Galveston: Ellis Island of the West

CHAPTER 4. 1910: Deportations!

CHAPTER 4 1910: Deportations! The seemingly endless stream of immigration which was coming in from Southern and Eastern Europe triggered a growing nativist sentiment among many Americans whose ancestors had come from Britain and Western Europe. These "old stock" Americans bitterly complained that the new immigrants were changing the "racial" complex of America. l In addition, the organized labor movement, many of whose members, ironically, were themselves of "new stock," was complaining that immigrants were undercutting American workers by accepting low wages. These groups lobbied in Washington for revision of the existing statutes with a view toward restricting further immigration.2 Their activity came to a head in 1910, when the United States Immigration Commission, which had been created in 1907 and consisted of three senators, three congressmen , and three presidential appointees, invited statements and recommendations from all major societies and organizations interested in the subject of immigration. At this time, many restrictionists came forward to recommend the introduction of drastic limitations on immigration.~ Senator William P. Dillingham, chairman of the Immigration Commission, then introduced a bill which contained a provision for a literacy test and other restrictionist measures.4 In opposition to these groups were those who favored retaining the current liberal immigration laws, with little or no revision. The industrialists. many of whom depended on inexpensive immigrant labor. exerted political pressure against any new legislation to restrict immigration.5 Various immigrant groups also expressed their opposition to this legislation. Most active. by far. in the fight 56 1910: DEPORTATIONS! against the restrictionists, were the leaders of American Jewry. Of all the immigrant groups, only the Jews organized an effective lobbying campaign. This was because the Americanized Jews of German extraction, who had arrived a generation or two earlier, were willing and able to take up the cause of their Eastern European brethren.6 Several of the leading American Jews of German origin who fought against the restrictionists were concurrently active in the Galveston Movement. For example, Cyrus L. Sulzberger, among others, represented the American Jewish Committee, in March 1910, at a hearing of the Committee on Immigration and Naturalization of the House of Representatives. Sulzberger, it will be remembered, was vice-chairman of the Jewish Immigrants' Information Bureau Executive Committee, propularly known as the "Galveston Committee." Appearing together with Sulzberger at the hearing were Max J. Kohler and Abram I. Elkus, both of whom represented the Independent Order of B'nai B'rith.7 These two prominent lawyers lent their legal talents to the cause of liberal immigration. Their abilities were soon recognized, and they were invited several months later to become members of the Galveston Committee. Simon Wolf, a well-known Washington lawyer, also represented the B'nai B'rith at the House Committee hearing. While not a member of the Galveston Committee, Wolf, nevertheless, often used his influence in Washington on behalf of Jewish immigrants facing deportation from Galveston, as well as from other ports. As chairman of the Board of Delegates on Civil Rights of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, Wolf often came into contact with the highest government officials, including presidents of the United States. In fact, he was considered a personal friend of President William Howard Taft.8 The members of the Galveston Committee, however, were usually reluctant to include Wolf in their lobbying efforts, because of his tendency to compromise and to appease the government. Wolfs offer to become a member of the Galveston Committee was politely declined, but his close government connections were utilized by the Galveston Committee on various occasions.9 The governmental department which was responsible for matters pertaining to immigration was the United States Department of Commerce and Labor, which maintained a Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization. The head of this Bureau was the Commissioner General of Immigration, Daniel J. Keefe. Keefe came to his post 57 GALVESTON: ELLIS ISLAND OF THE WEST after having spent most of his life as a labor leader, inclutiing five years as a vice-president of the American Federation of Labor. During his tenure as Commissioner General of Immigration (December 1908-May1913) he felt frustrated by the immigration statutes , which he regarded as inadequate. Keefe's annual recommendations to apply further restrictions on immigration did not result in the passage of any significant legislation.lo However, he consistently applied the existing laws in a restrictionist fashion wherever possible. The Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization maintained a number of administrative...