Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-12
Tide of immigration Turns
for First Time in History
of Nation.
GOVERNMENT TO ASSIST
FOREIGNERS TO GO HOME
Labor Department Officials to Con-
fer Tomorrow to Aid Flow
to "0ld Country

In the administrs tons aggressive ef-
| fort to reduce alien population and I'M
employment, 1t was disclosed yesterday
that the tide Of immigration has been
turned for the first time in history, so
that more persons now are leaving the
! United Staes than are entering it.
In addition to steps by which alien
admittances have been reduced by TO-
900 a month and illegal aliens are being
deported at the rate OF 1900 a month
| new and UNEMPLOYED outlet for aliens
is expected to take 200 a month out
OF the country.
A conference Of Labor Department
| officials has been called for tomorrow
morning toward the end of stimulating
homeward flow Of aliens who volun-
| teer to go at the expense OF the Federal
Government. Under the terms of an
! obscure clause in the 1927 immigration
law the Government has begun pay
ing the way for destitute foreigners who
want to go back to the old country"
One Of Four Methods.
1t is virtually the first time that the
| United States has resorted to this prac-
in the country, it is one of four meth
DDS to which the administration has
reSorted to decrease the alien popula-
ton
Under this procedure the action Is
entirely voluntary on the part of the
aliens, 1t applies primarily to foreign
ers who have entered the country law
fully, whereas the deportation drive is
directed against about 100000 aliens
/ estimated to have slipped in unlawfully
during the last five years.
The voluntary emigration plan Is
based on clause in the law which was
intended to cover the case of an alien
who became disabled or otherwise a
public burden within three years of his
arrival in this country in the regular
way. The Labor Department was au-
thorized TO transport such persons back
to the country from which they came
William N. Doak, the new Secretary
OF Labor, conceived the idea OF using
this authority TO help relieve the I'M
employment situation and individual
distress. Labor Department oficials
said he had in mind the fact that a
large proportion Of the unemployed
persons now dependent upon public
charities throughout the country are
aliens who have a right to be in this
country. but, in their present predica-
ment, would prefer the protection OF
relatives abroad.
zoo Ask Transportation.
Announcement in foreign language
newspapers OF the Governments de-
cision to use this power to transport
destitute aliens who volunteered has
brought nearly 200 applications, it was
estimated yesterday by Harry E. Hull,
commissioner general of immigration.
The applications are being forwarded
/ largely through charity organiZa tons
More than so have already reached the
! desk of Commissioner Hull.
1t is to consider how far the Labor
Department may go in this direction
that tomorrow's conference has been
called. The law restricts action 10
cases meeting three requirements: %
that the applicant has been in the
country not longer than three years;
(2) that he has become dependent upon
public aid and CD that he has other
wise fallen into distress. An important
question to be discussed is whether the
clause can be stretched to cover those
who have become discouraged or home
sick and want to go home.
Several Of the applications are said
{ to be based Oh that condition. Depart
ment officials while disposed to con-
strue the law literally with an eye to
the main objective to reduce alien pop
ulation, point out that precautions must
be taken to exclude the alien who
merely seeks free ride" home though
able to take care Of himself mere.
Reverse Of Deportation.
Commissioner Hull thought it likely
that applications would run we'll over
200 a month once the policy was we'll
established and advertised in the for
eign quarters. 1t was emphasized that
the policy is the reverse Of deportation
and that this point was being i'm
pressed upon lawful aliens, many Of
whom would forego their desire to 60
home rather than return in the dis
grace of having been deported from
the United States.
At no other time has the United
| States Government proceeded so ag-
| excessively to cut down the proportion
of aliens in the country. The admin
| iStration is employing four principal
methods, as follows
by Withholding consular visas
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