The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1909-06-24
Judge Belden Refuses To Receive
as Citizens Aliens Who Had
Violated the Law
MEN ADMIT SHORTCOMINGS
Court Holds That the Law Strictly For
bids Them Being Received as
Citizens Under the Evi-
dence as Received

JuQg6 BelQen IN the Circuit court
here Tuesday handed down two
decisions denying citizenship to Franc
Ambroz and George Balazs which will
be of state wide interest and which
establishes firm rule in regard to
the admission of aliens to citizenship
when the aliens are engaged in the
saloon business and openly violate the
laws of the city and state. Both of
the men were refused admission to full
citizenship on the petition of Carl f.
Booster, United States naturalization
examiner, and under the ruling of the
department they must wait FIVE years
before they may make a new petition
for their second papers,
Both of the men are now engaged
in the saloon business in Kenosha and
both are seeking license for a new
year. These applications may not be
considered by the Common Council
under the ruling of the court as the
law provides that licenses may be Is
sued only to citizens. The decision of
the court is based on the statements
made by the men themselves while on
the witness stand and both men ad-
mitted violating the law knowingly
and gave as their defense that they
knew that the law was violated by
other men in Kenosha. The decision
of the court in the Ambroz matter is
the most important decision along
this line to be written by any Wis
consin judge and this is the first time
that this question of naturalization
has been met fairly and squarely. 1t
will be of intense interest to every
alien in the state who plans to engage
in the saloon business.
In denying citizenship to Ambroz,
Judge Belden said:
cit appears from the testimony
of this petitioner and both his wit
nesses that the petitioner has been in
the saloon business during the two
years last past and that it has been
his custom during all of that time to
keep the back door of his saloon open
and sell liquors to customers on Sun
days. The petitioner testifes he knew
this was violation of law. These
upon the government objects to the
petitioner being admitted to citizen
ship.
In order that a man may be admit
ted to citizenship in the United States
it must appear to the satisfaction of
the Court, among other things, that
Immediately preceding the date of his
application he has resided continuous
ly within the United States five years
at least, and within the state or terri
tory where such court is at the time
held one year at least, and that during
that time he has~behaved as man of
good moral character, attached to the
principles of the Constitution of the
United States, and well disposed to the
good order and happiness Of the same
"These requirements are not met in
this case. The testimony is positive
and undisputed that during at least
two years this petitioner has knowing
ly and continuously violated the law.
Under such conditions no court can
find that he has behaved as a man
of good moral character, attached to
the principles of the Constitution of
the United States, and well disposed
to the good order and happiness of the
same
''That other saloon keepers may like
wise violate the law, or that such vio-
lations of law be the universal custom
in Kenosha, if that be the fact, as
testified, or that such violations Of the
law seem unknown to or are overlooked
by public officials, is not an extenua-
ting circumstance in this case. The
duty of the court is plain under the
facts proven.
s'In addition to the aforesaid rea-
sons, the petitioner is wanting in rea-
sonable comprehension of the scheme,
character and functions of the govern
ment OF the United States and has lit
tie understanding of the English
language.
.1The court is of the opinion that
the petitioner has not shown himself
entitled to be admitted to citizenship
and for the reasons stated the obiec-
ton by the government is sustained
and the petition refused ard dismissed.