The Wilmington morning star., 1946-08-01
Fair Enough
BY WESTBROOK PEGLER
Copyright, 1916 BY King Features Syndicate,
IncOrporated)

NEW Io4tIA, cOAy, u AHS
Murray Carson at one time had full charge
of the Investigation of emigration frauds
with power to shake down aliens, including
moving picture actors from other countries,
and blackmail Hollywood producers, directs at
tention 20 the opportunity for e~xtortion and dis
elimination in the selection of immigrants and
visitors now and in the last 10 years
During the war, the State Department and
the House Committee on Foreign Affairs con-
spired to keep secret the number of refugees
who had been permitted to come here both as
quota immigrants and in the false guise Of
visitors. The practice lately has been to cir
cumvent the law by 4 clever little trick hav-
ing, in the memorable phrase of the late
Franklin D. Roosevelt, the color of legality,
but not the character. If this trick was not in
vented fer the special benefit of the wife of
Earl Browder, who had been ordered deport-
ed to Russia, its application to her problem
was the first notorious instance. She was al
lowed to go to Canada and the consular au-
thorities we're ordered to approve her request
for re-entry as a quota case regardless OF
their objections.
The secrecy gave rise to many rumors as
to 'hordes' OF refugees. A few weeks ago,
the committee released from its confidential
record a statement Of b Breckenridge Long,, a
new dealer and an assistant secretary of state,
made to the committee on Nov. rs, 1943, which
" IlloI o'IiO GASJ
were only conjecture, did not ~exaggerate. Mr..
Long said that 'in the period from 1888 to
1912 a total of over 307, 600 visas of all kinds
were granted to persons coming from enemy
or enemy occupied territory and that SIC, 900
refugees were actually admitted between the
beginning of the Hitler regime" and the date
of his statement.
He said the State Department was bound
more or less" by the law in granting immi-
oropf viSsS and eyp1a1,p6 how thoca who came
on temporary visas cold become permanent
immigrants under the quotas of the countries
they came from. "a humber of them have
gone to Canada. Mexico and Cuba" he said,
And have applied tor re. entry to the United
States"
Mr.. Long had the gall to admit that the
Presidents advisory committee on political
refugees was frankly partial to "intelle ctuals."
That committee he said, was trying to
save particular persons who were worthy to
De saved in the cause of humanity intellec-
tuals that is authors, painters, orators,
statesmen. political leaders and publishers of
newspapers. The committee submitted lists to
the State Department and we tried to help
everybody that was recommended
There is no mention of communists among
these classes of preferred refugees, but the
point need not be labored that these are favo-
rite occupations OF the communists every
where. And, in considering the absolute and
arbitrary powers Of the State Department and
the Department of Justice to judge the fitness
of all applicants, one must bear in mind that
some mysterious final authority also has the
power to blacklist individuals and keep them
out of the Unites States without any ~explana-
ton. Axel Wenner Gren, the Swedish indus
trialist, capitalist, Spectator or promoter, as
the case may be, is a conspicuous example.
He enjoyed a good reputation in The United
States until he was black'isted. Since then he
has been smeared as a fascist and a Nazi by
gutter-snipe propagandists Of the radio and
some newspapers who are regularly used by
some Washington bureaucrats to bring respec-
table persons into dis-reIute by rumors and in
uendo. However,, Wenaer-Gren has never been
charged with anything and thus has had no
chance to answer charges. He seems to have
interests worth many millions in the United
States to which he is Ger.ied access and the
two departments, State and Justice, being
manned by human beings, are in no position
to dismiss as unthinka BILE the possibility that
individuals in authority blacklisted Wenner-
Gren to shake him down OF to help American
opportunitst to pick up his properties at bar
gain prices. He whiled away the war in Mexico
City and recently there has been a report of
an attempt to frame HIM in some escapade
with d woman, not that moral turpitude'
should be fastidiously Interpreted in his case
in view OF the fact thai Charlie Chaplin, a dis
gushing old rake With q nOnStrouS record, is
not molested, even though he has never ap-
piled for citizenship and could be thwarted if
he did by the mere presentation of court pro-
ceedings.
Mr.. Long said there came a time in his
service as the supervisor OF the refugee traffic
when It was necessary TO sift the applicants
to keep cut secret agents OF the Nazi govern
ment posing as victims of its oppression. This
was done to protect the security of the United
States, but again it must be noted that no
precautions are mentioned against the admis-
sion o. communists who, today, in obedience to
the new line" from Moscow must have be-
come active conspira!o-s against the Ameri-
can government. And now, for the first time,
the American citizen paid the expense" of
bringing thousands of thela to Mexico
Mr.. Long touched on the opportunities for
graft by consular agents abroad when he said
that applicants put money into their passports
when they called for v:ras. He did not have
to say that rich individuals and organizations
in the United States ", uld be willing to paw
large amounts to burearc1 ats, such as Muir
ray Carson was, for v.sas for individuals in
whom they might be interested.
Although it was wise to keep secret some
parts Of Mr.. Longs statement, revealing cur
rent ana future plans fol rescue and other
matters that might have helped the Nazis frus-
trate the work, the figures up to that time
were suppressed to deceive the American peo-
pie not the Nazis who doubtless knew within
a few thousand how n any had come here
ond who thew were And todav in 4ho f,oo