The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-07-08
THE HANFoRD CASE.

There is a great deal of interest
being taken in the investigation of U.
s. Judge Hanford of Seattle, who re-
fused a socialist acknowledgements
the latter perjured himself.
a number Of ranting socialists have
taken occasion to make this a nation
~ affair. The following temperate
and explanatory editorial from The
Seattle Post-Intelligencer is of es-
peeiRl interest:
Here and elsewhere in the country
there seems to be a general misunder-
standing Of the facts upon which
Judge G. H. Hanford, of the United
States circuit court, turned the de-
cision in the case Of Leonard OLSON.
Clsson's certificate of citizenship was
Cancelled on the ground that he COM
mttted a fraud upon the court when
he obtained II, and not because of any
opinions or beliefs he may or may not
hold with respect to any abstract or
practical economic or political theo-
ries. OLSON swore to one thing when
he sought to become a citizen, and
later, as witness in another natural
izat5on case, swore to a thing directly
and vitality contrary to his previous
oath. In legal contemplation Judge
Hanford regarded such conduct az a
fraud upon the court, a fraud of the
kind denounced by congress in an act
which authorizes the cancellation of
citizenship papers on proper proof of
such fraud.
Socialism per Sc. scientific or Utopi-
an, had no more to do with the Han
ford decision In Oisson's case than
the ancient law Of tithes. Socialism
WAS a mere incident of the proof, and
much of the misunderstanding of the
decision in this case is due to the fact
that Judge Hanford traversed this
part OF the record of the testimony
wherl he rendered the decision cancel
Ing Olsson's citizenship certificate.
The bald facts in the OLSON record
ere these: OLSON filed a petition for
naturalization. Sept. 81, 1909; OLSON
was admitted to citizenship Jan. Ia.
1910, ON which date he swore. in obedi-
encs to law, hat he was attached TO
the principles of the constitution of
the United States; on Sept. IL. 1910,
Oleson, appearing az a witness for
Carl Olsen, who also sought naturaU-
cation, swore, according to an am
devit filed in support of the govern
ment's petition to cancel his citizen
ship certificate, that che was not at
tached to h principles of the consti-
tuition OF the United States: that he
pB3ISVeQ IN RADICALLY hangin IT."
and that he had maintained such a
view for a period of between two and
three years at the time he. the said
Leonard OLSON, was admitted to be-
come a citizen Of the United States
If OLSON was not attached to the
principles of the constitution of the
United States" on Sept, IL, 1910, and
had entertained the same view for "a
period of betweeA two and three
years" prior to Jan. 10, 1910. when he
was admitted to citizenship on a
sworn statement that he was ATTACH
ed to the principles of the constitu-
tion Of the United States" Judge
Hartford concluded that he had COM
r1itted a fraud OF SUFFICIENT gravity to
warrant him in canoeing his citizen
ship certificate. The ~FIanford decree
Ia 0Igson's a rests wholly upon the
point that Olsson had Illegally and
ffaudulent1y procured his citizenship
papers by false swearing In the man
ner indicated.
Undoubtedly part Of the general
misunderstanding OF the case is due
tc the fact that Judge Hanford. in rem
daring his decision, traversed part OF
CIsHon'g testimony In the cancellation
proceedings. particularly the part
which developed the fact that OLSON
ig q socialist. OLSON is not an an
Archist; he ewore that he believes in
organized government; but, according
ia The Hanford decision. he is not in