Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-19

The Wickersham report on American
deportation practices has caused in-
terested comment throughout the coun-
try, with attention focused on the
charges of cruelty, which brought re-
ply from Secretary Dcak of the De-
partment of Labor. Sentiment seems to
be divided. as to the efficiency shown
by the department officials, and there
are also differences of opinion as to
the need for the creation of a Board
of Alien Appeals, favored by the COM
mission
"Of the vagaries Of some of Mr..
Doak's subordinates and the stupidity
of some government agents there can
be no doubt" declares the Harrisburg
Telegraph. The st. Joseph Gazette sees
in the record "the old story of red tape
strangling common decency." though it
believes there sh0lld be no dispute as
to the charge that deportation laws
are too inflexible, =" and voices the hope
that the report will hasten the correc-
tions that Mr.. Doak indicates are on
the way" The Gazette believes that
rigid rules in a matter like deportation
are bound to work hardShips that 'vio-
late the plainest dictates of humanity"
Many aliens undoubtedly get into
the country contrary to the provisions
of the immigration law, and many, after
JL4Cy EGt mere, lOT1E1k IIlelI IlBnL u
remain" comedies the Omaha World
Herald, but that paper holds that the
methods pursued in detecting them and
in enforcing the law upon them should
be consonant with the rights of man
and with the principles that are pre-
sumed to characterize American law and
American Justice" The Charlotte News
agrees with the position that "a strong
objection to the deportation process is
the fact that one agency, and often the
same inspector, acts as informer, ar
resting officer. inquisitor and Judge"
pointing out that "the procedure con-
centrates authority over human rights
and liberties in a single administrative
agency which is not bound by the Or
binary rules Of evidence"
4
What the deportation laws need" in
the opinion of the Newark Evening
News. in the light of the Wickersham
report is the prescription of methods,
the provision of machinery and the
safeguarding of their administration
that will insure strict justice to the
alien without detracting from the eS-
sential right of the Nation to protect
itself from the undeSirables from
abroad" The Danbury Evening News
demands that brutality and bureau
cratic officiousneSS" be stamped out.
IF the report leads to the softening
of the laws rigidity. which at times has
resulted in cruelties unavoidable under
the existing statutes" says the San
Francisco Chronicle. something will
have been gained in humane advance
ment The power to deport undesir-
able aliens or those in the country con-
trary to the immigration policy is In
herent in the government. Enforce
ment is, in the main, as wholesome as
it is necessary. But occasionally in
stances arise which result in the break
ing up OF families or other cruel injus-
tice to innocent persons. The irnmi-
grafton authorities are not to blame.
They have no choice but to follow the
statute. Congress may find way to-
remedy this defect"
Significance is found by the Spring
field (MaSs) Union in the fact that
the commission itself is split on the
report, Col Henry W. Anderson Of Rich
mond, Va. and former Justice Kenneth
Macintosh Of the washington State
Supreme Court obiecting to the charges
as too severe" The Union quotes Sec
rotary Doak's statement that "the major
point Is that the American people have
a right to deport criminal aliens and
aliens who have come illegally into the
country" and advises that lit Is well
TO keep that in mind when efforts are
being made TO drum up undeseryed SYM
pathy for alien radicals who fall Rf0ul
Of our immigration laws"
Responsibility Of aliens for crime IN
the United States & taken UP by the
San Antonlo Express, Wtkh quotation
from the Nickershau1 repof9 that there
is a 'sfallacious notion that Americas
foreign~born population Is responsible
for the nations crime wave. Tue Ex-
press suggests that the governnsl pre-
pare from It's own statistics on crne a
report grohping the foreign-b0rn cEn-
inai2 apart from the native killers or
taIepess On the ether hand. the rnrse
land Oregon journal asserts Chicago