too small, that what additional space
is available Is useless because 1t is un-
ventilated. and that the buildings are
generally in poor state OF repair.
Twelve Recommendations.
IF / were asked to advise the
responsible authorities" he says. 81
should recommend twelve things:
Il. Put the existing buildings into a
thorough state of repair and alter the
latrtne arrangements.
''2. Arrange for these buildings to be
maintained Structurally and to he kept
thoroughly clean.
"3. Arrange through structural al
teration for proper medical examination
rooms.
4. AT least re1uTIlSn, Dul IL. pos
Sible replace, the present hrst-caSS and
second-class rooms by rooms with win
dows looking to the outside, as the
third-class rooms have.
"5. If possible through structural al
teration, improve the ventilation of the
downstairs rooms sosthey can be freely
used in the work of handling the
crowds of immigrants.
&c. Do everything to expedite the
handling of the immigrants. especially
in the matter of appeals.
Would Refuse Nisns.
-. Provide new station for crimi-
nal deportees prostitutes. reds,
etcD.
IS. Provide a new station for those
requiring Kosher food Tor. alterna,
station and provide a new station
for the resD..
80. Authorize United States consuls
10 refuse visas to the passports OF
those obviously prevented by law
from entering the United States.
40. Arrange. if possible, for all
immigrants TO be finally approved ol
disapproved in their home lands.
III. Abandon the quaint custom OF
delivering lectures on Americaniza-
tion to criminal and other deportees
Strangely, this well meant activity
seems 10 be more aEIoN iIS 70 De
victims than any other single detail
In the life of Ellis Island,
'12. Brighten up the hospital in
teriors with fresh paint and keep them
even still more scrupulousiy clean"
GREASY dirt" weeks and perhaps
months old. was seen by the ambas-
sador in many corners. with the re-
suit that the place was 'pervaded by a
fiat. stale smell quite distinct
from the pungent odor of unwashed
humanity"
Sir Auckland thinks the staff got
used to this odor, but he says for
himself that sit took me thirty six
hours to get rid OF the aroma, which
Favored everything l ate or drank.
Urges Relief of Congestion.
He says the sleeping accommOda-
tions are often unpleasant. but he
found the food good and we'll cooked
although the place could not be kept
clean owing to the table manners oi
some of the guests. He thinks de-
tention on the island must be hate
full experience for all persons of any
Sensibility. The medical and board
rooms he terms unsuitable and in
adequate. All the arrangements for
ever. are efficient and reflect high
credit upon those concerned.
Sir Auckland thinks that the very
heart of the tragedy of Ellis Island
concerns those temporarily detained,
but says this is nobody's fault and
cannot be avoided unless a plan be
put into effect whereby the immi-
grants could finally be approved for
admission into the United States be-
fore they leave their own lands.
LAS matter of fact" he asserts,
"what Ellis Island needs, in my