Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-09-29
FAIR ~.
ENOUGH
BY Westbrook
Peg|er

~ Mr.. Roosevelt's resort to the
words "falsehood" and fraud"
in his address to his political
and spiritual kinsmen of the
union racket recalls another
falsehood and fraud which he
perpetuated on the American
people only a few weeks ago.
1t may be remembered that
more than a year back. Mr.
Roosevelt's attorney general,
Francis Biddle, the one who
tiptoed up the back stairs to
pay homage to Sidney Hillman
and the CIO-Communist axis
at the Chicago convention. went
to a committee of Congress to
ask for suspension of the imrni.
grafton restrictions for the
duration of the emergency.
Mr.. Biddle explained that UNI
less this were done we would
have TO pay ourselves head
tax of So on each prisoner OF
war brought here for detention.
and representatives OF our gal
liant Allies would have to 20
through the vexatious process
OF entering the country in the
regular way.
lie assured the COMMITTEES
that Mr.. Roosevelt had no al.
terror motive and certainly
would not abuse the privilege
If IT were granted 10 admit 10
the country large numbers Of
European refugees.
Congress apparently didn't
believe Mr.. Biddle so the re-
quest was turned down.
s TO whether the head tax
IA has been paid on the war
prisoners and the distinguished
visitors We have had no ann
nouncement but probably IT has
not. for they are not that pune
tlllous in Washington except IN
searching the tax returns of
American citizens who have OPP
posed the New Deal.
II II has been paid, however.
II represents only debit on
one set OF books and a credit on
another and n may he assumed
that neither Mr.. Churchill nor
any of our many Russian dig
nliaries who have come here on
was business, has been sent to
Ellis Island or otherwise en-
harrassed by the immigration
officers ON arrival at our ports
Well, time passed and then
recently assuming the authority
which Congress had specifically
refused 10 grant. Mr.. Roosevelt
sent a memorandum 10 the Hill
announcing that he had sus-
pended the immigration laws
anyway.
fII1NG no legal authority. ths
~ President Just informed Con.
greSs that he had decided 10 adj
mir about 1000 refugees who
had been collected in Italy and
was sending them n a dlsused
army camp near Oswego, ~. Y.
He said women and children
would he IN the majority and
gave assurance that after the
war they would be returned TO
their homes.
This was difficult case Most
of us are sorry for refugees,
except the Communists who are
traitors TO every country hut
Russia
They were absolutely respon-
slble for faSclsm IN Italy and
largely 10 blame for the rise Of
Hitler in Germany and the coll
lapse OF the French army and
nation IN 1910.
Communist refugees have M
claim on our sympathy or asy-
lum, but, after all, they do have
children who are not Com.
munlStS yet.
As 10 the women. however,
who were supposed 10 he IN the
ma jorlty II could not be over
looked that among Communists
the female Of the species is as
deadly As the male. In such
cases our compassion might be
exploited TO our own injury.
THERE was no statement ~
L the political activities and
beliefs Of any Of the adults,
however They were lust refu.
gees and that was all we we're
told about them.
For short while after the
refugee party arrived we we're
allowed no information about
them.
But, presently, reporters visited
the camp and then without en-
phaslS on the ratio or reference
10 Mr. RooSevelt'S promise that
women and children would he
in the majority, we learned that
the majority were men and not
horny-handed farmers or la
borers, either. but journalists,
lawyers, artists and other Sc
dentary intellectuals.
This certainly suggested i'm
fluence or pull At the point in
Italy where the selection was
made and preference on the
part of our authorities for
favored types.
So Mr.. Roosevelt's mention n
"1alsehood" and fraud" in.