in Turkey. While there, he had the full cooperation of the American diplomatic representatives in that country and of the War Refugee Board in Washington. It would be very much appreciated should your headquarters assist Mr. Griffel in the accomplishment of his mission. B. F. GILES, Hon. HERBERT H. LEHMAN, Major General, United States Army, Commanding. RABBINICAL COUNCIL OF America, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR LEHMAN: May I take the privilege of writing to you in behalf of Dr. Jacob Griffel of Jerusalem, and to earnestly request you to introduce the necessary legislation, so that his stay in this country may be extended and made permanent. Dr. Griffel has won the admiration and esteem of the many colleagues of our rabbinical council by his unselfish devotion to the task of rescue and rehabilitation of children who were rendered homeless and in many cases orphaned by the holocaust of Nazi tyranny. In addition, he has done noble and outstanding work in behalf of underprivileged children from north African countries, and he came to America at the specific request and authorization of the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Dr. Isaac Halvey Herzog. Dr. Griffel has been engaged in advising our rabbis on the spiritual needs and religious education of immigrant children in the various camps and institutions in Israel. We have found his words and indeed his whole personality a source of great inspiration, and we would like to see him continue in his holy work in our midst. We, therefore, turn to you for assistance, and urge you to take the necessary steps to assure the continued presence of Dr. Griffel in this country. We feel certain that the other Members of the Congress will also support this very worthy gesture of friendship of a self-sacrificing humanitarian. Sincerely yours, Rabbi SAMUEL BERLIANT, President. In addition, Dr. Samson R. Weiss, national director of the National Council of Young Israel, wrote to the chairman of the Immigration and Naturalization Subcommittee as follows: Senator ARTHUR V. WATKINS NATIONAL COUNCIL OF YOUNG ISRAEL, Chairman, Subcommittee on Immigration and Naturalization, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR SENATOR: Before the Committee on the Judiciary is at present a private bill S. 781, introduced by Senator Lehman for the relief of Dr. Jacob Griffel. The National Council of Young Israel and its 70 affiliated branches from coast to coast are deeply interested in the passage of this bill. Since his arrival in this country, Dr. Jacob Griffel has been our organization's adviser in our efforts for the rescue and rehabilitation of orphans and other unfortunate children torn away from their family homes during World War II and its aftermath. Dr. Griffel has achieved worldwide fame for his outstanding achievements in aiding the homeless and the persecuted. Seldom have we met a man of such saintly character. His deep and abiding faith in the Almighty his purity of character and his goodness of heart ennoble every one who has the privilege of his acquaintance. Before your committee is ample documentary evidence of Dr. Griffel's heroic and unceasing humanitarian efforts. If we take the liberty to direct this communication to you, it is solely for the purpose of expressing once more our deep interest in Dr. Griffel's continued legal residence in the United States. Thanking you for your kind consideration, I am Respectfully your, Dr. SAMSON R. WEISS, National Director. The committee, after consideration of all the facts in the case, of the opinion that the bill (S. 781) should be enacted. is JUNE 4 (legislative day, MAY 28), 1953-Ordered to be printed Mr. LANGER, from the Committee on the Judiciary, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany S. 801] The Committee on the Judiciary, to which was referred the bill (S. 801) for the relief of Eugenio S. Roiles, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon with an amendment and recommends that the bill, as amended, do pass. AMENDMENT On line 7, strike the words "and head tax". PURPOSE OF THE BILL The purpose of the bill, as amended, is to grant the status of permanent residence in the United States to Eugenio S. Roiles. The bill provides for an appropriate quota deduction and for the payment of the required visa fee. STATEMENT OF FACTS The beneficiary of the bill is a 42-year-old native and citizen of the Philippine Islands who escaped from the islands in 1942 with 3 United States Army officers and enlisted in the United States Army in Australia in 1943. He entered the United States on January 16, 1946, on a United States aircraft carrier and received an honorable discharge on January 23, 1946. He enlisted in the United States Coast Guard on May 1, 1947, and is presently employed in that branch of the service. A letter, with attached memorandum, dated June 20, 1952, to the then chairman of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary from the Deputy Attorney General with reference to S. 2531, which was a bill introduced in the 82d Congress for the relief of the same alien, reads as follows: Hon. PAT MCCARRAN, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL, Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR SENATOR: This is in response to your request for the views of the Department of Justice relative to the bill (S. 2531) for the relief of Eugenio S. Roiles, an alien. The bill would grant the alien permanent residence in the United States A memorandum prepared by the Immigration and Naturalization Service setting forth the facts in the case is attached. Whether the bill should be enacted is one of legislative policy concerning which this Department does not wish to make any recommendation. Sincerely, A. DEVITT VANECH, MEMORANDUM OF INFORMATION FROM IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE FILES RE EUGENIO S. ROILES, BENEFICIARY OF S. 2531 The alien, Eugenio S. Roiles, is a native and citizen of the Philippines, who was born on November 15, 1909. He last entered the United States on or about January 16, 1946. at the port of San Francisco, Calif.. on a United States aircraft carrier. He was apprehended in deportation proceedings under a warrant of arrest issued on November 1. 