of a similar nature were brought to the attention of the bureau. When immigration flows back to normal, as it seems likely to do within the next few months, the number of the appeals and the nature of the detentions are likely to be such as to justify the detail of such an assistant to the Commissioner General, if the policy is approved. In addition to the accommodation to the alien (among such cases are many business men, prospective students, children, and other persons whose detention is likely to cause unfavorable comment in the press), such a procedure would effect very substantial economies. An appeal would go directly from the alien to such representative of the bureau or department; there would be a great reduction in clerical work and in telegraphic and telephonic charges, as well as in the cost of maintaining aliens and the station.

In addition to such cases as have been enumerated there are many cases of excluded aliens in which some one should be authorized to assume the responsibility of an emergency decision. There are cases of mandatory exclusion in which deportation should be delayed; there are legitimate humane appeals on the part of families and attorneys which should be heard; there are many deportees who desire information or assistance which this office is powerless to render. In other words, the instinct of this station is to act in a purely administrative capacity, whereas the humane problem involved in this work requires constant correspondence and personal representations, which within certain limitations could be performed with great advantage to the service, with great reduction of irritation to the public, and with great consideration for the alien by a representative of the department detailed to this station.

In conclusion, attention is again directed to the continued improvement which has come to the administration at this station through the new method of handling the feeding concession on a cost-plus basis. This system was inaugurated three years ago. The first year the contractor's profit was on a 10-per cent basis; during the next two years it was on the reduced basis of 7 per cent; while the contract recently entered into with the new concessionaires was on a basis ranging from 4 per cent to 5 per cent, according to the volume of business done. The controversies and difficulties of the old system have been eliminated, and for 3 years this, one of the most complicated problems of administration at this station, has been free from serious criticism.

CHINESE INSPECTOR IN CHARGE, DISTRICT NO. 3, COMPRISING NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY.

APPLICATIONS.

Seventy-five Chinese applied for admission at this port, 73 of whom were admitted upon primary inspection, the other 2 being rejected and deported. As has been set forth in previous reports, the Chinese immigration at this port is limited, consisting almost entirely of members of the exempt class arriving from Europe and the West Indies. Fifty-seven of those admitted were of this class, while 11 were officials.

TRANSITS.

Five hundred and four Chinese applied for and received the privilege of transit through the United States to other countries, and the departure of 253 to whom this privilege was granted at other ports was verified.

DEPORTATIONS (EXPULSIONS).

Six Chinese were arrested on departmental warrants, which, with the 4 cases pending from the previous year, made a total of 10 cases considered. The charge in all cases was entry without inspection. Of the total, 7 were deported, 2 forfeited bail, and 1 case is pending.

Five of those arrested during the year were seamen who had abandoned their calling, and the other case was that of an alleged merchant who was attempting to secure the admission of a minor son. The investigation in this case developed that his original admission had been obtained by the use of a section 6 certificate issued to him under an assumed name; and, furthermore, that he had not followed the occupation of merchant in this country.

SEAMEN.

This office is unable to furnish the information previously embodied in our annual reports relative to the number of Chinese seamen arriving at this port, the reason being that when the passport regulations became effective in September, 1918, the handling

of all seamen was taken over by the commissioner of immigration at Ellis Island, as it was thought advisable to have all the cards together, and also because this office was overtaxed with the passport work. However, it is known that a large number of Chinese seamen are taking advantage of the opportunity to desert which is afforded through the privilege of shore leave granted under the present regulations, as is evidenced in one instance by the arrest in Philadelphia on departmental warrants of over 200 Chinese seamen found employed as laborers in a manufacturing plant. Before final action was taken by the department these Chinese were given an opportunity to reship foreign, with the result that arrangements were made by this office whereby ships were found for practically all of them, the others being later returned to China by the British Government.

This office has made arrangements to resume the work of handling Chinese seamen during the coming year, and it is hoped that sufficient data will be secured to show the necessity for changing the regulations regarding shore leave.

STOWAWAYS. "

Only one Chinese stowaway arrived at this port. He claimed to have boarded the vessel at San Antonio, Jamaica, but as is usual in these cases refused to make any statement implicating those responsible for his presence on the vessel. Undoubtedly he was assisted in this attempt to secure surreptitious entry, and it is believed that his silence is a part of his understanding with the smugglers. He was subsequently rejected and deported to Jamaica.

