I had no idea of entering upon any general discussion of the immigration question: It is a question that is always with us. and we shall have a good deal of discussion about it in coming years as we have had in the past. because it is one of the very great problems that confronts this country. I was merely replying as best I could to questions that Senator put to me. What the Senator from South Carolina says about the building at Philadelphia I had already said. and it is quite true. It is an old freight house that has been turned into an immigrant station. The upper. story is used for the immigrants and the lower story for their luggage. I supposed the detention station is there. too. but the Senator may be right about that. Certainly the detention station. wherever it is. is under the control of the Government. and the offices of the imlnmigration comnissioner of Philadelphia are.a long distance uptown. because there is no suitable place for him and his offices on the spot where they ought to be. The station is very inconvenient. it is not healthy. it is dark. and in every way unsuitable for the reception of human beings. some of whom have been detained there perhaps for several days. or as long as a weekthose who have to be deported and those subject to a more careful examination than others. Whatever views we may any of us hold about immigration. that the measures ought to be simply selective as they now are or that we ought to go further and have restrictive measures. I think we all ought to be agreed that humanity demands that while the people who land upon our shores are under the control of the Government and being examined according to our laws. they should be treated in such a way as to provide for their health and their comfort. and that we should use them with the decency and kindness which is becomiung on the part of a nation like that of the United States.
Keywords matched
deported immigrants immigration immigrant