On October 18, 1910, President Taft visited Ellis Island, that well-known place of judicial authority, where verdicts are passed on immigrants who commit the sin of coming into this country without an invitation. Upon his short stay there, the distinguished visitor had an opportunity to examine the conditions prevalent on this Island. Judging from his statements, the newspapers draw the conclusion that certain amendments to the existing immigration laws will be made. These amendments will have beneficial results for this nation, as well as for the immigrants themselves.

In the first place, more severe penalties will be imposed upon railroad companies for transporting people who are rejected by the authorities as "undesirables."

Secondly, the present practice of separating husbands from wives, or parents 2from their children, is to be abolished.

Thirdly, various means are to be employed to prevent the concentration of the immigration wave in New York. The purpose of this is to direct this wave southward, where immigrants are needed and where people gladly see the flow of helping hands from Europe.

The President was most concerned over the matter of separating families, numerous examples of which were seen by him. Several instances were presented to him of husbands being allowed to land when wives were retained and of parents being permitted entry when the children were detained, or vice versa. The President personally questioned the people who found themselves in such positions. As a result of this, he came to the conclusion that only a proper change in the legislative regulations could alter the present conditions. Among the other regulations the President deems it necessary and useful to provide that a husband arriving in this country with the intention of later importing his family should first present a detailed report of the number of members, and the condition, of this family, with the 3assurance that he is telling the truth. If it should later be proved that his statements were false, his permit to remain in this country should be revoked and he should be deported together with his entire family.

The President's personal interest in conditions prevalent upon Ellis Island are commendable. He was convinced that a law often appears excellent in theory which practical application can be most severe and burdensome.

We will not concern ourselves here with criticizing the American immigration laws. We have done this frequently and there will undoubtedly be other occasions to express our opinions of them. We merely repeat what we have asserted previously, that, not only from the Polish position but also from the American, we can see no reason for an artificial limitations of the immigration of desirable elements into this country. It is a known fact that one half of this nation is barren and a half of the other half, namely, the South, makes desperate demands for white settlers. By the term"desirable elements" we understand all healthy and sincere people of the white race capable of working, as well as the children and the aged who are in a position here to be cared for properly by 4their parents or their children, respectively. We cannot consider as proof of undesirability (if one may express himself thus) either lack of school education, which can be acquired here easily and at a low cost, or lack of funds, which can also be obtained here in exchange for work. This country needs honest work above all. The immigrants, if treated justly and sympathetically, will give that type of work and as much of it as is required. It is possible that a precautionary law is necessary here lest diseased, or physically incapacitated, people find their way into this country. But this law must be formulated in such a manner that in its enforcement there would be no occurence that would bring shame upon a great, free, and civilized nation. The scenes that occur daily at the separation of husbands from wives and parents from children are decidedly worthy of utmost condemnation.

The President witnessed several such instances personally and he himself bemoaned the fate of these people, to whom he could be of no assistance because the law, in its compassionless wording, was more powerful than he. Let him, therefore, endeavor to set the evil aside, and he will gain the gratitude of the entire nation.

It is also just to place a greater responsibility upon the railroad companies for transporting people who are legally prohibited from landing in America. The companies know these laws but ignore them. Requiring them to return ten people to Europe, at their own expense, for every hundred brought into America is not such a severe penalty that it would be unprofitable for the company to risk it. If the local authorities must deport anyone, then the company should at least be made to pay heavily, so that it would not tempt a poor man in the future and would cease to extort money for transportation to a promised land. Let the agents of the transporting companies think well before they even attempt to convince anyone to leave his native land.

The third wish of the President--namely, that the main immigration wave should be directed toward the South--is justifiable but very difficult to fulfill. An immigrant is not a slave who can be forced to remain in any designated locality irrespective of whether or not he wishes to be there. An immigrant must be respected as a free man, who has the right to direct his own fate. It is possible that immigrants from the southern nations of Europe, such as the Italians 6Bulgarians, Greeks, and Spaniards, would go willingly to the land of cotton. But the Poles, Swedes, Germans, and Irish will perhaps never experience life in the beutiful but torrid southern states,which are entirely strange to them. Only a free and gradual movement of people from the central states toward the South is possible here, and the people coming from Europe should not be hindered from moving into the central states of America. A great amount of time is necessary for this and, above all, an enormous development of trade in the South must first be brought about before any such movement is possible. When large factories become established there, with proper and adequate remuneration, on equal basis with those of the central or the northern States, then, and only then will the South attract people.