STATEMENT OF W. C. T. U. OF PENNSYLVANIA WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION OF PENNSYLVANIA, Hon. ALBERT JOHNSON, House of Representatives: I note that you are chairman of the House Committee on Immigration and Naturalization, in which the alien deportation bill is being considered. This bill provides for the deportation of aliens convicted as violators. Under the administration of Frederick C. Baird, prohibition administrator in the city of Pittsburgh, it has been learned that out of 1,600 arrests made during the first four months of his incumbency, more than 97 per cent of those arrested were found to be foreign born. These undesirable citizens should be taught that if they do not obey our laws they will be sent back to the country from which they came. If we had a law with reference to this, much time and money would be saved. The Government very graciously grants an appropriation for law enforcement. We should not be compelled to spend this money for those of the foreign element. In the name of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union of Pennsylvania, I urge you to give favorable consideration to this bill. Yours very sincerely, ELLA M. GEORGE, President Pennsylvania W. C. T. U. The CHAIRMAN. I offer also one of these many Pennsylvania W. C. T. U. letters which is written as a direct appeal. Hon. ALBERT JOHNSON. APOLLO, PA., January 27, 1926. DEAR MR. JOHNSON: I am writing in behalf of the Armstrong County (Pa.) Woman's Christian Temperance Union, but instead of a formal communication may I not write you a very personal letter? The President and General Andrews are urging local enforcement of prohibition. Have you any idea of how futile it is to arrest these foreign bootleggers and see them gladly pay their fine and go right ahead with their business? We get nowhere by a fine and can see no use in arresting them if we can not put them out of business. The bill to deport those convicted would not only prevent further violations after conviction but would certainly deter other foreigners from violating the prohibitory law for the foreigners do love this land of high wages and easy money. I have no doubt you have many problems before you but this concerns our homes so vitally. In behalf of one thousand women of Armstrong County (Pa.) W. C. T. U. Most respectfully, LAURA A. GUTHRIE, SIGEL, PA., March 3, 1926. To the CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON IMMIGRATION, Washington, D. C. We do humbly beseech of thee to support the Johnson H. R. 344, alien deportation bill. Representing 80 christian working women. Mr. ALBERT JOHNSON, Mrs. J. E. HEPLER TOD AVENUE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: This is to certify that the Sunday school of the Tod Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church in assembly February 28, in numbers about 450, excluding the elementary departments, unanimously adopted by standing vote a motion urging the passage of the Johnson bill, H. R. 344. Yours very truly, L. B. BRADRICK, Pastor. The CHAIRMAN. In the following letter Commissioner Hull suggests that the drug "marihuana" be added to the section dealing with deportation of alien violators of narcotic drug acts. We have no Federal statutes relating to the drug, so it is not likely that the Immigration Committee can act ahead of the committee with jurisdiction to define the drug and provide penalties for its sale. Hon. ALBERT JOHNSON, M. C., Chairman Committee on Immigration. MY DEAR CONGRESSMAN JOHNSON: When the narcotic clauses of the proposed deportation bill were being drafted, did the committee purposely omit any reference to marihuana which belongs to the cannabis indica or Indian hemp family? The use of this plant is quite general among the Mexicans and is reported to be spreading among all classes. It affects the mind and produces insanity to a degree that requires its victims to be confined in strait-jackets. Hashish is a derivative of Indian hemp and, I understand, marihuana produces effects similar to those resulting from the use of hashish. Unless reference to marihuana was purposely omitted from the proposed bill, the committee may wish to accord consideration to the question of incorporating it therein. Very sincerely yours, FEBRUARY 19, 1926. HARRY E. HULL, Commissioner General. SHOULD BE NO TIME LIMIT ON DEPORTATION OF ALIENS WHO SEEK TO SUBVERT Hon. ALBERT JOHNSON, OUR GOVERNMENT House Office Building, Washington, D. C. NEW YORK, April 12, 1926. DEAR MR. JOHNSON: Let me express the hope that no time limit will be placed on the deportation of alien gunmen and members of subversive groups. Do not lose sight of the fact that no limit of time prevents the alien appealing to his consul or the diplomatic representative of the nation from which he comes for protection and redress. Obviously, this being the case, no right can accrue to any alien to remain within foreign territory merely by the lapse of time. In fact, the longer an undesirable alien seeking to subvert our Government remains, the more dangerous he becomes, through a greater familiarity with our ways. I can see no reason why we should tie the hands of our officials in a way which I believe no other power in the world does in respect to the matter of deportation. Abroad, if my recollection is correct, it has been the custom for the police to notify an undesirable alien that he must leave within a specified length of time, or he will be escorted to the border. So far as I can see, no provision of the law permits our Government to deport a spy who fails in some way to come within the clutches of the civil law in time of peace. It seems to me that it would be perfectly reasonable to include a provision that any alien whose presence constitutes a danger to the State, even without an overt act, upon recommendation of a cabinet minister or governor of one of the several States, when approved by the Secretary of State of the United States and indorsed by the Attorney General of the United States, should be deported. With best wishes to you and your colleagues of the Immigration Committee, believe me, Very sincerely yours, JOHN B. TREVOR. