Evening star., 1927-04-24

The immigration Service Border
Patrol, as a separate uniformed unit,
is the latest addition to Uncle sam
armed forces. 1t is just completing
its third year and numbers nearly 500
men, about evenly divided between
northern and southern land borders.
It's primary purpose is to prevent un-
wanted aliens from crashing the
gate" and making their way Illegally
into this country. In theory the patrol
has nothing to do with prohibition en-.
forcement, but actually it plays
leading part in dealing with rum run
ners, gun runners and dope SNUG
glers. 1t has a big job on it's hands
and is making good
Romance and adventure aplenty fea-
ture the exploits of the boys" of the
border patrol Their uniforms are
not so brilliant, but their work is just
as daring as that of the Canadian
mounted police. Their organization
is too young to have the traditions of
the Texas Rangers behind it, but they
are making history every day. They
patrol beat" which stretches from
coast to coast, trailing smugglers, fac
ing ambuscades and matching their
wits and courage with the cunning
of the organized gangs on both sides
VI tie ittlCI lidtIOildi DOhiiucI y.
Ex.Service Men Enlisted.
The immigration service guard is
recruited largely from eX-service men.
They are square shooters and many
of them expert marksmen, but are
under orders not to shoot except in
self-defense. This means that inva-
riably the smugglers have the first
shot. That this is a serious handicap
Ivr4
collecting dust in the archives of the
immigration Bureau, which chronicle
the death of more than one fearless
patrol rider, bullet-ridden from am
bush or shot in the first few seconds
of an open encounter with the SNUG
glers.
The professional runners of aliens
are persistent and reSourCeful. Their
business has scarcely reached the ex-
cellent degree of organization which
the bootlegging industry has attained,
but the alien smugglers are usually
more ruthless, and are engaged in
more dangerous and more profitable
game. An automobile load of half a
dozen debarred aliens run" success
fully from Montreal to Boston will
yield $4,000 profit to the smuggler
for the single trip.
George T. Harris, assistant commits
sioner general of immigration, has
| been at the Mexican border since 1906
and had leading part in organizing
the patrol, and was in supreme com
mand of the Southern unit until his
recent transfer to Washington. He de.
clares that since the adoption of the
| exclusion policy provided for in the
| present immigration law alien SNUG.
| Cling on a large scale is once more
| rampant. reminiscent of the days of
| wholesale running" of Chinese from
| Mexico 20 years ago.
| The activities of the border patrol
| are a great deal more extensive than
| is generally realized. according to Mr..
| Harris. In the 16 months ending last
| October, at the Mexican border alone
| 224.7 .760 persons were questioned, more
| than $4,000 trains were searched and
| more than 900 automobiles and
motor busses stopped and examined.
The patrol guard Travelled nearly
| 100000 miles by automobile, $4,000
| miles in the saddle and 10000 miles
| on foot. Five hundred alien SNUG.
glers and more than 10000 aliens were
apprehended; the smugglers were sub
ject TO criminal prosecution and the
aliens to expulsion.
Life Not Dull One.
Our new border patrol of the I'm.
migration Service is live.wire outfit, :"
| said their leader, and is engaging in
an exciting and intriguing war with
4 the organized gangs of slnugGaers,
matching Wiss with wits and force