Great Britain -- Emigration and immigration; Noncitizens -- Great Britain
the Banishment Law of 1871, the Communal Police are also empowered
to forcibly expel from the territory all idle or vagrant foreigners,
discharged convicts, and foreign prostitutes, especially if these
pursue their immoral trade without strictly observing the police
regulations, if they are suffering from venereal disease, if they
cause a public scandal by their behaviour, or if they seduce young
people. Such, in brief, are the laws which regulate and restrict alien
immigration in the Austrian Empire, as distinct from the kingdom of
Hungary.
Through the courtesy of M. de Bille, the Danish Minister at the Court
of St. James's, who kindly procured for me from Copenhagen a copy of
the Decree of 1875, and other law-records, I have been enabled to
make a detailed study of the laws of Denmark which bear upon this
question.[28] The law of 1875, containing the regulation in force in
regard to foreigners and travellers in Denmark, is a very drastic one.
Briefly summarized, it amounts to this. The _status_ and liberties
of the foreign workman or servant, employed or seeking employment in
Denmark, are defined with very great attention to detail; the most
uncompromising regulations are laid down for the prevention of the
entry of all foreigners who may be found destitute of sufficient
means for their support; and even of those who are in search of work
under any circumstances, except under strict conditions. The first
Article contains a positive prohibition against the admission into
the country of foreign gipsies, itinerant musicians, leaders and
exhibitors of animals, acrobats and jugglers, who seek to gain a
livelihood by vagrant performances. Foreigners in search of work are
not admitted, except on the condition that they are provided with a
document of identity from a public functionary. From the succeeding
Articles of the same law it appears that foreigners who are not
possessed of any claim for maintenance in Denmark, and are destitute of
the means of subsistence, are to be expelled by the police, and the
method of expulsion is very carefully detailed. Even those who find
employment are constantly under the supervision of the police, and have
pass-books, which, at every change of domicile or of employment, must
be _visé_ by the police as well as by the employers. There can be no
doubt that the severity of the law is very effectual in exterminating
the evil against which it is aimed. On the other hand, it in no way
deters considerable numbers of foreign skilled artisans from seeking
and obtaining employment in Denmark, as any one with any knowledge of
the country would speedily discover. The majority of such foreigners
appear to be Germans.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account