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, Hon. ALBERT JOHNSON, Representative from Washington, Washington, D. C. DEAR MR. JOHNSON: The board of education of Schenectady, N. Y., has requested me to inform you that its members favor the passage of the deportation bill, Holaday, H. R. 3774, or Johnson, H. R. 344. We believe the United States should be able to emit undesirable people. We are therefore calling your attention to this bill. Very truly yours, Chairman JOHNSON: C. E. BENNETT, Director of Adult Elementary Education. OGDENSBURG, N. Y., March 30, 1926. I see by the press that the so-called Civic Rights League, and the pro-German, proimmigration, and pro-Socialist sheets are trying to stir up a great big propoganda against your registration and deportation bill. Do not let these antiAmerican leagues or anti-American sheets, edited by aliens or by persons with foreign names scare you out or bulldoze you and your good measure. I see where one gang against your bill claimed that there were 300,000 immigrants sneaking in every year, and asks how were you to get a line on this class? This is one of the best arguments for your bill. If 300,000 sneak in every year, some of them can be traced by not being registered. So, I can not see why this argument is not a boost for your measure, instead of a knock. If your committee had paid any attention to the proimmigrant gang, on your previous immigration bill, there would have been no restrictive immigration act go through Congress in 1924. Our people want registrations and we want more deportations. Very truly yours, G. W. SHERWELL. STATE OF WASHINGTON REQUIRES ALIENS IN ITS INSTITUTIONS TO BE REPORTED TO FEDERAL AUTHORITIES UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, IMMIGRATION SERVICE, Seattle, Wash., February 8, 1926. Hon. ALBERT JOHNSON, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. Owing to provisions of recent legislation passed by legislature this State, all institutions supported wholly or in part by public funds must report aliens confined therein to immigration office in district located for investigation under the immigration law. LUTHER WEEDIN, Commissioner. [Senate bill No. 126, State of Washington, extraordinary session, 1925-By Senators Morris, Houser, Myers, Conyard, Wray, Wilmer] AN ACT Relating to and defining the duties of certain officers with reference to aliens committed for violation of law Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Washington: SECTION 1. Whenever any person shall be committed to the State penitentiary, the State reformatory, the county jail, or any other State or county institution which is supported wholly or in part by public funds, it shall be the duty of the warden, superintendent, sheriff, or other officer in charge of such State or county institution to at once inquire into the nationality of such person, and if it shall appear that such person is an alien, to immediately notify the United States immigration officer in charge of the district in which such penitentiary, reformatory, jail, or other institution is located, of the date of and the reasons for such alien commitment, the length of time for which committed, the country of which he is a citizen, and the date on which and the port at which he last entered the United States. SEC. 2. Upon the official request of the United States immigration officer in charge of the territory or district in which is located any court committing an alien to any State or county institution which is supported wholly or in part by public funds, it shall be the duty of the clerk of such court to furnish without charge a certified copy of the complaint, information, or indictment and the judgment and sentence and any other record pertaining to the case of the convicted alien. REQUESTS OF PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES TO BE HEARD The CHAIRMAN. Throughout the hearings on bills to admit relatives of aliens, as well as throughout this hearing, I have been besieged with requests of representatives of leading patriotic societies, as well as requests of many individuals, to be heard in opposition to the first proposed, and for the pending deportation bill. We should have heard some of these witnesses, but I am sure the committee feels that we can not now spare the time. I think the plan adopted by the committee which authorizes me to insert various statements, clippings, letters, etc., with comment, will give us information and save time. I submit some of the requests: Hon. ALBERT JOHNSON, Chairman Committee on Immigration and Naturalization, In