Iresident Harding replied to a letter written by Representative ISAAC SIEGL. of New York. iii September. 1921. and. aong other things. said : I havent any doubt irn tihe world but the enforcement of tile immigration laws is working many a hardship. My own distress has been very great over some of the specific instances which have been reported to me. If I have the situation correctly presented. the difficulty must be charged to tire dishonest steamship agents who have brought to this country innocent immigrants in spite of our continued warnings during a period of very great leniency. I know how very persistenrt have beenm the impositions which have been made on the Government agents who have been disposed to be sympathetie and more than generous in carrying out the law. Here is what the Secretary of Labor. Mr. Davis. says about the steamship companies bringing over undesirable immigrants in violation of the regulations: Secretary Davis reiterated the statement by the President that much of the troubirle is caused by dishonest steamship agents and that pitiful stories ofl hardship are being circulated in the deliberate attempt to discredit the law. Assistant Secretary of Labor Henning. on September 3. said: Unfortunately. the law has no teeth. ind the only way trie offending companies call be punished Is 1o compel them to take back aliens who are not admissible. It is a pitiful sight. "1 have never seen it. but I have heard of it. I know it: must appeal to the sensibilities of men and women everywhere that poor. unfortullrtes brought here by steamship companies from Europe arnd elsewhere and landed it New York without money. without friends. are sent back home because the quota of immigrants permitted to come is exhausted. If the human heart could be touched. that sight would touch it. The coming here of people under such conditions through the influence of steamship companies should be prevented.
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immigration immigrants undesirable immigrants