Evening star., 1925-09-17
No Admittance!

Refusal by the Secretary Of State to
grant admission to the United States
as delegate to the Interparliamen-
tary Union of ShapurU Saklatvala, a
member of the British Parliament is
warranted by the record OF his ut
terances. both in the House Of Com
mons and elsewhere. He is an avowed
Communist, a militant advocate of
revolution against established govern
ment, an internationalist. If he were
to come here in his private capacity,
as an individual, he could not possibly
be admitted, holding and proclaiming
the views to which he has lately given
utterance. AS a delegate to an inter-
national convention he has no rights
that are superior to the claims of any
Immigrant for admittance. Secretary
Kellogg has rightly interpreted the
law with respect to the exclusion of
those holding incendiary views.
Saklatvala occupies a peculiar posi-
ton. He has been elected a member
of the British House of Commons. and
is, therefore, immune to prosecution
for his utteranCes in that body, up to
a certain point. 1t is. however. diff
ficult to understand the tolerance for
such expressions as he has made re-
garding his purpose to work for the
overthrow of the British government.
For less than that Englishmen have
been sent to the Tower, and some
have suffered death as traitors. Even
here, a national legislator speaking
in such terms in the legislative halls
would be subject to impeachment, and
10 indictment in civil courts for
treason.
On the Goth of August, when he had
completed his arrangements for at
tending the sessions of the Interpar-
liamentary Union in Washington. SAX
latvala said:
l am going to America as a friend
of the working classes. British i'm
perialism ought to crumble in the
dust. l am out TO work for a revo-
luton and for the day when the work
ers will control the whole world. But
before this comes you will have to
face the cold steel
With all due allowance for the full
limitations of the demagogue, this is
plainly an announcement of an in
cendiary purpose. Unless the man is
a bombastic buffer, he designed to
speak here as an advocate of revolu-
tionary internationalism. to appeal to
the workers of America as he~has to
those of Great Britain to join the
movement originating in Russia for
the establishment of the proletariat in
control of all governments.
Many a person has been excluded
from entrance into the United States
because he holds such views. Some
Of these have been applicants for ad-
mission as future citizens, others as
mere visitors. There is no question
Of the right of this Government thus
to exclude those who entertain danger
Gus concepts of government calculated
to inf1ame the minds of the ignorant
and radical. This right applies to would
be representatives of other peoples
seeking places in international ses-
stons. No one can question the legal
ity of this mans exclusion. Some
Illdy QueSllOil TIE dlScIellOn Ol lillS
action, though to the great majority
Of the American people Secretary Kel-
logg's course is fully justified. is, in
deed, the only course to be followed
in self-respect and consistency.
Saklatvala will perhaps be regarded
as a martyr to- his views by those
who hold with him that existing gov
ernment should be overturned. He
will probably expound them the more
vigorously at home, possibly in Can
ada, because of his exclusion. He
has been given publicity by this ac-
ton. But, at any rate, he will not be
permitted to stand in the hall of the
House of Representatives in this Capt.
tai as a member of an international as
Semblage and preach anarchism.