CHINESE ARRESTED BEFORE UNITED STATES COMMISSIONERS AND COURTS.

Nineteen Chinese were arrested upon the charge of being unlawfully within the United States, which, with the 9 cases pending from previous years, made a total of 28 cases. Thirteen were discharged, 5 deported, 5 are awaiting deportation, and 5 cases are pending.

The five cases referred to as awaiting deportation are those of Chinese arrested in Buffalo a number of years ago, where the defendants were released upon a nominal bail in order that they might appear as witnesses against those implicated in smuggling them into the country. They have never been surrendered for deportation, and the United States attorney has been requested upon numerous occasions to take action looking to the final closing of the cases.

The reason for the comparatively small number of arrests is that this office has become satisfied of the uselessness of attempting to secure the deportation of Chinese through the courts. The matter of having their status adjudicated as American citizens by United States Commissoners is so easily accomplished, by simply standing mute when arrested and having a witness presented before the court who testifies as to their birth in the United States, that this office is convinced that many Chinese invite arrest by having anonymous letters sent here advising of their whereabouts, etc. In one case where an order of deportation was entered, the defendant presented in support of his claim of lawful residence a section 6 certificate showing his admission to the United States as a student, no other evidence being offered, and the Government showed that during at least the latter portion of his residence here he had been engaged as a laborer. This case is now pending before the District Court, and its decision is awaited with interest, for the reason that if the court sustains the appeal it will be holding in effect that the decision of the immigration officials at the time of entry is res judicata, unless the Government can show that fraud was practiced in securing admission.

WRITS OF HABEAS CORPUS.

For the first time in several years, no writs of habeas corpus were sued out. However, two which were pending before the Circuit Court of Appeals at the close of last year were dismissed. In the case of Low Yee Ling and Lee Quan, who were arrested under the provisions of section 19 of the immigration act of February 5, 1917, the application for the writ was based upon the ground that the defendants should be returned to Canada, the country whence they came, rather than to China, as provided by the departmental warrant. The court, in dismissing the writ, held that the petitioners were properly deportable to China, and the case is referred to for the reason that it is believed that this is the first case in which the validity of section 19 was passed upon.

PREINVESTIGATIONS.

Forty-two applications for return certificates were filed by Chinese desiring to return through this port, all of which received favorable consideration, as follows: Students, 34; nåtives, 6; exempts, 2.

Practically all of those included under the caption "Students" were secretaries of the Young Men's Christian Association proceeding to France under contracts for one year, to work among the Chinese imported by that country for war work.

One hundred and thirty-three preinvestigations were conducted by this office in the cases of Chinese departing through other ports, as follows: Exempts, 70; natives, 40; laborers, 23.

MISCELLANEOUS INVESTIGATIONS,

One hundred and twenty-three miscellaneous cases were referred to this office for investigation, covering Chinese applying for admission to the United States.

FINANCIAL AFFAIRS.

Of the $3,000 allotted for the expenses of this district $2,754.21 was expended.

PASSPORT-PERMIT WORK.

In addition to the usual work conducted by this office, it was called upon in September last to assist in the enforcement of the provisions of the presidential proclamation of August 8, 1918, governing foreign travel. The number of applicants for permits was so great and the detail work in connection with the issuance of the permits so heavy that it was necessary to press into the service a number of regular employees, and consequently our activities in Chinese work were restricted to the performance of such work only as demanded immediate attention.

The space occupied by this office being inadequate for the passport work, two additional rooms adjoining the suite were rented, and later on another room, located on the second floor of the building, was obtained. However, these rooms did not provide sufficient space to accommodate the aliens, who formed in lines through the halls and crowded the elevators in the building. It therefore became imperative that more commodious quarters be secured, and so, after considerable searching for a suitable location, arrangements were made with the municipal authorities for the renting of four rooms in an unused police station at No. 156 Greenwich Street. Necessary furniture and office equipment were obtained from Ellis Island and in a few instances by purchase. In the meantime the force had been increased by transfers and temporary appointments until it numbered 21 employees, including six permit agents, and the work was carried on at the new location from February 1 until the close of the fiscal year, under conditions much more favorable than previously.

