Evening star., 1924-08-12

This Is the second article de-
scribing the extent and the opera
tions involved in the smuggling
OF aliens into the United States.
This article covers the situation
on the Mexican frontier.
immigration from Mexico into the
United States is unrestricted, yet
thousands of illiterate Mexican poems
are bootlegged into this country an
nually. The Military Intelligence es-
Inmates the number at more than 100,-
600. The Mexican border has long
been canker spot, in so far as i'm
migration Is concerned. While there
are no restrictions, save those of a
health and alleged "literacy" test, and
the payment Of So head tax, yet boot
Logging Of human beings is constant
ly on the increase.
The great length of the Mexican
border, the sparsely settled lands on
the American side; the shallow Rio
Grande-the abSurdly undermined
immigration force-all these things
tend to make smuggling of aliens
easy and. of course. profitable to those
engaged in the trade.
Officials In the Game.
Not only that, but there is also the
unfortunate fact that local and coun-
ty officials are engaged in the trade.
Not SO long ago Texas deputy sher-
iff was shot during a brawl and it
was then discovered that he was
smuggling in aliens. Department Of La
Dor files indicate that the smugglers
agree to land aliens across the Mex
lean border for 81 each. which is half
the cost of the head tax. Then, too,
there is no examination, mental or
physical
The Rio Grande has practically dry
bed during eight months in the year.
1t forms a thousand miles of bound
ary line. Even at it's maximum flood
it is not a barrier. From Ell Paso
west there is only an imaginary line
through a thousand miles Of desert.
There is no one to say may" to any
one desiring to cross into the United
States.
The assistant chief of staff for the
Military Intelligence made a report
dated March 19, 1920, that from Feb
ruary l of the same year until the
date of the report more than 100000
MexicanS entered the United States
and that only very small percentage
of this total passed through immigra-
ton stations. For many weeks prior
to the report, 1t is stated, every road
tonic, Tex, had on lit a stream OF
these immigrants, many of them in
rags. Many of the Mexicans declared
that they were leaving their homes tc
escape abuse and mistreatment by
armed factions in their country"
Border Force Increased.
So much for the official side Of the
situation. The Department Of Labor
has as many men on the Mexican bor-
der as it can spare-untn July /
about 20. Since then the force has
been increased to 200. But 200 men
scattered along a border of nearly
5000 miles, buffers very thin.
The headquarters of the border pa
troll is at Ell Paso, where Capt. Han
son is in command. The captain may
be dead by the time this is read, fol-
the Mexican and American smugglers
have set a price of 1000 pesos on his
head. He offended this gentry by be-
ing too honest and too energetic. He
has a splendid record as a catcher OF
both smugglers and smuggled. He
lives in the cactus country, heavily
armed. with a few aides scattered
about to help in case of need.
The department knows many a
story Of his exploits--of long watches
in the more or less Silly night, of
the coyotes bowling, sweltering heat,
thirst, exposure, hardship. But the