Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-09
DAVIS DEPLORES
OVERCROWD|NG IN
LABOR DEPARTMENT
New Building Will Be Almost
Filled When Ready, Says
Secretary's Report.
URGES AIR PATROL
TO CURB SMUGGLERS
Modification of immigration Laws
and Retirement Age Cues d,
ton Discussed.

Deploring overCrowded conditions in
the leased building now occupied by
the Labor Department, Secretary DAVIS
declared in his annual report today that
II the present expansion continues, the
new building to be provided for the
department in the Federal building
program will be almost filled when Il
is ready and will hardly have room for
future expansion. The public buildings
commission has informed the depart
ment that 1t has about reached the
limit of space that can be allotted to
It, although several of the bureaus are
located in buildings apart from the
main Office several blocks distant.
The Labor Secretary recommended to
congress establishment of an air patrol
TO curb immigration smugglers and
other border law breakers. and attacked
the false philosophy" that men are
worthless in business and industry
when they reach the age of 40 or so.
Supporting his request for an air
Meet, Mr.. Davis asserted that enforce
ment of the immigration laws could be
accomplished only through using the
same or better weapons than those used
by Smugglers. He added that airships
already are being used to evade the law.
Other Recommendations.
Three other recommendations 10 Con-
gresS are made in the annual report, as
follows:
Codlhcation and consolidation of all
immigration statutes now scattered in
various congressional enactments.
construction of increased detention
faculties at ports of entry to care for
the greater number of aliens held there.
Modltcation of the law which for
ever bars aliens once deported so as TO
hermit them n 6
were given by the Secretary of Labor.
The department was cognizant, Sec
rotary Davis said, of both the encourag-
ing ana encouraging aspects of the sit
uatlon among wage earners. but on
the whole it is clear that the general
ireno is forward and along some lines
the advance has been rapid"
The Secretary held that questions of
Unemployment would eventually be
solved so that every person who de-
sired work would be provided with an
opportunity.
firm stand for a policy of selective
immigration was advocated BY the Sec
rotary and he pointed out that whereas
the annual quotas of countries in Fu-
rope is about 10000 immigrants a wear.
upward Of 100000 persons had taken
steps toward securing visas and the
Cnlteo states was unable to select the
QudlllGQ,
No Increased Quotas.
Quotas would not be increased under
Mr.. Davis plan. but he would give a
preference to immigrants who were
needed here. He cited that a man
whose services might be Sorely needed
as the Key man in some new industrial
oeVelopment which would afford en-
ployment to hundreds or perhans
thousands of men, must await his turn
while other immigrants were admitted
10 seek employment in some industry
IN which there was already a surplus Of
workers. The Secretary would permit
industries or other interests in this
country needing the professional serv-
ices OF some particular individual 10
present their case to the department.
Whlch would authorize a preference II
1t was justified
Placing countries in the Western
! hemisphere on modified quota basl-
less stringent than that imposed upor
: european and other nations also Was
recommended in the report.
More and more" Mr. Davis said.
II Is becoming the experience of our
most enlightened employers that men
OF 40 or so years or over are often bet
ter qualified by experience. ability and
settled habits to render more valuable
service than those of a youneer. age"
He characterized the age question a5
one of the grave economic problems
that deserve the Nations particular
consideration and during the coming
years he expected to see "a great les
SEEMING in the practice of retiring from
employment the workers of middle or
advanced age"
Good Effects Lacking.
at has been adequately proved" he
SAID, that efficiency is not served bv
the enforced retirement of our middle
aged artisans in industry: nor is hu-
mainly made happier by the bringing
about of sudden work or adjustments
which these displaced men are fire.
quently called upon to meet"
Mr.. Davis also declared that nearly
half million American citizens have
left the United States to take up resi-
dence abroad during the last u years.
O1 these. 435,000 were native born.
While $1,000 were naturalized. and the
report said they had sought "perma-
nent or at least extended" places OF
living in other lands
The number leaving the country
has diminished greatly since the quota
law went into effect" the report de-
clared, however. But even now, IS
alien residents emigrate for every 100
immigrants who enter for permanent
residence"