In addition to the difficulties already pointed out, the officers were handicapped at the outset, owing to the work being undertaken on such short notice, by lack of time to familiarize themselves with the regulations and devise a comprehensive system of handling the cases and keeping the records. This situation was soon remedied, however, and the routine part of the work settled upon. During the time that all applications were referred to the State Department for decision, a large part of the time of all the employees was consumed in advising aliens of the requirements, informing those who had filed applications as to whether or not permits had been granted them, and in writing letters and telegrams to the State Department forwarding requests of the applicants that decision be expedited. Much of this work was eliminated by the regulations of December 16, 1918, providing that permits could be granted by permit agents without reference to the State Department, in the cases of aliens of cobelligerant nations, upon clearance of the Department of Justice or the British military control office. Under these regulations permits were issued in a majority of the cases within five days after the applications were filed, but because of the great number of applicants the work did not materially decrease until the promulgation of the regulations of May 17, 1919, providing for the issuance of permits on oral application to aliens of cobelligerent and neutral nations.

Under date of December 14, 1918, the State Department directed that this office should thereafter act as designated permit agent in all cases filed at places other than New York in which the applicants signified their desire to secure the permits in this city rather than from the permit agents receiving their applications. Prior to this time a great deal of confusion had been caused in these cases through the fact that some were forwarded to the Barge Office and some to this office. In all, 828 cases which arose at other offices were handled here, in 532 of which permits were issued by this office.

Permit agents from this office were transferred for the month of June to carry on the work at Scranton, Pa., and New Haven, Conn., and one was detailed to Newark, N. J., two days each week during that period. This was necessary because the officers of

the Department of Justice who had been conducting the business at these places had on June 1 been relieved of their duties as permit agents.

A total of 31,388 cases were handled by this office, 28,734 permits to depart having been granted, 383 refused, 821 citizens' identification cards issued, 60 applications for permit were withdrawn or canceled, 308 permits which had been granted were not called for, and 151 cases were pending at the close of the year. In addition, this office received 228 applications in cases in which other offices were the designated permit agents, and 703 transient aliens were examined and their passports properly indorsed This record is a convincing proof of the ability and resourcefulness of the officers assigned to the work. Confronted at the outset with a situation for which they were unprepared, and laboring for the most part under adverse conditions, they nevertheless acquitted themselves in a highly creditable manner; and it was through their cooperation and loyalty to the interests of the service that such excellent results were accomplished.

PERSONNEL.

On August 1 the inspector in charge was designated as special representative of the bureau in the field, personally to supervise the enforcement of the Chinese-exclusion law, and consequently he has been absent from his official station a great part of the time. During these periods Inspector Albert B. Wiley was assigned as acting inspector in charge of the Chinese work and Inspector Frank S. Pierce was detailed in a similar capacity for the passport-permit work. To these officers in large measure is due the credit for the excellent results obtained. However, it is but fair to state that they have received the most able and loyal support in the handling of their arduous and oftentimes perplexing duties, not only from the regular employees but also from those temporarily assigned to this office.

COMMISSIONER OF IMMIGRATION AT BOSTON, IN CHARGE OF DISTRICT NO. 2, COMPRISING THE NEW ENGLAND STATES.

The fiscal year 1918 was marked by a steadily ebbing tide of immigration. The year 1919 witnessed the withdrawal of the few remaining passenger liners to meet the insatiable demands for shipping incidental to the prosecution of the Great War. And while the subports of Portland and Gloucester show material gains over the results of the previous year, the record for the district as a whole shows a decline in arrivals of more than 50 per cent. Other branches of the immigration business, however, show an increase of transactions and a total of accomplishment surpassing all previous records. The assignment of a part of our force to take charge of the Passport-Permit Division of the State Department left us with an insufficient number of employees to properly administer the immigration laws in this district.

APPLICATIONS.

The record of alien arrivals for the year 1918 (1,857) was slightly less than one-third of those of the previous year. Similarly, the figures of the year just ended represent a total immigration about one-third that of the year 1918.

DEPORTATIONS (EXPULSIONS).

