Evening star., 1940-12-27
Cards for Aliens
Sorted by Army
Of Postal Clerks
1850 Register Here.
More Than Twice
OriqinuI Estimate

An army of postal clerks was
hard at work today on the task of
classifying and preparing receipt
cards for mailing to 100000 aliens
who registered in the United States
and its possessions before last mid
nights deadline.
All local residents who presented
themselves before midnight were
registered by special force of
clerks, who set a new record of 372
listed on the final day of the four
month period.
About 1850 aliens were registered
here, more than twice the original
estimate. The final staff of clerks
was under supervision of Postmas-
ter Vincent c. Burke. and aliens
were listed and finger printed al
most as fast as they applied.
Asks for Tolerance.
Meanwhile, Earl G. Harrison.
alien registration director, today
asked Americans to show consid-
Grafton to non-citizens pending
completion of the second phase of
the registration-the checking and
filing of forms and the mailing of
receipt cards.
Mr.. Harrison said considerable
concern has developed that aliens
may be harassed for proof that they
have registered before they receive
their credentials. Some aliens.
through no fault of their own. NAV
not receive these for several months.
To date only about one-third of
those registered have received their
receipts. so great has been the task
OF classifying. In addition, Mr..
Harrison said, aliens are not re-
quired to carry receipts with them.
Swamped With Forms.
The registration division has been
so swamped with forms that it prob
ably will take weeks to complete an
index, Mr. Harrison said. Nearly
a million more aliens have been
registered than had been antici-
pated.
A last-minute rush was reported
from all parts of the country and
the territorial possessions. The
scene at the City Post Office was
typical, it was said, of scores of
others in metropolitan areas.
Latest figures available placed the
total registration in continental
United States at 4,433, 900. 1t prob
ably will be two weeks before all
the registration blanks from the
United States are received at head
quarters here.
$4,000 in Hawaii.
Preliminary returns indicate that
some $4,000 aliens have registered
IN Hawaii, and more than a thou
sand in Puerto Rico.
All aliens in Puerto Rico were
subject to the law, along with resi-
dents born there prior to March 2,
1917, who had not renounced their
allegiance to Spain.
Returns from snowbound Alaska
have been slow, with only about 200
received 10 GATE.
"A lot of aliens" said a spokesman
for the registration service, ARE dis
turbed by a mental picture of a
Federal agent knocking on their
door to demand registration re-
ceipt on the day after the lists
closed.
This, of course, is entirely incor-
rect. The aliens will be given a
reasonable time to obtain their
identification papers.
Late Registration Possible.
Mr.. Harrison said postal officials
have been told to accept registrations
after the deadline when accom-
panied with an explanation by the
alien of his failure to appear on
time.
This means, however, only that the
explanation will be given full con-
sideration, and not that Washington
headquarters will waive penalties
For example, he said lenient treat
ment might be expected when regis
tration facilities we're closed early,
as in case reported from Baton
Rouge, La.