HILDE FLINT JULY 21, 1949.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House and ordered to be printed Mr. FEIGHAN, from the Committee on the Judiciary, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 1871] The Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 1871) for the relief of Hilde Flint, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. The amendment is as follows: Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the following: That, in the administration of the immigration and naturalization laws, Hilde Flint, of Los Angeles, California, shall be held and considered to have been lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence on December 15, 1947, the date of her actual entry into the United States, upon the payment by her of a visa fee of $10 and a head tax of $8. SEC. 2. Upon the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall instruct the proper quota-control officer to deduct one number from the German quota of the first year that such quota is available. PURPOSE OF THE BILL The purpose of the bill is to grant the privilege of permanent residence to a German-born citizen of Austria; 50 years old. The purpose of the amendment is to make the bill read in accordance with the facts as described by the Department of Justice and to provide for the appropriate quota deduction. GENERAL INFORMATION The pertinent facts in this case are set forth in a letter, dated June 23, 1949, from the Assistant to the Attorney General to the chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, which letter reads as follows: H. Repts., 81-1, vol. 5- -48 1st Session No. 1097 HILDE FLINT JULY 21, 1949.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House and ordered to be printed Mr. FEIGHAN, from the Committee on the Judiciary, submitte following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 1871) The Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was H. R. 1871) for the relief of Hilde Flint, having cons -report favorably thereon with amendment and TERST do pass. The amendment is as follows: Strike out al af and insert the following: That, in the administration of the immigration of Los Angeles, California, shall be bas admitted to the United States for perme 47. the date of her actual entry into the zda visa fee of $10 and a head tax of $2 Sac. 2. Upon the enactment of this A *proper quota-control officer to dedne se irst year that such quota is availabe PURPOSE OF The purpose of the bill is to g ace to a German-born se pose of the amendment is Facts as described by ** Appropriate quota Dy pertin 949. Austria, Nations : visitor's al other 3 and has ng underhas made e cause of iends, who The probe a citizen reciated by UERNSEY. JUNE 23, 1949. Hon. EMANUEL CELLER, Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: This is in response to your request for the views of the Department of Justice with respect to the bill (H. R. 1871) for the relief of Hilde Flint, an alien. The bill would direct the Attorney General to cancel deportation proceedings in the case of the alien Hilde Flint, of Los Angeles, Calif. It would also direct him to refrain from instituting any further such proceedings against the alien based on any unlawful entry of the alien into the United States prior to the enactment of the bill. It would further provide that the alien shall be considered to have been admitted to this country for permanent residence in December 1947, the date of her last entry. The Secretary of State would be directed to instruct the quota-control officer to deduct one number from the Austrian quota. The records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service of this Department disclose that the alien was born in Berlin, Germany, on April 29, 1899. She is a citizen of Austria and lived in Vienna for 30 years prior to her admission into the United States at the port of New York on December 15, 1947, as a temporary visitor until July 1, 1948. She has been granted extensions of her temporary stay to August 23, 1949. While living in Vienna, Austria, the alien operated a hotel which she still owns and values at about $40,000. She is trying to sell this property. Since her arrival in this country the alien has resided with her sister, a naturalized citizen of the United States, in Los Angeles, Calif. Miss Flint is entirely dependent upon this sister for support since she was not allowed to bring any money from Austria. The sister, who earns about $16 a day as a waitress, and has no other dependents, has stated that she is able and willing to support the alien if she is permitted to remain in the United States. The bill, if enacted, would provide for the deduction of one number from the quota for Austria. It may be noted, however, that the alien, although a citizen of Austria. is a German national and is therefore chargeable to the quota for Germany. This quota is not oversubscribed and visas chargeable to it are readily obtainable. The record fails to disclose sufficient reason to justify granting the alien an exemption from the procedure ordinarily required to obtain a quota immigration visa which would permit her entrance into the United States for permanent residence. Accordingly, this Department is unable to recommend enactment of the bill. Yours sincerely, PEYTON FORD, Assistant to the Attorney General. Mr. McDonough, the author of the bill, accompanied by the beneficiary of the bill, appeared before a subcommittee of the Committee on the Judiciary and submitted additional facts as contained in the following statement: As author of H. R. 1871 for the relief of Hilde Flint, an alien and an Austrian citizen of German origin, I desire to inform the committee that I introduced this bill only after careful consideration and because of the many letters of recommendation from prominent, reliable, and dependable constituents of my district who are personally acquainted with Miss Flint and who voluntarily have submitted to me evidence as to her good character, high moral standing, integrity, and intelligence. Among those who have written me in behalf of Miss Flint are a prominent Los Angeles attorney, Louis G. Guernsey; a Los Angeles municipal court judge, Ida May Adams; Dr. Ernst A. Hauser, professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Mrs. Oscar A. Trippett, widow of United States Federal Judge Oscar A. Trippett; Belle Hechtman, administrative assistant of the University of California; and Helen M. Herney, assistant dean, Los Angeles City College. In addition to the above I received favorable letters from school teachers, medical doctors, businessmen, and many others. The following are typical of the many letters I have received: HILDE FLINT Hon. GORDON L. MCDONOUGH, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. JANUARY 21, 1949. DEAR GORDON: We let into our country and admit to citizenship many persons we might do as well without, but when we find in our midst a really exceptionally fine person, able to contribute to our American way of life, we sometimes make Her name is Brunhilde very difficult for such person to become a citizen. I am writing this letter in behalf of such a person. She is half-Austrian, half-English in an(Hilde) Flint. She is with UNESCO. cestry, a university graduate, a devotee of freedom, a highly moral, unmarried Miss Flint therefore woman whose only living relative is a sister who is a citizen of the United States and owns her own home in Los Angeles, where she resides. has a home. We would be glad to employ her as a teacher in the Adams School. She has been in the United States since last spring, and unless something can be done very soon she must return to Europe. The best interest of the United States would be served, and the happiness of two fine sisters secured, by enabling this splendid woman to become a citizen. I have known her intimately almost since her arrival. Will you do whatever it takes. now for some months. I have been active on the superior court bench With kindest personal regards, I am sincerely, Your friend and constituent, Wire dated January 31, 1949] Hon. GORDON L. MCDONOUGH, Washington, D. C.: IDA MAY ADAMS. Have Am very happy to add my voice on behalf of Hilde Flint of Vienna. known her intimately for about 15 years and wholeheartedly commend her to She is a woman of culture and refinement of noble your kindly ministrations. character and in every way one whom we should be proud to welcome to citizenship. Thank you. Mrs. OSCAR A. TRIPPETT, Sr. (Widow of Federal Judge Oscar A. Trippett). JANUARY 20, 1949. Hon. GORDON L. MCDONOUGH, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. DEAR CONGRESSMAN: Recently I met Miss Hilde Flint, a citizen of Austria, who is in this country representing the Board of the Austrian United Nations Miss Flint entered the United States in December 1947 on a visitor's Association. visa which expires in 2 weeks. She has visited this country on several other occasions. Her sister, Miss Erika Flint, is a citizen of the United States and has resided in Los Angeles for 25 years. She has made Miss Hilde Flint came to this country for the purpose of advancing understanding and good will between the United States and Austria. many speeches before schools and civic organizations in behalf of the cause of universal peace. The probShe is desirous of becoming an American citizen and several of her friends, who are also friends of mine, have asked me to write you in her behalf. lem is to legalize Miss Flint's status in order that she may become a citizen through the required procedure. If you can see your way clear to assist her it will be deeply appreciated by both Miss Flint and myself. Thanking you and with kindest personal regards, I am LOUIS G. GUERNSEY. |