1951, and was accorded a hearing on January 31, 1952. Further action in his case is being held in abeyance pending final action on S. 2531. He is presently at liberty on his own recognizance. The alien escaped from the Philippine Islands with three American Army officers during the latter part of 1942 and enlisted in the United States Army in Australia on January 18, 1943. He served in the Asiatic theater as a private first class and was honorably discharged from the Army on January 23, 1946, at Fort Bliss, Tex. He enlisted in the United States Coast Guard on May 1, 1947, and is presently employed as an unclassified temporary civil service employee on the United States Coast Guard ship Pathfinder at a salary of $125 a month. He has no near relatives residing in the United States and has no one dependent upon him for support in this country. Mr. Roiles is chargeable to the Philippine quota which is oversubscribed. Senator Warren G. Magnuson, the author of the bill, has submitted a number of letters and documents in support of the bill, among which are the following: Re S. 2531. Hon. PAT MCCARRAN, Senate Judiciary Committee, UNITED STATES SENATE, June 26, 1952. United States Senate, Washington 25, D. C. DEAR SENATOR: Enclosed you will find my personal files and those of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey with regard to my private bill, S. 2531, for the relief of Eugenio S. Roiles. As you will note, Mr. Roiles is a citizen of the Philippine Islands, was active in guerrilla warfare against the Japanese occupation forces, and served in the United States Army for 3 years. Because he believed that this service would entitle him to remain in the United States, he took no action toward becoming a naturalized citizen at the time of his honorable discharge. You will also note that this man is highly regarded as an employee of the Coast and Geodetic Survey and that this department is extremely anxious to keep him in its service. To date his voluntary deportation has been ordered for November. In view of the foregoing, I would sincerely appreciate expeditious action on this case. Best personal regards. Sincerely, WARREN G. MAGNUSON, U. S. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, UNITED STATES COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY, The Honorable WARREN G. MAGNUSON, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. SIR: I was recently contacted by a representative from the Immigration Service who stated that one of the Filipino mess attendants on this vessel, namely Eugenio S. Roiles, was in this country illegally and subject to deportation. As this man has been employed as a mess attendant aboard the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey Ship Pathfinder since May 1, 1947 and during this period had an excellent record, it is respectfully requested that action be taken to allow him to remain in this country. Mr. Roiles will forward a request directly to you, giving all data relative to his entry into this country, his occupation since entry, etc. It might be stated briefly that this man joined the United States Army on January 18, 1943, served in various campaigns against the enemy, and entered the country as an enlisted man in our Armed Forces on January 16, 1946. After talking to Roiles, I am convinced that he felt his services in the Army would entitle him to remain in the United States and thus he took no action toward becoming a naturalized citizen. During his 4 years service abroad this vessel this man's fitness reports have always been excellent and his loyalty and devotion to duty make him a valuable addition to the mess force. It is my opinion that this man would make an excellent and loyal citizen. Anything that you could do towards allowing this man to remain in this country would not only be appreciated by the officers and men aboard this vessel but would also be of assistance to the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, as reliable vessel personnel are rather difficult to obtain at the present time. Hon. WARREN G. MAGNUSON, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR SENATOR MAGNUSON: I am writing you regarding Mr. Eugenio S. Roiles, mess attendant aboard the Coast Survey ship Pathfinder, who is seeking relief from an impending deportation order. On May 1, 1947, when in command of the ship Pathfinder, I signed Roiles on as a mess attendant, second class, and a year later promoted him to mess attendant, first class, a rating he has held to date. From personal knowledge, I know that this man is a capable and loyal employee, and an examination of the ratings on all of his discharges and efficiency ratings supports this contention. I understand that Mr. Roiles' service to American naval officers in helping them to escape from the Philippine Islands during the Japanese occupation and his subsequent service of 3 years in the United States Army is known to you, hence the details need not be repeated here. Rear Adm. Robert W. Knox, the Assistant Director a former commanding officer of the ship Pathfinder, under whom Roiles served in 1948 and 1949, likewise praises this employee's ability and loyalty to the bureau and the country. Very truly yours, R. F. A. Studds, Rear Admiral, United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, Director. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, UNITED STATES COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY, SHIP "PATHFINDER" Seattle 4, Wash., November 30, 1951. The Honorable WARREN G. MAGNUSON, DEAR SENATOR MAGNUSON: Mr. Eugenio S. Roiles has requested me to vouch for his character and reputation. I have been a shipmate of Mr. Roiles since January, 1949, and I can testify without qualification that since I have known Mr. Roiles, his character and reputation have been of the highest caliber. In my opinion he honestly desires to become a loyal citizen of the United States and I believe that if given the opportunity he would make an excellent citizen. KENNETH S. ULM, Commander, United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. Hon. WARREN G. MAGNUSON, NOVEMBER 29, 1951. United States Senate. DEAR SENATOR MAGNUSON: Permit me to make further reference to your recent letter, requesting information concerning the Army service of Eugenio S. Roiles, a Filipino, otherwise known as Eugenio S. Catalino. Information has been received from the Demobilized Records Branch of The Adjutant General's office, St. Louis, that Eugenio S. Catalino, service No. 10647055, enlisted in the Army on January 18, 1943 and that he was honorably discharged on January 23, 1946 at the Separation Center, Fort Bliss, Tex., by reason of demobilization, as a private first class, 1st Philippine Infantry. I am advised further that the former soldier was born on November 15, 1915 at Cebu City, Philippine Islands. No record of service was found under the name of Eugenio S. Roiles. I trust the foregoing information concerning this soldier will be helpful in this matter. If I may be of further assistance to you, please do not hesitate to let me know. Sincerely yours, T. A. YOUNG, Deputy Chief for Personnel and Administration. The committee, after consideration of all the facts in the case, is of the opinion that the bill (S. 801), as amended, should be enacted. |