THE BARRED DOOR

Evening Star, Issue 18394, 1 October 1923, Page 5

THE BARRED DOOR

IMMIGRATION TO AMERICA.

NEW ZEALAND INVESTIGATOR’S

VIEWS.

DISAGREEABLE EXPERIENCES. For years the United States has been looked upon by Europeans and others desirous of adopting America as their future home as the land of opportunity, if not, the land of liberty (writes the San Francisco correspondent of the Auckland ‘ Star ’); but the present immigration laws now in operation every month are increasing the difficulties for entry through America’s barred door. Dispatches to Australia and New Zealand have already thrown some light on the lanic-ntablo disappointments which invariably have faced the wayfarers on their arrival at ports of the United States, hurling them into despair. Furthermore, these intended settlers, who all the the American newspapers freely admit are the most desirable newcomers to the domain of Undo Sara, have been compelled to undergo experiences of the most disagreeable character on the immigration islands at either Now York or San Francisco.

It was only a few days ago that Sir Auckland Gcddos, the British Aruban sador to the United States, filed a moat important report with the British Parliament, in which he portrayed the evils of Ellis Island in the port of New York, showing that conditions there wore most deplorable, but incidentally attributed some of those conditions to the low class of Immigrant now swamping the immigration stations of Now York, and stated that these undesirable persons only made conditions worse for the bettor class of prospective settler, who was compelled to associate with unclean people of uncertain habits. Strongly worded as the Ambassador’s indictment was, no person in tho United States has denied the truth of tho exposure, and, in fact, the Secretary of Labor, Mr James Davis, has backed up the statements of Sir Auckland Geddea. Conditions at Angel Island, the clearing house for the San Francisco immigration centre, also are not what they might be, and Miss Nellie Scanlan, a Now Zealander, who has recently passed through San Francisco on a world tour, availed hersclf_ of the opportunity of making personal investigations into the plight that recent arrivals from Australia and New Zealand had found " welcome ” them on reaching San Francisco, where they had expected to land without any difficulties. On their reaching the Golden Gate they found tho gate closed to them, and they had to undergo association with Chinese and other undesirables on Angel Island and quartering in quarantine sections. INDIGNITIES RESENTED. Tho Now Zealand lady gave her impressions to the San Francisco ‘ Chronicle,’ and she said: “President Coolidge has endorsed the principle of selective immigration. If prompt decision could beget swift amendment tho Irate immigrant might realise rapid relief. But the steel bars which form his cage on Angel Island are no more restricting than the legislative limits which bind his keeper. It is useless to beat your head against tho bars and curse the Consuls and the country. The trouble lies deeper than that. You have to go right back to Washington and sit on the Capitol door mat, “It is a game of first oome, first served. From tho annual quota a limited proportion is permitted to enter each month. When that number has been exhausted the gates close until the first of tho following month. Those arriving too late are not held and permitted first chance. They are deported, and must return homo, the immigrants arriving first in the month having a prior claim to admittance. It is really a gamble. j‘ The present system of handling immigrants is an outrage on civilised nations. It rains indignities on the just and unjust; tho undesirable alien and tho desirable settler. Take my own country, New Zealand, for example. Eighty New Zealanders are permitted to enter the United States a year, and of these not more than sixteen may come in one month. Australia, n country with a far greater area than tho United Slates, la permitted to send 279 annually, with a maximum of fifty-six per month. What applies to New Zealand may with, slight modification, be applied to Australia. Now Zealand is nearly 99 per cent. British, has no illiteracy, and its magnificent health record shows the lowest infant mortality in the world, Tho physique of tho Anzacs made them noteworthy during tho war.

THE DEBACLE. " In tho middle of July a boat arrived from Australia and Now Zealand, Apparently it is not the custom to advise people that trouble may await them at the port of entrance. The American Consuls abroad could assist in this direction when the passport comes for vise. The number on that boat alone far exceeded the quota. Tho first class passengers evidently passed (lie test. Tho second class men, women, and children wore sent to Angel Island to ho sorted out. They were told that it was for a few hours. Most of them took rn luggage. Tho whole thing was utterly unexpected, and when documentary evidence was required to prove statements (ho letters were in bags and trunks on tho vessel, which had gone to port. Ono woman had brought two young sons to be educated at Santa Cruz, but letters covering the nr< rangomont were not to hand. A man had staled eight, months for tho period of In's visit, not knowing that six months was the. limit allowed. Anil so on. Some wero kept there over-night; others wero dix tained for days. “But in the meantime what is happening at Angel Island ? These New Zealanders are held behind bars. The quarters were, originally erected to copo with Oriental immigrants of the Chinese cooßo type. You see a herd of Chinese women and children sleeping in beds three tiers high, wilh clothes, food, and rubbish thrown about the floor. Simple meals are served, paid for by tho shipping company responsible for the immigrants. They are not appetising, hut ean ho supplemented at tho canteen. Russians, cleaner in their habits, more orderly, occupied the next dormitory. Crowds of Chinese, chib dren raced up and down tho corridor, or pressed their round, yejlow faces against the barred windows whlcli looked out across tho sea—to tho Promised Land hayon d. The Chinese women fiat stolidly waiting—waiting for a verdict that would prove them n legal wife or return them to China. One woman was shaving tho face of another with a pieeo of thread. It is the Chinese way. flip Russians, many handsome and of intelligent type, seemed more apathetic as they sat awaiting sentence.”