Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-08
Reply to WickerSham Body
Charges Lays Violations
to Predecessors.
OBSERVER IMPRACTICAL,
SECRETARY DECLARES
Commission Split Over Experts Re-
port Charging Deportation
Smaeked of Inquisition.

Charges of tyrannic and unconstitu-
tional practices IN the deportation Of
aliens. laid at the door of Federal i'm
migation officials by the wickersham
Commission, today drew from Secretary
Doak the reply that abuse. were being
corrected.
The Secretary of Labor dissented,
however, from some of the suggestions
of the commissions tenth report to
President Hoover He asserted they
came from an observer without expert
ence in the practical problems OF
deportation"
The commission itself split over the
charges of its expert, Reuben Open
heimer, Baltimore attorney, who wrote
all but brief preface to the l79-page
report on "the enforcement OF the
deportation laws" Oppenheimer assert
ed that in examining about 100000
supposed aliens and deporting about
$4,000 annually officials employed
methods that smacked of the inquisi-
ton and often. violated the plainest
dictates of humanity
Charges Grave Abuses.
1T is doubtful" he said, ''if anywhere
in the entire system of Anglo-Saxon
Jurisprudence are Government officials
given similar unfettered rights of
private inquiry, or l. the exercise Of
governmental power more often char
aeterized by violations of fairness and
decency."
The limited number of cases 20
which Mr.. Oppenheimer refers" Doak
said today, cover period prior to my
becoming Secretary of Labor. Every
effort has been made to correct adj
n1inistrative abuses, and MFR Open
heimer generously acknowledges that
the defects he finds do not now apply
to the department.
The major point, however, Is that
the American people have q right to
deport criminal aliens, and aliens who
have come Illegally into the country
Any practical legislation that will
strengthen the hands Of the Department
of Labor in effecting this purpose viii
be welcomed by the department.
Doak said there were hundreds Of
thousands Of aliens that had not vet
been reached with the departments
present staff and equipment. adding
that he knew of mo more important
work before the country than TO rid it
OF alien criminals"
He asserted more effective work could
be done If there were more co-opera-
ton between Federal and local authors
ties and if the deportation laws were
stronger.
Wherever the report supports prac-
teal measures to this end" Doak con-
cluded. Il am for the report"
New Board Proposed.
The commission would strip the De-
partment of Labor OF the right TO con-
duct deportation proceedings and would
vest this power instead in a new In
dependent tribunal Board of Alien
Appeals-whose findings would be sub
ject to review by Federal Circuit Courts.
The report had been forecast by
members of the commission as prob
ably the most controversial since its
announcement, and it drew dissenting
opinions from two Of the commissioners,
Col. Henry w. Anderson Of Richmond.
Va, and Justice Kenneth Macintosh
of the Washington State Supreme
Court, the latter being particularly
sharp.
Col. Anderson said he was not pre-
pared "as member of this commission
to adopt and enunciate, as my own,
findings Of such a sweeping character
affecting the conduct of those engaged
III Tie aQI1llIlSIIdtlOn Ol IIlc law Will
out having first made personal ex-
animation of the actual records and
other evidence upon which these find-
{ ings are based"
For Correction If True.
Oppenheimer's findings, however he
said. should challenge the attention
of those in authority, and If such
conditions exist, corrective measures
should be taken.
Col Anderson agreed that there are
inherent defects in the present system
and that the power and duties of de-
lection. prosecution, adjudication and
execution of judgment should not all
be vested in one administrative
agency" BE opposed the creation of
an independent tribunal, however, as
tending Ito produce completely and
confusion in government" He favors
execution of the administrative features
of the law, including investigation, ~
lection, prosecution and enforcement
of orders of deportation, by the Labor
Department, with trials of offenses
against the law in the United States
Continued on Page 2, Column IL
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