New-York tribune., 1909-07-26
MAKE FEW AMERICANS
COTTRTS BADLY SUAuPED.
Citizens Unions Naturalization
Scheme No Easy One.

II the Citizens Union expects to do any effective
through the bureau II has recently estaoshe'
20 gat Italians 10 become naturalz1d. the Union
specially appointed agents for this work will haze
10 get ~ carly. Perhaps indeed. u will be founh
advisable for the agents to stay Up all nlsht foI
II there is any place in the city just now wheTe
the early bird catches the worm II Is at the nat
uralization bureaus attached the federal courts
In the Postoffce Building.
The Unions difficulties not due primarily 10
anv pcrnIcIors activity among the aliens by Tam
many district leaders. Tammany itself would nnd
extensive naturalization hard job.
As a matter of fact there too many hundreds
Of aliens now in New York Count, who OF their
own votion want to become citizens. and who have
found the process Of getting their papers mighty
tedious one. owing to the Iaxness o. indifference
OF a Congress which failed to appropriate enough
money to enable the naturalization bureaus TO 30
their work effectively there are employed In the
bureaus attached the United States Circuit Court
and the United States District Court Just two clerks
apiece.
In the United States Circuit Court IT is physically
impossible for the two clerks working together TO
receive and enter applications from more than
thirty aliens day In the bureau attached to the
United States District Court two men working to-
gether can examine each day not more than fifteen
candidates for citizenship
The great majority OF final papers issued to per
sons of foreign birth in this county come through
the District Court. and the number the clerks can
take Of between row and election time. there
fore. is necessarily limited.
Under the naturalization act passed three years
ago court must collect 6C00 In fees before addi-
tional allowance IS made for clerical hire Half
of this 5000 goes to the Department OF Commerce
and Labor In Washington. the remainder going 10
defray the expenses OF the work of naturalization
with the passage of the new law the great bulk OF
the work Of naturalization has been thrown on
the federal courts. for the state courts no longer
find each citizenship paper a direct source OF
income.
So many OF the aliens in their eagerness 70 De
come citizens have lost money and time from their
employment dav after day seeking gain adnis-
sion that they go to the Postofice building
many hours before the time for the opening Of the
naturalization bureau II Is no uncommon sight 10
see "A group Of from half a dozen to ten men sit
ting on soap boxes which they bring with them on
the Park Row side OF the Postofffce early as
o'clock in the evening. though the naturalization
bureau does not open until the next morning
one night last week venerable looking rabbi
who gave his age sevenIy-one arrived at the
Postoffice building a few minutes after midnight.
He had already been 10 the building more than half
a dozen times. and though it Saturday the old
decided 10 put aside his scruples as TO neglect
Ing Sabbath In the nope of at last getting his
papers. AT that he found an Englishman at
the post who had been there three hours in his
ga gerness to get chance to forswear his al
Iesiance to King Edward
After the rabbi Irishman. then two
Canadians and italian. The half dozen We're
engaged in an animated conversation at O'Clock.
and at 10 they ALL with the exception of the rabbi
left the naturalization bureau for a breakfast to-
gether By o'clock that morning there We're more
than a hundred in line seventy OF whom at
least were compelled to 90 away unsuccessful.
In the United States District Court where the
antecedents Of all candidates must be Investigated
as thoroughly as in the Circuit Court, and where
there is the additional labor Of inspecting the first
papers Of the applicants. conditions even worse
Some relief may be expected if Congress votes the
appropriatiou OF 81 000 in the urgent deficiency bill
To provide clerical force for naturaliza-
tiun work At present, however. with only tWp
Gle In !
for the issue enough papers TO bring the
total Of fees to over 5000 and insure the en-
plnymeut OF more help.
Incidentally. speaking of the proposed work OF
the Citizens Tnion II be mentioned that for
the last two years Grace Church has had a class
whose special object has been the instruction o.