Evening star., 1950-05-18
Jackson S Order Bars.
Knauff Deportation
Until High Court Acts
BY fhe Asseeioted Press

BY the Asseeieted Press
An order from q Supreme Court
Justice halted the deportation of
a German-born war bride yester-
day just 20 minutes before her
plane left for Europe.
Signed by Justice Jackson, the
order allows Mrs. Ellen Knauff to
remain in this country pending
the outcome Of an appeal to the
high court. She was given until
May IS to file such an appeal.
Justice jackson followed up his
order with bluntly worded state
ment criticizing immigration and
Justice Department officials for
"bundling this woman onto an air.
plane to get her out of this country
within hours" after the Circuit
Court Of Appeals had granted
clearance to the deportation move.
Such haste, Justice Jackson said,
"leaves no doubt that the purpose
is to defeat the jurisdiction of this
court as well as the determination
OF Congress"
House Approves Entry.
The House unanimously ap-
proved a bill last month to allow
Mrs. Knauff to enter the United
States. This measure is now pend
ing before the Senate.
Mrs. Knauff, IS, has been held
on Ellis Island since 1948. She
testified before q congressional
committee last month that she
believed the expulsion order was
instigated by former girl friend
of her husband Kurt. He was a
civilian employe of the United
States military government in
Germany.
Justice Jackson took pointed
notice of the Justice Departments
refusal to make public its reasons
for barring Mrs. Knauff other
than its report that "she would
be a hazard to internal security"
He said he would have refused
to sign the delay order if the de-
partment "had at any time shown
even probable grounds to believe
that presence of this woman a few
days more in this country might
1eopardize national security, even
infinitesimally."
He added that neither Mrs.
Knauff. the courts nor Congress
had been able to learn what the
specific charges against her are"
Justice Jackson was one of the
dissenters last January when the
court ruled, 4 to 3. that the Attor-
ney General had the right to ex-
clude Mrs. Knauff and that his
word is final in such cases.
The majority said the War
Brides Act eased immigration re-
quirements for some aliens, but
only if they were otherwise ad-
mlsslble" under the law. Mrs.
Knauff. the majority said, failed
to meet the test of security.
Justice Jackson protested then
against the abrupt and brutal ex-
clusion of the wife of an American
citizen without hearing" He
said any menace to the Nations
security in this case "iS as nothing
TO the menace to free institutions
inherent in procedures of this
character"
Intelligence Reports Cited.
Asked why the Government
wants to deport Mrs. Knauff and
why she has not been infoFmed
OF the reasons, United States At
torney Irving H. Saypol told q
reporter in New York: /
"Our knowledge of the facts in
this case is based on reports of
investigation not only of the Army
Intelligence Division but also of
the FBI.
From these the Attorney Cen
eral made his decision that Mrs.
Knauff should not be admitted.
To disclose to her the reason for
her exclusion would be inimicable
to internal security"
The House Judiciary Committee,
which initiated the move to grant
Mrs. Knauff residence in this
country. sent note of rebuke to
Attorney General McGrath.
Chairman Celler wrote Mr..
McGrath that if the woman is
expelled before the Senate acts on
the measure his committee would
consider such a step "contemptu-
Gus of the House of Representa-
tives."
Mrs. Knauff was taken back to
Ellis Island pending the outcome
of her appeal to the high co,1rt