Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-08
Bill to Deport Bridges

THE immigration committee Of the lower House of
Congress has reported bill which if given the force
Of law would require the summary deportation of Harry
Bridges to Australia.
This is virtually the which was passed
in the House of Representatives during the last session OF
Congress by the preponderan majority of $50 to AZ
The measure never came to vote in the Senate, so
it is impossible say what the result would have been IN
that body But the obvious reluctance of the senator's
who opposed the bill TO let il to vote attests the
probability that ii would have passedperhaps as over
whelmngly 1t passed the House.
At any rate the House of Representatives seems
determined confront the Senate with the issue this
session. determination widely approved by majority OF
the American people
1t is to be hoped the Senate will JOIN with the House
this time and order the deportation of Bridges as the
American people desire.
At least it is to be hoped the Senate will have the
courage to VOTE on the measure.
THE case against the alien Bridges has gained rather
than lost strength since the matter was last con-
sidered in Congress.
1t Will be recalled that the deportation bill which
the House passed deesive Judged Bridges to be an
alien "wh presence in this country Congress deems
hurtfu."
influencing the House to this decision the
assertion by Representative Starnes of Alabama that:
Bridges has done to destroy the peace and
security in certain sections than any other individual and
destroy the merchant marine than the entire
ConfederacY did in the Civil War
Since that decision the House. exhaustive investi-
cation of the activities of Bridges has been made by the
Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the result that
Director ]. Edgar Hoover has made report to the
attorney general which, Congress has been informed
confirms that Bridges is Communist
WITHIN the last few days, Rear Admiral Emory S.
w Land chairman of the United States Maritime Com
mission testified before the House appropriations COM
mittee that he believed Bridges to be Communist.
1t should be sufficient grounds for deportation that
an alien is Communist The purposes and obJecuves OF
the Communist Party too well known, too well
authenticated and too frankly admitted by many Com
munists themselves for argument These purposes and
detectives embrace and enYison the overthrow OF the
American form and institutions of government by violent
However if American law is sadly deficient in
safeguards for our form of government that alien Com
munss not deportabe that ground alone the case
against Bridges is still sound
He is still an UNDESIRABLE alien according to the
amazing majority of $50 to AZ in the House of Repre-
sentatves
A RE not undesirable aliens DEPORTABLE?
"A If he is still whose presence IN this
country Congress deems HURTFUL" should his objection
able presence and activity be longer tolerated?
The House of Representatives is under great and
mysterious pressure further delay the issue OF Bridges
deportation Let it have the courage to MAINTAIN the
courageous and patriotic stand took on that issue last
YEAR Perhaps the Senate will have acquired sufficient
in the meantime take the stand or at the
very least to let the country know how it stands.