Evening star., 1941-03-16
By i. A. FOX,


Declaring the machinery for de-
porting undesirable aliens rapidly
is breaking down under the stress Of
world conditions, Attorney General
Jackson called last night for legis-
lation providing new controls to deal
with this problem.
For criminal classes of deportees
the Attorney General recommended
confinement pending departure. For
those persons whose deportability
rests on technical bases, he said
parole procedure under such super
vision as might be conducive to pub
lie safety" is desirable.
At the same time, Mr.. Jackson
urged that Congress state Spe-
cifically if membership in the Com
munist party, Nazi bund or similar
groups constitutes grounds for de-
pertation, explaining that conflict
ing court decisions complicate the
task OF the department in proving,
in each case where the issue arises,
that these organizations advocate
overthrow of the Government by
force, and that aliens within their
ranks may for that reason be ex-
PEELED from the country.
Views Given Summers.
The Attorney Generals views we're
outlined to Chairman Summers of
the House judiciary Committee in a
letter in which he reported that the
ite k,1 lr
6249 aliens, including 852 criminals,
for whom deportation warrants have
been issued but cannot be executed,
either because their countries refuse
to receive them, or by reason of
transportation difficulties.
81 can think of no policy more
likely to spread disrespect for law
enforcement than that of conduct
ing deportation proceedings against
a large number of aliens. only to
have 1t discovered that the deci-
sion cannot be executed" Mr.. Jack
son said. Such procedure arouses
both the hatred and the contempt
of the alien and is we'll calculated to
build up in our midst a group of
desperate and dangerous men. In
addition to this, it does not seem
warranted to spend money and ef-
fort in investigation and depcrta-
ton hearings If in the end the de-
portation order is to be frustrated
by transportation failures or by the
refusal to receive the deportee into
the country of his origin" At pres
ent prospective deportees are freed
when they cannot be sent out of
the country.
Mr.. Jackson's communication was
IN response to request from Chair
man Summers for an expression on
the pending Hobbs bill, providing
for internment of certain criminal
classes of aliens who cannot be de-
ported, and vesting the power Of
deciding these cases in the Attorney
General. Saying that he favored a
substitute measure, or amendments
to the legislation under considera-
ton, Mr.. jackson amplified:
I'm considering a substitute for
deportation it must be borne in
mind that deportees are not a sin
gle class to be treated by rule of
thumb. Some provision must be
made for adapting the treatment to
their circumstances and character
and any deprivation of liberty must
be based on findings as to the in
dividual case, after hearing which
will afford the deportees due process
Of law.
Independent Board Urged.
"It Is my belief that this function
should be vested in an Independent
board Of dignity and standing,
which would arrive at classifications
of deportable persons based on their
fitness to be at large in our society
under present conditions, after
hearings which the courts would ac-
cept as protective of individual
rights"
A tabulation covering 3,947 po-
tential deportees whose countries
refuse to readmit them, which went
forward with the letter, shows that
Russia leads with 1854, followed in
order by Canada, 438; Poland, 800;
Hungary. IA; Germany, 1876, Ru-
mania, 1875; Italy, lit, and England
los. The remainder are nationals
Of nearly 100 other countries.
The principal obstacle encountered
In this respect, it was said at the
department, arises when countries
contend they have no proof of
the nationality of the deportee; legal
barriers are another source Of
trouble. Canad, for instance, will
take back native-born citizen, but
not a naturalized citizen, although
there Is some relaxation of this re-
striction now as it applies to persons
born in other parts of the British
Empire. Sweden renounces nationals
who have been away 10 years; Hol-