Evening star., 1924-08-16
BOOTLECCING IMMIGRANTS
BY EDGAR MELS.
ARTICLE vi.

immigration from that country. Hence
there is a constant stream OF human
!ty from Lower California into the
United States, legal and otherwise.
There is an immense Japanese colony
in Lower California and the seep-
age into the United States is con-
siderable.
the daily history OF our land, tell the
story accurately. Here are some.
picked at random:
''rwenty-six Aliens Captured at
New Orleans
Gang Of Chinese Smugglers Brok-
en- Up"
Eighteen japanese Reported
Smuggled into Seattle"
Five Aliens Crossing Niagara
River in Rowboat Arrested"
United States Vice Consul Ar
rested for Smuggling Chinese into
United States"
Smuggling Of Aliens from Canada
on the Increase"
Seriousness of Problem.
The list could be continued indef1-
nitely. 1t indicates clearly how
serious the problem is. The men who
bootleg immigrants receive from $40
to $1,000 head. At the low aver.
total Of only $4,000 a year. the alien
smuggIers obtain $7,5o0,OO0 annually.
1t is estimated, however, that the
smugglers take in excess Of 100000
600 a year.
Then there is the other side OF the
ledger. 1t costs the United States
more than $1.50O.00O to watch its
frontiers against smuggled aliens or
attempts to smuggle them in. But
= h oil
Is caught. there came the hearings
before immigration officials, which
cost money and then the cost of de-
portation. In this connection Secre-
tary Davis says:
ut costs the Government from $3.50
to 5000 for every one sent back. We
have only s280,000 available for this
purpose. We could exhaust that
amount in few weeks if we de-
ported all that really ought to go
back. There are many thousands OF
Orientals here who should go back.
Some estimate the number at 100. 600.
And this does not include undesir-
ables and barred nationalities. Off
GERS in every one of our 81 districts
know of many specific cases that
should have the deportation treat
ment. But all we can do is to send
back the worst cases. Deportation
or criminals just competing tHelT
sentences takes up big share of
the available fund.
Machinery Of Deportation.
But suppose that we decide to de-
port Il man. First, we must learn
whence he came. The law requires
us to send a man back to the coun-
try from which he started. But sup
pose that we, have no such informa-
tion and that the man refuses to
tell. We have a case of that kind
now in Iowa. Two men have just
completed prison sentences. They re-
fuse to name the land Of their origin
They say that they will stay in jail
the rest of their lives before they
will give us the information. So
We are deadlocked and can do
nothing
Secretary Davis will make another
attempt at the December session OF
the Congress to get further appro-
pIiations and. what is more important
still, to have the immigration quota
law extended to Mexico, at least
Then. too, he will ask for an annual
registration of all aliens, together
with finger printing and other identi-
| fcation methods.
He frankly declares that the only
hope that his program has is in the
publicity which newspapers can give
him. He believes that if the public
is aroused to the seriousness of
alien smuggling Congress will have
to act.
Copyright 1924. by Current News Features.