Evening star., 1925-08-02
BY BEN McKELWAY.
NHE psychological effectiveness

OF good, stiff fine, admins
tered with speed, precision and
l. Judgment, has long since be-
come established. The motorist
who stops his car and pauses refiec-
lively at one of Mr.. Eldridges neatly
painted stop" signs does so from no
desire to please Mr.. Eldridge, to CO.
operate with the police department, to
be a good citizen nor to conserve the
life and limb of the lowly pedestrian.
His sole desire in stopping is to fore
stall rather one-sided interview with
Police Court judge who lacks all
trace of sympathy. fellow feeling,
compa sSion, tenderness, coincidence or
agreement.
Steamship companies which derive
a profitable income from the transpor
tation of the immigrant to this coun-
try respond to the same method which
has demonstrated its efficiency in en-
1orcement of the traffic regulations.
If the steamship companies had the
right to decide as to the type of i'm
migrant specified in the new immi-
grafton laws the Goddess of Liberty
would throw down her torch and lift
both arms in prayerful supplication as
she watched an army consisting of
the lame, the blind, the halt and the
palsied enter the portals of this, our
native land. Fortunately, the steam
ship companies have been denied the
right to interpret the laws and are
compelled to carry them out to the let
ter. Their failure to do so is assessed
at about 81 900 per failure. The sys-
tenn is proving more than efficient. 1t
is making of the steamship company
officials the most devout and painstak-
ing students. They have become au-
thorities on immigration. 1t is be-
coming as difficult for an ineligible
alien to secure passage aboard their
ships as 1t is to obtain a grandstand
seat at 345 pm. when Washington is
playing Philadelphia.
Laws Were Intellectual.
The immigration laws of 1917 were
Intellectual when it came to enforc-
ing the later restrictions placed
against illiterates. the physically de-
fective, insane, diseased or other
wise unsuitable immigrants, and
when the laws Of 1921 restricted
quotas of immigrants there was no
penalty attached for steamship COM
panies which sought to exceed them.
In 1922 a penalty of 5000 was imposed
when quotas were exceeded. 1t was
administered leniently and had little
effect. But the act of May rs, 1924,
placed in the hands of the Secretary
of Labor the administration of all
fines, and the penalties were In
lation of the law and $3.50 for minor
violations. There were no such
phrases as mot less than" or more
than" to confuse the official whose
duty 1t became it administer the
fines. The fiat figure was designated.
and those who violated the law were
allowed no appeal. During the last
calendar year there were $500 fines
imposed, which amounted to about
$2,000,000. During the present calen-
dar year there have been fewer fines,
but the total amount, as q result of
Ses increased penalties under the
new law. will be greater. 1t has
been estimated unofficially, that these
fines will average about $4,000
day assessed against the steamship
companies for violations of one sort
or another of the new law.
No Appeal From Fine.
The situation is a peculiar one. The
method differs radically from usual
court practice. The imposition Of the
fine is final. There is no appeal.
When a violation of the law is evident
q board of inquiry consisting of three
immigration officials at the port con-
ducts an investigation and forwards
its report to the Bureau of Immigra-
ton here. The steamship company
presents its side of the case to the
department through an attorney, who
submits his brief, there being no oral
argument. An official of the bureau
makes his recommendation on the i'm
position of fine, and the Secretary
of Labor approves or disapproves 1t.
There are no two cases alike. In each
instance there arises different ques-
ton concerning the length of time an
alien has lived in the United States,
his occupation, his age, his employ
ment his purpose in coming here and
how he came here. All these must be
taken into consideration. as well as
the letter of the law.
Recently a man who had lived in
this country Is years and established
q thriving business went abroad. He
had no papers. Coming home, the
steamship company officials simply
asked him if he was a citizen. and he
said, "Yes," submitting in proof GER
tain documents relating to his busi-
ness in this country. At Ellis Island
II developed he was not q citizen of
the United States-never had been.
But the man was allowed to enter the
country again and pursue his buSi-
ness and the steamship company was
sxonerated from blame in transporting
him. The steamship company in this
case exercised what was considered a.
reasonable diligence in investigating
the mans right to re-enter the coun-
try.
Sells Intended Bride.
On the other hand, there may be
cited the case of Rosetta, a buxom
lass of Italy. who secured transporta-
ton to this country upon representing
70 the steamship company that she
was to be the bride of one Tony, then
a-gEged in the sale of bananas along
d. streets of New York. When Tony
u Si.a-ed at the pier to claim his bride
tie immigration officials looked into
ksk3 past history and Disc yered he was
net a citizen of the United States, nor
had he ever been a soldier or sailor.
TNey told Tony that Rosetta would
have to take the boat back to Italy,
end he would have to get bride
somewhere else.
But Tony was a big hearted fellow.
lie was also broadminded and had
large ideas.
Not long after there appeared at the
Offices one of Tony's countrymen. He
showed all his papers. He was not
only an American citizen, but he had
served in the Army. He said he had
come to claim Rosetta for his bride.
Somewhat puzzled, the officials asked
Rosetta If she would marry Tony's
friend. She wasted no time in saying
she would. But upon further examina-
tion it developed that the sly Tony
lad collected S197 from his friend, and
in receipt thereof gave up all his
rights to the fair Rosetta Then the
officials had to tell Rosetta she must
go back to sunny Italy because Tony's
friend hadn't sent for her in the first
place.
Shipping Company Fined.