The police authorities of Chicago have started a widespread and intensive campaign against the smuggling of laborers. We are sorry to say that there are numerous Greeks who have been smuggling men from Greece into the United States. The Star has written many articles condemning this practice. We are now informed that quite a few suspects in our community are being arrested and questioned by the police. Let us hope that the leaders of this labor-smuggling ring will not escape justice and severe punishment.

The Record-Herald, one of the most prominent newspapers of Chicago, wrote in its July 17 issue that many Greeks are disgracing their law-abiding countrymen of Chicago by their participation in the smuggling trade.

Unfortunately, there are many otherwise respectable members of this community who are encouraging these criminals.

The American press has begun a campaign against our people which is far from flattering. It reports that the Federal Government is now waging an uncompromising war against all smugglers of Greek laborers. The owners of Greek shoeshine parlors, confectionary stores, and restaurants are bringing young Greek boys to America, particularly to Chicago, and are holding them as slaves in their places of business for one or two years, until these boys have paid the fare which was advanced to bring them here.

Mr. Simms, the District Attorney of Chicago, and the United States Immigration Bureau have come into possession of evidence involving quite a number of Chicago Greeks in the smuggling traffic. Federal officers will soon serve these individuals with warrants for their arrest. Besides this evidence, Mr. Alcibiadis Sarafis, an inspector of the United States Immigration Service, has collected additional evidence and has been ordered to conduct the preliminary hearings for 3the Federal Government.

On August 2, the entire smuggling ring and its activities will be exposed before the grand jury. Mr. Sarafis' evidence proves that a certain Greek, a cigar dealer on Halsted Street in the Greek quarter, has a partner in Greece who approaches the young, innocent boys of poor Greek villagers and farmers, promising them that great riches await them in America, the new El Dorado.

When this smuggling agent in Athens sees that a certain young man's imagination is sufficiently fired with eagerness to seek a great fortune in the New World, he persuades the farmer to mortage his property to him in order to pay for the boy's ticket to America. But before the young fellow leaves Greece he is told to meet the other agent and trafficker in Chicago as soon as he arrives in America. A certain Eustathios Karavelis is the Athens agent with offices at 10 Lycurgus Street; other offices are in Chicago and Salt Lake City.

This is the method by which the smuggling business is conducted. Sufficient 4light has been cast on the secrets of the smuggling trade to enable the Greek Government and Prosecuting Attorney, Mr. Lycourezos of Athens, to take immediate action.

The hand of American justice cannot reach Greek soil. The authorities in Greece must complete the extermination of these criminals as a mark of respect for the laws of the United States and as a means of safeguarding ourselves against any further disgraceful attacks.

In examining this whole case, The Record-Herald of Chicago says, "As soon as the young boy falls into the hands of the smuggler, he must work for one year, or until the mortgage on the father's property in Greece has been paid off. Usually, the mortgage does not exceed the price of the ticket, which amounts to about $300. During this period of forced labor, however, the boys are ill-clad ill-fed, and sleep under the most unsanitary conditions.

"When the boy is finally freed, he is given no money by the wicked smuggler, and 5he is thus forced to roam the streets naked and suffering the pangs of hunger."

It is well known by now that the Chicago agent for this smuggling and enslavement of white labor is a cigar dealer and steamship ticket agent by the name of Soterios Bousoulas. We have already reported that he was arrested but freed on bail of $2,000.

One of our colleagues thinks that this notorious character is a credit to our people. Let us wait and see what the verdict of Judge Landis' court will be after the trial of this famous trafficker. Perhaps the judge will accord him the proper honors!