Evening star., 1941-05-07
German Sailors
Rounded Up on
jackson S Order
Official Says 5000
DeportobIe Aliens
Are Free in u. S.

More than 100 German seamen
were taken into custody In New
York today as Attorney General
Jackson ordered the roundup of
l6O Nazi sailors for questioning.
Squads of detectives and immi-
grafton inspectors. armed with war
rants charging the sailors with
overstaying their leave in the United
States. entered hotel rooms, fur
nished rooms and taverns at am,
the Associated Press reported from
New York, TO arrest the Seamen.
The Attorney General. in an ad-
dress delivered before the annual
meeting of the American Judicature
Society at the MayfloWer Hotel,
disclosed that there were 5000 de-
portable aliens who are still free"
in the United States.
Orders Cover Six Cities.
The Justice Department said Of
fcers had been directed to round
up the seamen, who were supposed
to be in New York, Miami, San
Francisco. Philadelphia, Baltimore
and Kansas City under an agree
ment permitting their freedom after
deportation orders were completed
but could not be executed for lack
of machinery.
The department also said that
125 Italian seamen were taken from
Ellis Island last night to Fort Mis-
soula, Mont, to be held in an Army
camp taken over there for deten-
ton of aliens 1t is planned eventu-
ally to put all the interned Italians
at the fort. The men were men,
bers of the crew of the Conte Bian-
camano, taken into protective Gus.
tody in the Panama Canal Zone.
The seamen taken in custody in
New York formerly were employed
on Standard Oil Co. tankers. They
were herded into the United States
customs barge Office, with Ellis Is
land their next stop before being
sent West, the Associated Press re-
ported.
Fifth Column Precaution Seen.
Commenting on the roundup in
New York, Byron Uhl. district
director of immigration, said that
''as far as We know these men have
been behaving themselves and have
not been engaging in propaganda or
anything like that"
! When he was asked if he thought
/ the action had anything to do with
! precautions against fifth column
activities by the seamen," he replied:
We'll, I'd be just guessing the
same as you, but I'd say yes"
In Baltimore, immigration officers
began rounding up l6 German sea-
men who have been there since
beginning of the war in September,
1899.
In his speech the Attorney General
warned that under modern meth.
DDS Of warfare the most critical pc
riod for nation under attack is the
/ period preceding the actual employ
ment of military force"
Nazi Secret Weapon.
"The secret weapon of the Nazis
has been the failure of nation after
nation TO recognize and deal with
this non-military INVASION Mr..
jackson said. Our statute law has
in many respects failed to take into
account this non-military period OF
attack"
The 160 German seamen were on
tankers of the Standard Oil Co. of
| New Jersey when they were trans
! ferred to Panamanlan registry, a
Justice Department official said.
They were removed from the crews
and the company agreed to provide
upkeep for them, who were to main
! tain fixed residence. notify of any
change of address and follow other
regulations, as there was no way to
deport them.
They are now being picked up for
questioning at the direction of the
Attorney General" the official said.
They will probably be held in Gus
tOdy for some time. Their final
disposition has not been decided
upon yet"
Responsibilities Cited.
In his address Mr.. Jackson de-
clared that in the presence OF
threats to our national prestige and
integrity our people will demand in
creased emphasis on the rights OF
the commonwealth"
When public pressure develops for
priority of the security of the state
over the liberty of the individual" :"
it is a delicate task to keep public
confidence and at the same time
steer a course that will be approved
by the sober second thought of the
Nation" he said.
The Department of Justice. he
asserted, is laboring under dual re-
sponsibilities: To protect the peace
and dignity of the commonwealth,
and ito protect and respect the
rights of individuals to do many of
the very things that may be steps
in the process of undermining the
stability of the commonwealth"
Lawyers Help Urged.
Urging the legal profession to help
in putting our legal defenses in
order" Mr.. Jackson declared "it
is of utmost importance that our
laws be made as effective as posi-
BILE within constitutional and proper