Inability to make deportations by reason of war conditions had a depressing effect upon the municipal and State authorities, who saw little practical advantage in bringing possible deportation cases to the attention of this office. For this and other reasons, also due to the war, the number of warrants issued during the year in this district (319) represents a reduction of 50 per cent as compared with the previous year. The difference, however, is not as great as the figures indicate, since a considerable number of the warrants issued in 1918 were simply reissues of warrants originally written under the old and revived under the new law.

ANARCHISTS.

By the passage of the act of October 16, 1918, the statute of limitations has been removed and the old law has been strengthened so far as it affected this particular class.

The cessation of the war and the return to peace conditions has been signalized by a great increase in the activities of the radical element. The experience of those who

have investigated this class of aliens leads to the conclusion that there are hundreds of cases which the existing laws will not reach. Possibly the law can be amended in some way by adding to the classes subject to expulsion aliens who in the opinion of the Secretary are found to be teaching or advocating extreme radicalism or a radicalism inimical to the institutions of the American Government.

Immigration officers have been greatly handicapped by inability to effect the deportation of anarchists and other aliens, especially those of the Russian race, on account of war-time conditions. The situation, however, is rapidly improving and it is hoped that with the return of the remainder of the overseas forces the lanes of ocean travel will again be open for deportation cases.

There are at present 11'anarchist cases pending, all with one exception having been instituted prior to the commencement of the last fiscal year.

SEAMEN.

During the year 26,115 seamen from foreign ports were examined at Boston; 10,477 at Portland, Me.; 1,225 at Gloucester, Mass.; 680 at Providence, R. I.; and 85 at New Bedford, Mass. Nineteen thousand five hundred seamen's identification cards were issued at Boston; 8,966 at Portland, Me.; 1,441 at Gloucester, Mass.; 521 at Providence, R. I.; and 39 at New Bedford, Mass. Three hundred and eighty-eight deserting seamen were reported to this office, 39 of whom were Chinese.

One hundred and sixty-six seamen in this district were certified as being afflicted with a loathsome or dangerous contagious disease, of whom 154 were removed from vessels for hospital treatment. Under special authority of the bureau 33 diseased seamen were permitted to return to their vessels before sailing.

STOWAWAYS.

Twenty-one stowaways arrived during the year, 15 of whom were deported and 6 admitted.

ESCAPES.

Only three escapes of alien passengers occurred in this district during the year. Two were stowaways, one escaping from a vessel and the other from a hospital where he had been sent for treatment.

FINANCIAL AFFAIRS.

The amount allotted for this district was $37.000, while the disbursements totaled $44.448.74, the largest single item for the port of Boston, $18.581.96, being for "Deportation and maintenance of aliens." Perhaps a word of explanation is desirable. Of the amount named, $3.000 was expended on account of the detention and care by the State of Massachusetts, under the terms of a contract entered into with the Federal Government, of four excluded insane aliens awaiting deportation. Two of these aliens were excluded during the fiscal year 1917, and the total cost of care for the the four aliens to June 30, 1919, exceeds $6,000. While all are natives of continental Europe it is hoped to dispose of their cases during the next few months.

Again, the case of the alien Isabella Chafe and child has cost the Government for detention expenses the sum of $1,082, to which, of course, must be added the cost of deportation to her former home in Newfoundland. Of this total expense only $700 was incurred during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1919, the balance being chargeable to the previous year. This alien was arrested under department warrant and detained at the Boston Immigration Station. She was the mother of four children, two of whom were born in Newfoundland and two (illegitimate) born after her arrival in the United States. Deportation in this case was greatly delayed by the attitude of the Newfoundland government which has adopted the policy of refusing to accept American-born children of its citizens that are conceived in the United States.

The fines imposed because of violation of section 9 of the act of February 5, 1917, amount to a total of $2,225, as against $8,980 for the preceding year.

In connection with the refund of passage money to aliens who have become subjects for fines, attention is invited to the difficulty of locating such aliens after they leave the United States. Although great care has been exercised in securing proper foreign addresses the office of the local collector of customs reports that practically 90 per cent of this passage money can not be refunded for the reason that the aliens are unknown at the addresses which they have given. Owing to the period which usually elapses-60 days-before a fine is imposed, it is obvious that in normal times the alien ordinarily will have been deported before the fine is assessed. It is suggested, there