Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-29

BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

smuggling and trickery.
The former, Assistant Secretary Of
Labor Carson has found, is q last re-
sort. It involves the likelihood Of physi-
cal risk and hardship. Once over the
American border, the unwelcomed Wis
itor'S status remains insecure. He has
no documentary evidence OF his right to
be here He is at the mercy OF any
inquisitive policeman.
The latter involves highly special
lied technique, and is costly. 1t re-
quires q worldwide organization, ana
every client must be dealt with as an
individual. But If the trickery sue
ceeds the unwanted immigrant Is al
most as secure in the country OF his
dreams as if he had entered on legal
passport Only when he gets himself
in some predicament that calls for eX-
pert scrutiny of his papers is he likely
to be called to account.
Have Link with Lawyers.
The services of the specialist gen.
orally are sought on behalf of a rela-
tive In the old country by somebody
who has made good in the United
States-often wealthy bootlegger,
dope peddler or gunman. He is able TO
pay anything from 81 900 up, depending
on the difficulty of the case. Ere
quently, of course, an honest man seeks
the services of the specialists in benaH
Of relative or friend in the old coun-
try who has been unable to get on the
quota, or he is delivered unsuspectingly
into their hands by his own lawyer.
But even among highly desirable clti-
zens, Mr.. Carson has found, blood Is
thicker than respect for the letter OF
the Federal law.
Gangs of these specialists, Mr.. Carson
says, maintain connections throughout
the United Staes, especially in COM
munities with large alien populations.
They establish themselves with the To-
cal attorneys. Sometimes this Is on q
split-fee basis. The ostensibly ethical
LAWYERS are perfectly aware that they
are dealing with scoundrelS. In other
cases, Carson says, the local lawyer
may be entirely innocent. Approached
with an immigrant case, he realizes
it is highly specialized matter and
refers his client to some attorney
listed as a specialist-just as he would
a patent case. But the deeper Mr.. Cars
son and his aides dig into the n1achin-
atoms Of the immigration tr1cksters
the less he is inclined to believe in the
good faith Of most of the lawyers who
act as their decoys.
The client enters the ofnce OF the
specialist. He wants to, bring in his
brother from Rumania. The brother
cannot get en- the quota. Perhaps he
is illiterate Perhaps he has trachoYna
or tuberculosis. Perhaps he has a Grim
inal record. The specialist asks a
multitude of questions. BY the time
he is through with his client he has
a voluminous catalogue of the history
and personal appearance OF the brother
in Runlania.
Stable Deposit Demanded
Then he demands a stable deposit
to cover the costs Of investigation.
AS soon as the client has left the
office he is looked up and his ability
to pay ascertained. If he Is a poor
man that Is as far as the 'investiga-
ton" goes. When he returns day or
so later he is told the case Is hopeless.
At the best the specialist refers him to
an alien smuggler. The deposit is clear
profit.
But If the client turns out to be a
successful merchant or man with g
classy bootleg or narcotic trade, or II
he has the backing of gang, the
wheels Of the machine are, set moving
at cnce. The specialist gets in touch
with his agents in the old country.
They investigate the brother. and their
statements are checked with those Sc
cured in the American Office. Then q
stable fee is demanded and the spe-
cialist searches his bag Of tricks for
the one that promises to fit best the
individual case. There are probably
at least SO of these tricks, Mr.. Carson
says, but few have always been the
most popular.
The specialist probably has on file in
his Office the name Of every Rumanian
immigrant to the United States for the
past 20 years. He knows whether any
Individual is living or dead. His agents
have copied the names from grave
stones in every cemetery where Ru-
manians are buried. If man is alive,
he knows where he can be located and
his present circumstances.
With this knowledge he goes through
his list until he comes to a name which
resembles that Of the prospective immi-
grant. This, Carson says, is not so
difficult as 1t might seem. There is no
great variety of names in the popula-
ton at large Of any country. The
chances are the reader will find his own
name duplicated several times in the
telephone directory Of his own city,
unless he happens to have an unusual
name. Consider the number of William
Smiths who have come from England
in the past and who would be likely to
be on any prospective immigrant list.
Or consider the number Of Patrick
O'Briens from Ireland or the number
of Juan Gonzales from Mexico. The
same relationship holds in the names Of
other nationalities.
How Names Are Used.
Surprising the name Of the brother in
Rumania was the counterpart of Will
liam Smith in an English-speaking
community. The specialist finds some
such william Smith who has entered
the United States legally, probably has
been naturalized, and is of about the
same age as the man who now wishes
to get into the United States. There
can be difference of 10 years or so in
the ages without much danger Of excit-
ing suspicion. There can be q minor
difference in the spelling or in the ar
| rangement of the Christian and family
names, since official records have been
| notably lax in such matters. Some
thing corresponding to william Smith
erS or Smith williams would be close
| enough If such was the best that could
be done and at the same time get a
good matching of ages.
1t is bit of good luck for the spe-
| cialist II investigation shows that the
William Smith in AOoarfna is dead,