The painful comedies performed at Ellis Island throw shafts of
irony in more than one direction. Vera Lady Cathcart, after crossing the Atlantic for a visit to America, announced quite truthfully during her examination by the officials that she was a divorced woman. This announcement caused her to be turned away from the shores of America—where the percentage of divorces is higher than in other countries—as a person of " moral turpitude." What struck American observers forcibly—for we are not merely describing our own thoughts—was that it was more than usually ridiculous to turn away Lady Cathcart as Lord Craven (who was the co-respondent in her divorce case) was already in America. The truth is that " moral turpitude " is a , phrase beyond just interpretation, and when a law requires officials to interpret and apply it that law clearly asks too much of them. "AA ,144,Z, Tia
Previous page
