WIN FOR LABOUR

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 1, 2 January 1940, Page 6

WIN FOR LABOUR

♦ DEPORTATION CASE BRIDGES TO STAY; :} METHODS CONSTITUTIONAL (Received January 2, 9 a.m.) WASHINGTON, December 30. * .- 1 The Secretary of Labour, ' Miss " ' Frances Perkins, today announced that \f the evidence in the cases against the ' -„ Australian-bom secretary of the Saa Francisco Longshoremen's Union, Harry Bridges, does not warrant his deportation. - T', Bridges was found innocent of mem- "'- ---bership of the Communist Party and \- of Communist affiliation, which were n. the charges on which the Federal Im- > i ~ migration Service sought to'deport him f to Australia. , , At the special trial the examiner,../Judge Landis, reported to the Secretary _ of Labour that Bridges's aims ara £. "energetically radical, but proof ..fails '\ to establish 1 the methods he seeks to - employ to Realise them, other than v' those that the framework of democratic constitutional government permits." , The report had the effect of recommending cancellation of the deportation order issued against Bridges on May 2, 1938. Judge Landis's report totalled 75,000 words covering 152 printed pages. It should be pointed out that Miss Perkins has the right to reject the Judge* finding and order deportation, but it is considered unlikely. Extraordinary publicity is given to - the finding. The case aroused nation- t wide interest, and the excitement was v accentuated by one newspaper breaking the release date, causing an ..outcry and, forcing Miss Perkins to advance the h time permitting all to publish the re- > port. -- i Bridges commented: "I am happy to learn that Judge Landis has not re- > commended my deportation from the country. I want to live in the United , States as much as those luckily born r « here. I intend to continue to do what- - ever I can to improve the condition of the working class in the United States.* Bridges announced that he is becoming an American citizen. n "I have long desired to become one, he said. "Now the obstacles are cleared > away I will seek naturalisation at th« earliest opportunity." He added that the tremendous significance of the decision overpowered his own feelings al the outcome. "I' was on1 trial, ha\ ,* Labour was defended," he said. Ta the thousands of unionists who aided' me by time and money I can best express my appreciation by saying- It ■" . your victory.*" v