The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-19

III, CIOWuCu 6Ilu ulItCdlLIly steamers never made to carry pas sengers and the dangers of clan destine landings on exposed beaches
 The moment they reach Palestine they abandon forever their former identities, destroying their passports and other papers, and face the fat that Palestine offers them knowing there will be no returning.
 If they have no papers and re. fuse to make statements they can. not be expelled for there is no place to send them. They may be i'm prisoned in Jerusalem of Meggide prisons, but most of the immigrants prefer such treatment to the pros- pect of returning to their former homes.
 Illegal Entry Spreads
 Illegal immigration has been go- ing on for 20 years, but it has re- ceived impetus from new Jewish prosecutions and immigration re- strictions, and is aided by a num- Der of secret international organ nations. One of these organizations assists all Jews without considera- tion of party or training. Another accepts only those who belong te certain Zionist parties or have un. dergone training for Palestine ir various youth organizations.
 Their purposes are to find new homes for Jews driven from theil old ones, and to pack Palestine as rapidly as possible with people o1 the Jewish race in the interest ot ZioniSm.
 The secret organization are dis approved officially by the Jewish Agency, official body provided fol in the Mandate over Palestine tc advise the government in Jewish matters.
 Evidence of the extent of illegal immigration is seen in the seizure of several vessels in recent weeks while attempting to land their hu- man cargoes.
 Three Ships Blocked
 During the seven-day Passove, Festival in April three ships were ordered to return to the high seas When the third one, the Assimi was seized near Caesarea carrying more than 200 persons, and forced to turn back, there was demon- stration of students which had to be dispersed by police.
 It was estimated that more than 1000 despairing Jewish fugitives were thus af1oat in the Mediterran- can. Earlier in the month a Greek ship was apprehended carrying $40 illegal immigrants for Palestine. Other vessels carried 250 and ITO immigrants.
 According to rumors in the Jew ish community those who are caught are only small percent age of those who reach the coun- try. But Jews refuse to describe these immigrants as illegal. They are referred to in the Hebrew Press as the "maapilim," or the daring ones."
 The conditions under which these immigrants travel are almost be- yond belief. It is impossible to charter ships suitable for carrying such large numbers, so hundreds are crowded into little tramp boats of 60 tons or 100 tons or more. These boats often have to remain at sea far longer than was orig inally planned and food and water run low. Sometimes they give out entirely and the passengers suffer from hunger and thirst.
 The boats beat up and down the coast of Palestine, to avoid obser- vation and try to find a favorable opportunity for landing the pas Sengers.
 Some Swim Ashore
 On some occasions passengers have had to swim and wade ashore. Sometimes the hazard of landing Is great, because the immigrants must seize any available opportun- ity.
 Many who seek to enter the country illegally are from Ger many. Some have been bundled on board ships without even being told where they were going. Others are young Jews who have trained for years to settle in Palestine and who have decided not to wait for permission to enter, in view of the position taken by the British gov- ernment on immigration. Others a-e young Jews without work in their own untries who have left Poland, Rumania and elsewhere fearing that anti-Jewish sentiment there may reach the state existing in Germany.
 Some are inspired by religious fervor. When they are beset with their gravest difficulties they say:
 we are observing in our own days what happened in the days of MoSes-the dividing of the Red Sea. We are engaged in fulf1llment of prophecy"
 The Jewish people as a whole are said to be behind the new mass migration. It is traditional to re- gard 1t as a deed of great piety to redeem Jewish captives. Through out the ages it has been regarded as permissible to break anti-Jewish laws instituted by Gentiles to re- deem captives. The natural sym pathies are heightened by knowl- edge of difficulties encountered by those seeking refuge in Palestine and the plight of the immigrants on board the vessels which are turned back.