The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-12-08


1890 p,a1,. not to be caught
at It. anyway.
Federal regulations apply to all
aliens alike. Enforcement Of 'em,
though, under Attorney General
Francis Biddle's supervision. isn't
anything like as intensive against
the democratic kind as II Is against
the totalitarian variety.
Russians are In good standing,
thanks to Herr Hitler's attack on
their home land. which put 'em
into the democratic classification.
Representative Martin Dies. con-
gressional investigator Of I'M
American activities In our midst,
continues. to be sure, to inveigh
against Communist propagandists.
For the most part, however, this
especial brand Of fellow travellers"
aren't Russian aliens. but Ameri-
can-born disciples Of the creed.
Harry Bridges isn't, it's true. He's
IN Australian, but he's not q Rus
sian, and furthermore he says he
isn't Q Communist, though that's
the ground that the justice depart
ment has been trying to deport
him on.
Biddle Tightens Up
Anyway Biddle's ordered .
Tightening up Of all rules for get
ting into and out Of the United
States, and port ofiicials and the
justice departments detective serv-
ice, under FBI Director J. Edgar
Hoover. are applying the screws
for all they're worth.
It's perfectly normal, since we
adopted our existing immigration
restrictions, for an alien to be
searched with q hne-toothed comb
IN his arrival at Ellis Island or
some such place. but now he not
only has to furnish lot of expla-
nations to get In; he also mas to
furnish q lot Of 'em to get out.
And while here, he's like q visitor
In an aquarium. FBInvestigators
peek at him constantly through
the glass. and at the nrst question
able wiggie Of q I'm, out he's fished
Nah agents in the country
doubtless are something Of q gen.
uine pest. a. German, II he speaks
good United States, isn't readily
identifable as a foreigner, and can
snoop around. finding out plenty of
things it's preferable for him not
TO ascertain In times like these.
A Jap. though, is pretty easy to
spot. I wouldn't think he'd be
much Of problem for the FBI.
Yet it's to be considered that Q
Jap isn't readily distinguishable
from a Chinaman. And we and
the Chinese are allies, almost. A
Jap. calling himself an Asiatic
mainlander, might fool us II we
didn't overhaul him thoroughly.
In the eastern u. s. A., where
Orientals are scarce, they can be
kept track of. It's different on the
Pacific coast, and In Hawaii and
the Philippines. It's understandable
that watchfulness Is necessary.
Honolulu and Manila are the ports
that Attorney General Biddle has
his eye on. in connection with the
Japanese menace.
These are funny times, I'll say.
Passports backward"
When / hrst went to England,
long before World War No. start
ed. I got of my boat as informally
as I get of my bus. going from
Washington to my home in nearby
Alexandria, Va. A bit later, plan
ming a trip from London to Turkey,
I inquired to our London embassy
II I needed a passport. Answered
First Secretary william Phillips
subsequently our ambassador In
various European capitals), you
do. In the whole world there are
only two countries so backward as
to demand passports. Turkeys
one. Russia's the other" But I
got my passport with no trouble
whatever, and only barely showed
It on my arrival at the then II
tan's frontier. On leaving Homo
lulu 70. Japan. also in pre-No. I
World war days. asked at the ],
consulate, do ! need a passport"
Certainly not" replied the consul.
You don't think we're such back
numbers as to cali for passports.
do your"
But on my second visit to Eng
land. earlv In World War No 1.