the interest of a sound immigration policy for the United States and for the purpose of maintaining the present Johnson Act the undersigned organizations and individuals desire opportunity to present to you and your committee and to place on record their opposition to any bill, proposal, or resolution which would, if passed, permit increased immigration through enlargement or extension of the nonquota classes. We realize that great demands are made upon your committee's time, in con nection with the much needed deportation bill and other legislation, and do not wish to trespass needlessly; we therefore respectfully request merely that we be granted a hearing with opportunity for preparation and production of witnesses prior to any such proposals being favorably reported. Dated April 9, 1926. AMERICAN DEFENSE SOCIETY, Chairman Executive Committee. D. BRAMAN, President Allied Patriotic Societies (Inc.). Chairman Executive Committee. COMMITTEE ON IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Washington, D. C., April 12, 1926. Hon. ALBERT JOHNSON, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The American Defense Society, the Allied Patriotic Societies, and the Immigration Restriction League advise me that they are asking our committee for a hearing in opposition to any bill, proposal, or resolution which would, if passed, permit increased immigration through enlargement or extension of the nonquota classes. I think that before our committee, the House, or any conference committee takes any action looking to the loosening of immigration restriction in any manner these societies and others opposed to such measure ought to have a hearing. I doubt if they would insist on a hearing in opposition to the bill permitting the veterans and their wives and minor children under 18 to come in, but if it is proposed to go a step further, by means of amendment on the floor of the House, in the Senate, or in conference, these people who are so intensely interested and have done so much to help protect the country ought to be heard on such a proposition. I am sure that the committee would take the same view. Very truly yours, JOHN C. Box. The CHAIRMAN. The following has been placed in my hands to be offered to the committee: RESOLUTION ON IMMIGRATION RESTRICTION BY VARIOUS SOCIETIES (Adopted March 30, 1926) Whereas the organizations whose names are subscribed hereto have consistently advocated the restriction of immigration to the United States, and approves the provisions of the Immigration Act of 1924, known as the Johnson Act; and Whereas one of the basic principles of this act is to limit immigration to fixed quotas on all European countries; and Whereas a number of bills and proposals are now pending in Congress which would, if adopted, utterly break down the immigration act by admitting large classes of immigrants outside of the quotas: Therefore be it Resolved, That the undersigned organizations urge upon both House of Congresss the defeat of the Wadsworth-Perlman bill and all pending bills or joint resolutions which would permit an increased immigration to the United States through the enlargement or extension of the classes of immigrants admitted outside the quotas. State Legislative Committee of Ohio Junior Order United American Mechanics and State Legislative Committee of Ohio, Daughters of America, by John J. Witzel, Chairman; National Council Junior Order of American Mechanics, by John H. Noyes; Lora Haines Cook, President-General, National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution; American Defense Society, by Chas. Stewart Davison, Chairman Executive Committee; Immigration Restriction League (Inc.), George Rittinger, jr., President. The CHAIRMAN. I have been requested to present two of the resolutions of the American Legion, adopted in annual convention at Omaha, in 1925, as follows: STOP SMUGGLING OF ALIENS Whereas the immigration act of 1924 merits the approbation of the people of this country and the loyal support of the American Legion; and Whereas the purpose of the immigration act is being jeopardized by the illegal smuggling of aliens across our borders: Therefore be it Resolved, That the American Legion in seventh annual convention assembled, urge that Congress be petitioned to retain and, if necessary, strengthen the immigration act, and defeat any measure which might tend to weaken the act in this respect; and be it further Resolved, That the President of the United States and Congress be petitioned to take appropriate action to stop the pernicious smuggling of aliens and that necessary diplomatic pressure should be brought to bear upon our neighboring governments to secure their cooperation in this regard. * DEPORTATION OF ALIENS CONVICTED OF FELONY Be it resolved, That the American Legion in seventh annual convention assembled urges Congress to enact legislation which will result in the deportation of aliens convicted of a felony. DRIVE OUT THE RATS The following is an editorial, entitled "Drive out the rats," from a recent edition of the Chicago Tribune: Officials of the Department of Labor place the number of undesirables liable to deportation in this country as between 250,000 and 1,350,000. To deport only the 250,000 would require $5,000,000. The contemplated appropriation by Congress of $1,100,000 to cover deportation is therefore much too small a sum. |