Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-02
New Era in immigration

Time so as TO protect Aliens, you may
understand that in safeguarding the Ma
| tons interest the humane factors have
not been overlooked In fact. we have
been so careful to protect the alien that
we have been taken advantage OF.
Thousands OF aliens have gone to near
! by territory and endeavored to sneak in
through holes We were not watching.
A good many have got away with this
practice, but not so many as may COM
monty be supposed. Sooner or later
many are apprehended. Under the first
limitation laws there was a time limit
on deportation and those who came i'll
improperly are now mostly safe from
deportation. But all who have gained
Illegal entry since July /. 1924, may be
deported at any time they are found
regardless OF how long they stay here.
Grounds for Deportation.
Because we have been taken advan-
ta2e of so often, especially by aliens who
keep returning after they have been
deported, Congress decided that some
drastic action was necessary. So the
new law provides new grounds for de-
portation. Any alien who enters by
| making a false statement may be de-
ported; any alien who has ever been
ordered deported is forever barred from
the country. Such barrier is. by the
Law, effective even though formal de-
portation was not accomplished--when
for instance, the alien departed volun-
tarily upon consent of the Secretary OF
Labor While this law is more drastic
than I should write 1t, so long as 1t is
the law of Congress 1t will have to be
enforced.
There are many aliens who have been
deported because of minor irregularities
in connection with their entry, but de-
ported without prejudice to their right
to reapply in a legal way. Under the
law as 1t now stands they will be for
ever barred from admission to the colln-
try, and believe that authority should
be given to the commissioner general
of immigration to use his discretion in
the matter OF their reapplication, sub
ject to the approval OF the Secretary
OF Labor.
Sympathy for Alien.
At the time this deportation measure
was under consideration other grounds
! for deporta tioHaswere considered, and
these probably will be taken up again
at another session. I have much SYM
pathy for the alien who, notwithstand-
ing the difficulties of alienage and Ian
guage, makes an honest effort to better
his condition here. With such as are
unworthy Of this consideration, how
ever, / believe We should deal in a
manner BETTING their attitude
With the narcotic peddler and the
chronic violator of our laws I have no
sympathy. If they do not like our in
situations they are at liberty to go some
where else. We Americans have set our
own standards and We are proud Of
them. The alien who doesn't like our
form OF government or our laws can
find other countries in which the laws
are different. II my official position
requires me to help such aliens out of
the country, 1t will be y pleasure to
perform the function.
Immigration to the United States has
been reduced from over TOO, 1000, under
the last year Of the old quota law. to
approximately 10000 in 1923. Besides
being more effective as a restrictive
measure. the new law has almost elimi-
mated hardshipS. and as a workable
policy the present system has been de-
veloped to high point Of efficiency.
Had Host Of Enemies.
Not all Of the efficiency of the present
system is the result of legislation. From
the outset restricted immigration had
host Of enemies. Their onSlaughts
took the form of stories of hardshipS
which the law was alleged to have Gre
ated As has been explained, every
effort has been made to minimize these
hardshipS many of which came about
not through the operation OF the statute
but through excuSable error or willful
disregard Of law by aliens themselves
Many Of the stories published about
hardshipS were either entirely untrue
or sufficient facts were withheld to
make them essentially untrue. A half
truth Is often more vicious than a
falsehood. Here are two which recently
came to my attention:
The press has quite generally carried
the story Of young man born in Rhode
Island, who, 1t was said lost his citizen
slip through service in the British mil
itary forces during the World War and
was refused admission at New York
The published story stated that he
served throughout the war, was wound
ed and still carried fragments of shrap-
mel IN his body. Very naturally regret
and even horror were expressed at the
thought that an American born man
should be refused admission to his
native country when his only offense
had been that Of serving in the army
OF one OF our allies during the World
War.
The true story is that this man never
served in the war at all. He ran away
from his home in 1914. shipped on a
cattle boat to Great Britain and worked
there as laborer throughout the war
period. Incidentally, he escaped serv-
ice IN Our military forces by remaining
out Of the country while We We're in
the war. IN 1921 he enlisted in the
British Air Force and worked as a
laborer In that service for two years.
For the last seven years he has been
working as q laDorer when he could find
job.
Instead of going to the American
consul and inquiring as to his status,
this man came to New York with no
documents whatever. Having enlisted
in the military forces Of and having
sworn allegiance to, foreign country
during times of peace he necessarily
expatristed himself BY this act he
ceased to be an American citizen. He
became an alien within the meaning Of
our immigration law, and having none
Of the documents required OF aliens he
was necessarily refused.
Still Another Case.
Here is case OF different nature:
In December. 1924. immigration Of
icerS apprehended boatload of aliens
being smugsled in from Cuba. Among
them was a girl 10 years OF age. With
the others she was ordered deported as
the law directs, but at the request OF
the trial court deportation was delayed
until her services as witness against
the smusglers were no longer needed
The trial was concluded only recently.
The girls deportation was about to
proceed when it came to the attention
OF the Labor Department that during
her stay in the United States she had
married an American citizen and had
become the mother OF al American
child. She is still deportAble. and al
- "A iOh
have permission to reapply for adnlis-
sion under the new deportation law,
passed during the closing days Ut the
last ConSrcSs She NAV be forever DE-