were stricken out because they were considered unconstitutional. The committee proposed excluding all Chinese laborers, but wanted to avoid any discourtesy or annoyance to any genuine merchants, students, etc., on the ground that this attitude was necessary in the interests of commerce with China. It also struck out a clause forbidding the employment of Chinese on ships carrying the American flag on the Pacific Ocean, because of the injury that would accrue to American shipping. Following in the main the committee's recommendations, the bill passed the House. The clause relating to seamen, however, was restored and all laws were extended to the insular possessions. In the Senate the Mitchell and Kahn bills were considered too severe, and before passing that body they were amended by providing that all existing laws be reenacted, and continue in force until a new treaty should be negotiated. Congress and the President approved it April 29, 1902.

The Chinese Exclusion Law of 1904

Upon the refusal of China to continue the treaty of 1894 after 1904, on April 27, 1904, Congress again reenacted, extending and continuing without modification, limitation, or condition, all laws then in force in so far as they were not inconsistent with treaty obligations.

All legislation was extended to insular possessions, and Chinese immigration from these islands to the United States, or from one island group to another, was prohibited, altho moving from island to island of the same group was allowed. Certificates of resi

dence were also required in the insular possessions. The law of 1904 is still in force.

Legislation Relative to Japanese Laborers

During 1906 the question of Japanese immigration became acute, and the Pacific States demanded exclusion legislation for the Japanese of the same sort as existed for the Chinese. This was finally settled in the passport provision inserted in the immigration law of February 20, 1907. This provision authorized the President to refuse admission to any aliens making use of any passports to the insular possessions, to the Canal Zone, or to any other country than the United States, in order to gain admission to the continental United States. The President, in his proclamation of March 14, 1907, availed himself of this provision, and excluded "Japanese or Korean laborers, skilled or unskilled, who have received passports to go to Mexico, Canada, or Hawaii, and come therefrom." To give this full force, an understanding with Japan was reached that the existing policy of discouraging the emigration of her subjects to this country should be continued. This agreement, by which the two governments cooperate to secure an effective enforcement of the regulation, contemplates that the Japanese Government shall issue passports to continental United States only to such of its subjects as are non-laborers, or are laborers who, in coming to the continent, seek to resume a formerly acquired domicile, to join a parent, wife, or children residing there, or to assume active control of an already possest interest in a farming enterprise in this country.

The Administration of the Law

The general administration and supervision of the immigration service has been placed by Congress in the hands of the Commissioner-General of Immigration. His official status is that of a bureau chief in the Department of Commerce and Labor. Final authority is, of course, vested in the Secretary of the Department. The Commissioner-General at the most important ports of entry is represented by a Commissioner of Immigration, who has charge of the immigrant station and a number of inspectors; in smaller stations an inspector is placed in charge.

The immigrant station in New York is the largest, and may be taken as representative of the entire system of administration and inspection of incoming aliens. The immigrant inspectors with the health officials board incoming vessels carrying aliens. The steerage passengers, together with any aliens in the ship's hospital, are transferred by barges to Ellis Island, the sick aliens being sent to the immigrant hospital. The other aliens are first reqiured to pass in single file before two surgeons of the Marine Hospital Service, who simultaneously make a double examination, one into the general physical condition of the alien, the other for signs of trachoma. If there is any doubt about an immigrant's physical or mental condition, he is detained for a more rigid examination. The women are examined separately by matrons. Any pregnant woman is held for a special examination, on the ground that she is liable to become a public charge. After the physical test, those who successfully pass are arranged according to the order of their names. on the ship's manifests, and are then passed in single

file before other inspectors for further examination. These inspectors ask the same questions which the immigrants were required to answer in filling out the manifest, and make note of any discrepancies in their replies in red ink. The immigrant is also required to show the money he has in his possession. Any persons concerning whose status the inspectors have a doubt, are detained. The others are allowed to pass through the gates, where they can buy tickets to their final destination, or receive assistance in finding relatives and friends.

The aliens who have been detained are required to appear before Boards of Special Inquiry, appointed by the Commissioner-General. They consist of three inspectors, the decisions of two being final. An appeal may be taken from these boards to the Commissioner of the port, from him to the CommissionerGeneral, and from the Commissioner-General to the Secretary of Commerce and Labor. The President may, of course, if he wishes to do so, review any case. The proceedings before the Board of Special Inquiry are private, but a complete copy is made of the record. In case of appeal, the record goes to the Commissioner of the port, and the detained immigrant appears before him in person. After the Commissioner renders his decision, the papers in the case are sent to Washington and placed on file.

Immigrants detained either because of special inquiries or appeals, are maintained by the Government at the expense of the steamship companies. Those who are to be deported are held until the vessel on which they came is ready for its return voyage. Diseased aliens are treated in the immigrant hospital on Ellis Island until the time for their return to

their native countries. In the case of contagious diseases which are not dangerous, or other curable diseases, when the alien intends joining a husband or wife in this country, he or she is allowed to stay in the hospital until a cure is effected.

INSPECTION ON LAND BORDERS

On the borders of Canada and Mexico, inspectors are placed on all trains entering the United States, at ferries, and near the principal roads, so that proper inspection may be made to exclude undesirable persons. The procedure followed, including the work of physicians and of Boards of Inquiry in doubtful cases, is substantially the same as that followed at sea ports, and similar appeals lie to the authorities in Washington.

DIFFICULTIES OF ADMINISTRATION

The enormous difficulties of a just, humane, and still strict enforcement of the law appear when one considers that at the port of New York sometimes 5,000 immigrants are admitted in one day; that it is impossible, in consequence, to give much time to each doubtful case; and that the cases themselves are often of extreme complexity, involving judgment of health, of character, of purpose, of future promise. Often the law commands the separation of a family, or the turning back of all its members from what has been to them a land of promise, on account of the defects of a single member. At times the rigid enforcement of the law means the public disgrace of one who to family and the world at large has borne hitherto a good reputation, and whose exposure would seem to work only injury to all. Sometimes even the de