Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-15
BY NORMAN KLEIN.

BY NORMAN KLEIN.
Ten thousand aliens from Europe
and the Orient, it is estimated by the
Border Patrol. wait in Mexico for the
chance to slip into the United States.
Thousands of Mexicans, too, are de-
flying the toughest immigration laws
this alien-laminated land has ever
known.
MeXicans, with their wives and chill
dren, shuttle Illegally back and forth
across the Rio Grande as employment
on the American side and unemploy-
ment on the Mexican side shifts and
varies.
All that holds back the waiting TO-
900 Europeans and Asiatics is a map
makers line. The line is linked across
1900 miles of border-ranch lands,
mountains and Sagebrush.
The TAT men of the Immigration
Border Patrol, part of which is de-
ployed in Florida and on the Canadian
frontier, haven't much chance against
the determined army clamoring at this
Rio Grande back gate
international gangs of smugglers well
financed experienced, brought many of
the waiting 10,000-men, women, chill
dren-from Europe's Slums and novels,
by way of South America, Central
America and Cuba.
The plotters did not ask if these Eu-
ropeanS are diseased or fresh out of
prisons or trouble-making radicals.
If the emigrants or their relatives
In the United States can put up the
cash, they have no trouble in doing
business with the international con-
SpiratorS.
Many Orientals Wait Chance.
Most of these foreigners in Mexico
who are scheming to journey north are
South Europeans, the types held down
to a minimum in the quotas of the
1924 immigration law Many others,
particularly on the West Coast, are Chi
reSe and japanese brought over from
the Orient by tongs and by rich fami-
lies.
All have left homes troubled by pow
erty, political oppression, starvation,
epidemics They have risked their lives
and their life savings on this expedition
through Americas f1irnsy back door be-
cause they want to find work and they
have cynical contempt, if, indeed,
any OF this riffraff ever thought at all
about it, for the traditional high-wage
standards of American workingmen.
When they arrive in Mexico they are
met at the ports by agents of the
Smuggler's syndicate. if they have ar
ranged to be shepherded across the
border. Many hundreds and thousands,
of course, make their way on their own,
relying on their wits to elude the border
patrol.
You will see them in Mexico City ped
a
cry, scarves and ShawlS on the streets,
frankly admitting they are only tenn
poTary residents of the country, asking
American tourists naive questions about
the land of dollars to the north.
According to dispatches from Mexico,
these aliens are sheltered by country
tnen while there, provided with food
and shelter, and taught enough Eng
NSh so that when they make the dash
over the border they viii have fugi-
tres chance of blufdng through.
Horde Filters Over Border.
These outsiders working toward the
border are in addition to the 100000
Mexicans, mostly ignorant poems and
wage splitters, who filter each year into
the United States from Mexico. These
Mexicans save SO head tax by entering
this country under the protecting haze
Of cactus In the lonely, unfrequented
country.
The Mexican border is long. the
American side is sparsely settled, the
immigration patrol is scattered, the Rio
Grande River is a mere wadiug pool.
And the international bridge at Ell Paso
Is cinch.
The toughest stretch Of this SOUTH
ern frontier extends between Yuma,
Ariz., and the Pacific shore. Through
this gap flock Japanese, ArmeniaTis,
Syrians, Greeks, Italians and Portu-
guese.
the assistance of smugglers, who collect
what they can.
At the southwest end of the border
there is the Mexican seaport town of
Ensenada On the map Ensenada is
just q hop, skip and jump to the
American border-and on into San
Diego and Los Angeles. Actually 1t is
a weary stretch of sand and rock, sun
beaten. dreary and rather bewilderingly
messed UP with sagebrush and cactus.
1t is here at ESenada that the snug
glerS have their rendezvous. Sometimes
when Mexican officials appear and act
too curious, the smugglers herd their
Chinese and Europeans into ranch
sl1acks on in the semi-deSert. But the
path Is worn toward the border
Land on Lonely Shores.
A few Of this stream of human con-
traband are brought in automobiles
from Ensenada to the border. The
favorite method right now, since the
Mexican government Is cooperating
with the United States in frustrating
smuggling, is TO take the aliens aboard
fishing boats.
They are hauled north along the
coast to lonely beaches and coves on
the California shore.
There. confederateS are waiting.
The boats come in close at night,
flashing their signal lights. The snug
gIed cargo is put ashore in small boats
or IS forced to jump overheard and
swim for It.
There are stories that some of the
fishermen smugglers put Chinese in
gunny sacks, telling them that Is the
only way to hide them en- route Then
when United States rum chaserS ap-
proach for q search, the helpless
Chinese were thrown overheard, lust
as rum runners, when pursued, toss
overheard their sacks of contraband
liquors.
But its all rosy promises back in
Europe when the syndicate solicitor
arranged Tor the roundabout ride into
the United States. The European is
provided with passport and steamship
ticket to Mexico. II he has the money,
about 800, he also can buy a fake
birth certificate. It is amazing how
many Mexicans speak with a Czecho-
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