New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-07-08
GRAFT IN NATURALIZATION
Congressional Committee Hears
That Aliens Are Mu|cted.
TROUBLE FOR IMMIGRANTS
Witness Says Only 80 Per Cent
of Ali Who Take Out First
Papers Become Citizens.

Testimony was adduced yesterday before
the Congressional committee which is in
yestigatins the system OF issuing natural
cation pspers in this city that tended TO
show that some persons and at least one
organization were mulcting aliens for sup
posed services in connection with their be-
coming citizens.
The witness who told about this alleged
extortion was Louis Belkowttz, secretary
of the Naturalization Aid League. lie salo
that some of those who hold up the I'M
/ knowing immigrant who seeks citizenship
are lawyers. while others masquerade as
lawyers Belkowitz mentioned one case IN
which an organization in business sup
posedly to facilitate the path of the pros
pective citizen demanded SIS for making
out a citizenship blank and 81 extra for
services. On hearing this story Congress
man Bennett, chairman of the committee,
asked BeIkowitz
Can you give us the name of the man
you say was charged s19 by an organiza-
ton to which he applied to help him In
taking out papers?'
The witness could not recall the name
of the man or the organization, but went
on to tell of the trouble which applicants
for citizenship have before they obtain
their final papers
Alberti Pecrini, managing director of the
Italian-American Civic League, said that
not more than 80 per cent Of the men who
take out first papers take out their final
papers because of the difficulty they have
in getting them.
The principal witness of the day was
Presiding Justice Ingraham of the Appel
late Division of the Supreme Court He
Z hi a tO that NAV be
adopted to correct the evils complained of.
He said that he was anxious to aid in re-
lieving the present conditions. although the
matter of naturalization was a subject of
federal concern and not of the state. In
/ explaining why the justices of the Su-
preme Court could not spare the necessary
time to naturalization cases from their
other court work, Justice Ingraham said
the justices worked harder than any in
the country. for nowhere, he said, did Su-
preme Court justices sit for nine months in
the year. AS TO the duties of the justices,
he said:
Some time ago 1 was approached on this
question by officials from Washington, and
l then consulted with number of New
York County justices of the Supreme Court
as to the possibility of increasing the time
devoted by the Supreme Court to naturali-
cation business. 1t was the unanimous
opinion of those with whom 1 talked that
ii was the duty of the justices of the ST.
preme Court to pay strict attention to the
business of the state-that that was what
they were elected for. 1t was their unani-
nous belief that it was not possible to
double the number of days devoted 10
naturalization nor to assign judge espe-
cially TO handle naturalization business
without increasing the number of trial
cases in arrears. Some of these are now q
year and a half behind
Justice Ingraham went on to say that the
business of Part II, Special Term, where
the naturalization cases are handled, has
grown so much in the last ten years that
it takes the entire time of the justice that
prosides over that part. He added that
when the court takes up naturalizatio
business other business has to be post
poned, which amounts almost to denial
OF Justice
Congressman Bennett told Justice Ingra-
ham that Justices Lehman and Blur had
volunteered to sit through September to
ha ndle only naturalization cases, and the
Congressman asked whether there would
be any objection in SO assigning them.
None in the least replied Justice In
than willing. 1 have never been able TO
fine them. Just give me their names and
will make out the assignment within TWEEN
ty-fcur hours"
Chairman Bennett said that this would
enable the Supreme Court TO catch up
with the $500 naturalization cases now in
arrears.
Justice Ingraham suggested as an i'm
rrCvement on the present system that the
federal government name a commissioner
of naturalization, whose duty 1t would he
70 help out with the issuance of naturaliza-
ton papers in cities Of the country where
it was impossible for the federal courts
To keep up with the number of applica
items.
1T would not require a trained judge for
the work. he explained. "A good business
mai with common sense could handle all
the small technicalities and details which
would need to be handled"
The committee announced that they
would probably resume the hearing of tes-
timony within few days.
HTuC MANI ih(u0 c0ItEht G"