Pumps' Perplexities

The SS Duchess was an olde inter coastal steam ship built
in the 1920's for the purpose of transporting a large group
of people on "river voyage outings"......In the 80' it still
had a working, steam engine, power plant and was owned
by a "consortium" in hopes of still making a little money......
It "plied" the waters of New York City harbor and its
Hudson and East Rivers......

This olde "tub" was a charter vehicle......A broker would hire
the boat, sell 2,000 tickets and off passengers and crew went
for a "day trip"......On board food and drink was provided
to "bestow happiness".......

If, for any reason, anything went wrong.....(A loss of A/C
electrical power - for band instruments) or perhaps (over-
selling of 2,500 tickets - which conficted with Coast Guard
regulations), the worst in humanity was visible........

All of a sudden it was not a problem with 20 people, it was
a problem with 2,000......In number there was strength
and therefore a bigger problem.......

The problem today with US immigration policy, is like
the SS Duchess......It is the numbers of people involved,
not the social situation.......20 immigrants in a town
may not be a problem, 2,000 can be.......

PS: The SS Duchess in now at a permanent dock and part
of the NY City correction facility.....It is a jail......Pumps