The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-12-29
SOME ODDITIES OF
 NATURALIZATION Human Nature As Seen By Im-
 migration Club QUICK IRISH HUMOR Hebrew cefulness-Graftinq As It Used To Be Done-Well A-
 Educated and Dressed
 Officials.
 
QUICK IRISH HUMoR

nature can find no better place for the purpose than the United States Nat uralization Bureau in this city. Before the desk of Chief Clerk Donovan, who has started more foreigners on the road to citizenship than any other per sof in the United States. files a line which for variety of coloring, nation ality and character is nothing short of kaleidoscope.
 The English. French. Irish, Scandl- navian German Italian. Russian, Pole, Hungarian. Turk and Persian are all there fresh with the flavor of their native soil and with the national and local traits peculiar to each. The Rus sian is bysfar' the most numerous, the Irish the most amusing and witty. The others furnish variety and prevent Clerk Donovan's tas six from becoming at any time monotonous.
 In narrating incidents he has ob- served Clerk Donovan said that very few lrishmen are ignorant of the re- quirenents incident to citizenship. On the contrary the majority seek infor- nation on the subject shortly after landing. But while they are not al- ways ignorant when applying for pa pers, it is just as true that they are not always sober.
 A pair of merry Hibernians wandered into the clerks presence. They an- nounced that they were prepared to re- nounce King Edward or anybody else and if there was any swearing to be done just say the word and they'd make the devil look like billed owl"
 The case was hopeless. Neither man knew whether he was a subject of the English king or the Khan of Kamchat- ka, and allegiance was thing they were prepared to render unto any body. The clerk took them aside and after considerable moral suasion suc- ceeded in getting them out promising to give them their papers in the morn ing if they would come to the office with clear heads. They came all right and were properly cared for.
 There is no race that displays it's characteristics more openly than tho Hebrew. A prosperous looking Hebrew having applied for papers and been told that fee of $1 was due. drew off the fur-lined coat he was wearing and begged that it be taken in pledge while he went out to get a check 
 he hurriedly left the office.
 Tn a few minutes he returned with the $1, but no overcoat. It was a cold day and Clerk Donovan wasScurious to know what had become of the coat.
 "I Hook ed it on Park Row" explained the resourcefu1 son of Abraham. You sec" he added, my home and business are in Harlem and I must have my pa pers today. As for the coat can get that any old day"
 He evidently decided that the check could wait too, so he said nothing more about it.
 At another time a Hebrew wanted to leave his watch and still another a dia- mond ring as security for the fee of s1. But the most characteristic move of all was that made by a Hebrew who, when he was about to hand over the necessary fee, received a sudden inspi- ration.
 'Meester," said he, T haf only ninety tree cent. VIII it dor
 "No, sir" replied the clerk. This government is conducting no bargain counter. One dollar, not a cent more nor less" whereupon the applicant drew from his pocket the remaining seven cents, one by one, and paid with sigh
 "what is your occupation?" asked the clerk Of a bronzed son of Italy.
 "A Teddy bear" was the quick and astonishing reply.
 The same question was put to an Irishman, and he replied T am mar ried" in a tone that implied 1t was oc- cupation enough. Another said he was A chaser. but was at a loss to explain what chaser was. /
 What advantage have you here that YOU didn't have in the old country" a native of Bohemia was asked.
 "I can vote for Teddy Rosenfeld, he answered with a smile Of beati- tude
 When the new naturalization law went Into operation and few or the old guard grafters were still on the iob a clever Italian buttonholed one or bis countrvmen in the corridor and taLiny him into a room temporarily unoccupied made the unsophisticated one raise his right hand and proceeded to administer the oath to him. lie ex- acted s2 for this service and told his victim to return next day for his pa. pers. .p ' When the man came down the next morning and told the clerk what hao hannened the latter went with him 10 tha room indicated. It happened to be the grand jury room, and as chance would have it the jurors were there
 
 assembled. .ha Ita1
 To the clerks astonishment the itai- ion grew excited and pointed out one of the jurors as the guilty man anu was for seizing him on the spot. It was with difficulty that Donovan succeeu- cd in pacfying the man ana cohVlhc- inc him that he had made mistake'
 There seems to be an impression that
 ,, aa,didates for citizenship are out at aibows and able to speak English with tha preatest difficulty. That this IS moi so is proved every day by the num- Ter of applicants who are both well dressed and well educated.
 short time ago an Italian gentle ,,,an of leisure. who said with the ,,,,rast of accent that he was native pt Rome explained that he was so anxious to become an American citi- zen that upon leaving the snip ne nau gone straight to his financial agent and requested to be conoucteu lo '4 naturalization bureau. Tn ahswe ~ the.usual questions 1t was prousn. ~ light that he was man or means an. that his family was coming o'el soon as he secured suitaoie dence. He said that he hao s'uuieu the people of the world and had co'e to the conclusion that this country w1 the most desirable nation Of them ail.
 A Persian of the same class upon being interrogated as to his 1u,ure marked: "I shall now go pach noo for my. wife and children ana SHOW eno shah's minister the great Amelic"n nassport, He will tremble so az | at