Speech #670383633

Mr. Chairman and gentlemen. you will recall that In response to a widespread demand Congress made an appropriation of $1.000.000. or approximately $1.000.000. or perhaps more than a million dollars. to the Department of Justice to be used for the purpose of detecting and prosecuting the socalled reds. The Department of Labor. through the Bureau of Immigration. had requested Congress to make all appropriation of some $500.000my recollection is that it was $600.000to be used by the Department of Labor through the Bureau of Immigration for R like purpose. " The request of the Department of Labor was not granted. As a result the Department of Justice had something like $1.000.000 for that purpose. while the authority to arrest. try. and deport aliens was in the Department of Labor. That department was greatly embarrassed by its inability to function adequately on account of lack of funds. The country was wild on the subject of the suppresion of anarchy. every newspaper was full of it. and In response to that popular demand Congress gave this appropriation to the Department of Justice. " Senator KING. Judge. may I interrupt you there? An appropriation was mnade. as I recall. for deportation purposes and investigations of the Department of Labor. hut I am advised that somebody in the Department of Labor has devoted itor t least a part of itto other purposes. " Mr. ABEancnoimm. My recollection is that the increased appropriation made to the Department of Labor was for the purpose of deporting those who had already been ordered to be deported and who could not be deported on account of conditions incident to the war. We could not deport while the war was on. and as a result when the war closed there were many alIensthousands of them. according to my recollectionwho were held for deportation . and while I am not absolutely certain about it. my recollection is that the appropriation to which Senator KING refers was made for the purpose of deporting those who had already been found subject to deportation. At any rate the Department of Labor and the Department of Justice felt It their duty to cooperate. the Department of Justice having the money. the necessary appropriation. and the Department of Labor having the authority under the law to deport. So we cooperated to the extent that the Department of Labor issued warrants for arrests upon proper affidavits submitted by the Department of Justice. "All the hearings. (f course. tinder the law had to be conducted by the Department of Labor. "Senator WALStH of Montana.