Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-05-10

government officials from Washington
and the State of Pennsylvania. and
prominent educators throughout the
East. have sgnificd their intention of
accepting the invitation of the Mayor
of Philadelphia. Pa. to he present at
monster meeting TO be held in that
city Tomorrow. The purpose OF this
meeting. for which elaborated prepare
tons have been made, Is to extend a
cordial welcome and hearty congratu-
lations to the 1000 men Of all nation
alities who have recently become Amer
lean citizens through naturalization in
the United states District Court at
Philadelphia, and approximately 5000
wives and children who received ccriva-
tive citizenship.
This is the elimination OF n move
ment promulgated by the Bureau Of
Naturalization of the United States De-
partmcnt of Labor, to which bureau is
intrustcd the administration OF the
naturalization laws. 1t became appar-
cnt to its officers that heroic efforts
were required to relieve the conEcs-
ton in tho Philadelphia courts, where
thousands Of aliens were awaiting an
opportunity to file their petitions for
naturalization, or, as more commonly
known, take out their second papers,
as preliminary to acquiring citizen
ship. In order to accomplish this pur-
pose in the shortest possible time,
lew experienced examiners from tho
Bureau OF Naturalization were ordered
to Philadelphia where, under the direc-
tion Of the deputy commissioner OF
Naturalization. the necessary prclimi-
nary examinations of the aliens and
their witnesses were made and tho
final court hearings conducted. which
resulted in tho admission to citizen
ship Of this splcndidly imposing array
of Sn-born applicants.
OF all this number, il may bc con-
hdcntly stated. the privileges Of citi-
Zcnship were not conferred on "a single
man who did not measure up to the
standard required. Although every Of
fort was made to expedite the cxami-
nation or the applicants and their wit
ncsscs, in no instance was thorough
ness sa crficcd to speed and, as a result,
the United states strengthens it's citi-
zcnship to the extent of the small army
admitted. while the ncwly-rnade citi-
zcns have acquired tho privilege which,
by their conduct and their efforts.
through study, TO familiarizc them
selves with tho principles OF tho gov
eminent and attain other necessary
educational qualifications. they have so
earnestly sought.
Astounding as 1t may seem, the mill
lions OF aliens who have entered Amer
lean ports within the past 100 years,
have never had systematic training to
guide them in exercising the rights and
privileges OF citizenship in democra-
tic form of government.
Comprehensive as is tho educational
system in this country for the ad-
vanccment Of academic, technical and
professional knowledge, yet it does not
furnish the necessary curriculum for
the education of the alien and natural
lied citizens in the subjects of law
civil polity. and economies. Coming as
they do from countries where education
among the lower classes has been sad
~ neglected, and where self govern
ment has ever existed, IL is obvious
that the fundamental principles Of self
government must he Systematically
drilled into the dormant but healthy
minds of these newly franchised pco-
pies.
Such a plan OF education IT is the
intention of the Bureau Of NaturaliZa-
tioE TO perfect and launch. In the ac-
complishment of this purpose the
fruits of almost a decade Of Federal
supervision of the naturalization law
will be shown. This movement. although
stupendous in its scope and comDrehcn-
sivcness, is not being launched with
cut having first been tried out in vari-
Gus parts of the c3uhtry under :he di-
rect supervision Of the officers Of the
bureau OF Naturaii2Gt ton, and with tho
most gratifying roau!ts. For years tue
practice has prevailed Of inducing can.
didates for citizenship to attend the
local public schools in order to train
them in the new responsibilities of that
citizenship which they desire to as
sumo. The candidates who have pre-
sentcd themselves to the naturalizinE
court and have been shown to lack an
understanding even Of the tenets OF our
form of government, have been refused
citizenship until they have first sub
jected themselves to the course of
study prescribed by the local school
authorities. These schools have most
To-. tAI vii r1,f col, n1o
the students have come from the wage
earning masses, and were thereby pre-
cluded from attending ut any other
time. AS they have all been in Tie
adult period of life. ii was also i'm
practicable to expect them to attend
the day courses which necessarily are
devoted entirely TO the training of the
Juvenile mind. The results accom-
plished have shown that the average
alien entering these schools possesses
n strong, active and capable mind.
ready in it's assimilation of the knowl-
edge necessary to ft him, not only
for the duties of citizenship. but bet
ter to overcome the obstacles to the
means of livelihood
Many thousands # not hundreds Of
thousands, are in attendance upon the
night schools established in the mu-
inequalities throughout the United
States but a limited investigation has
disclosed that among those who thus
attend the night SCHOOLS only very
small percentage have sought the
privileges Of American citizenship. In
one of the principal cities during the
past year over $4,000 aliens above the
age Of eighteen years were enrolled i'm
its schools. In the same city approx
mately 10000 residents Of foreign birth
became citizens by naturalization dur
ing the same time, and Of these there
WAS only negligible number found
in the ranks Of those attending the
night schools. A further inquiry dem
onafrafAd that Tiara mna mr. q kinn H., =, a