Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1923-01-01
REFUGEES KNOCK AT OUR DOORS
BY Frederic J. Hnscrfn


Washington, Jan. THE White
House and the Department OF State arc
being besiegcd by Americans and others
earnestly urging that tbousands Of Ar
mcnian refugees from the Smyrna dis
,rict bc admitted TO tho United States.
Three bills are pending in Congress TO
authorize the admission Of these unfor-
tunate persons, such legislation being
necessary i'm view Of the fact that the
existing immigration law provides only
for certain fixed quotas. Tho quota for
this wear has been exhausted and, there
fore, 10 admit more ArmenisDs, whether
refugees or others, ls not possible with
out legislative relief.
Whatever decision is reached by the
President or whatever action is taken
by Congress, so far as tho United States
is concerned IL is certain that most Of
the Armenian refugees will leave their
country, as arrangements are being
sought whereby some Of them may 20
20 South American countries.
The point of supreme interest is that
history, defying all modern develop
ment, persists m repeating itself and
bringing about great national migrations
and fights.
The movement Of whole peoples, as the
result OF military OF economic emcr-
gencies, seemed up until the war 20 have
been a phenomenon Of earlier times un-
likely 10 affect modern nations. Jronic-
ally, this century has turned back 10 tho
most ancient OF national exigcncics-the
migration.
The Bible tells Of important mipa-
tons Of whole peoples one in particular
Of special importance 20 students Of re-
! ligious history--the migration in search
/ Of the land Of Canaan. In later ccnturie.
miuations were not infrcquent.
Rome was conquered merely by the
weight Of vast migations Of barbarians
In the first place these were merely
raiding tribes seeking fresher pastures
but tho later tremendous inundatiOn,
resulted from the stern necessities o
war. The Chinese in the Par East de
feated the Huns and the Vandals and II
fight they came streaming down into
the Roman territories. They were NOR
numerous than the Arnenians and the
did not stop 10 ask any governments pc
mission as the Armenians arc doing
But IL is certain that IL the Armenian
were more numerous, they would no
stop for permission OF passports bu
would Overrun neighborng countrie
and even come to the United States
they could get ships 20 transport them.
Nearly every principal migration ba
been the result Of Just such an over
whclming defeat and massacre as tha
inflicted on the Arrnenians at SmyTna
The defeated people, fleeing from home
from which they have been routed, tur
by necessity into cOnouerOrs, dlsplaein
somebody else or crowding into a cOuT
try along with the occupying inhab
tanis. The Moors migrated into Spai
under military pressure and IN tur
p the Spanish finally created enoug
pressure 70 drive the Moors out again
World War Nigrations.
The end Of the European War brougt
some astonishing migrations. The
b have not been quite so much en- masse q
some Of the earlier movements, nor eve
so much 80 as the proposed migratio
Of Armenians. However, a. soon as Oh
. Armistice let down the bars 20 free move
ment. thousands Of Austrians an
: Germans fed from their native land
and sought new homes. American in
migration laws we're more lax than the
: are now, just after the ArmIstice. tt
present restrictive laws was passed
order 10 keep out the Europeans VII
were coming At the rate OF a millio
4 wear 20 our shores.
While there WAS no immediate mi
tarv compuislon before which they fiei
there was an economic pressure, who
often IS Just as strong. The peoples
the former enemy empires foresaw th'
the postwar wears would bring a perlc