Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1915-06-16
BIG RUSH yOIt CITl7FN4 4uIp.
increase i@rgc~-.-S5ul,Ing uG iusi,a.
min Suu" 20 Naturalization.


orus OF the naturalization bureaus
SHOW an unprecedented increase in
the number of Germans who have
applied for citizenship papers and
have also taken out their final pa
pers in New York City. In COM
parison with the same period Of
1914 the increase is more than 100
per cent in the bureau of the Su-
preme Court of the State of New
York, and more than 800 per cent
in the Federal bureau for the South
ern District of New York, in charge
Of Capt. C. A. Weiser, commissioner
for the district. The rush to be-
come citizens is more noticeable
among Germans than those of other
nationaLities.
The rush to obtain first papers by
Germans was made evident in the
week Immediately following the
sinking Of the Lusitania. From May
l to May II the records of the Fed
eral bureau show that SO Germans
applied for first papers. During the
same week Of 1914 the number was
20. In the Supreme Court bureau
this number was 6S against 32 last
year. At the same bureau the num-
ber of Germans who got their final
papers was 13, as compared with 8
for the same period of last year.
For Personal Security.
Officials of the bureaus think that
the abnormal increase in the num-
ber OF Germans applying was due to
feeling that they might be sub
jected TO attacks like those made in
England on Germans who failed to
become naturaliZed British. sub jects.
should the relations between Ger
many and the United States become
more acute. Some Of the officials be-
lieve that the manner of the sinking
Of the Lustania brought on a sense
Of resentment which impelled many
Germans Of this city who heretofore
failed to apply for naturalizatiin to
do so at this time.
An analysis Of the Federal records
diScloseS that in the past five years
only per cent of Germans have
applied for citizenship. Prominent
Germans profess to see in the in
creased number Of applications an
earnest desire on the part Of Ger
mans to take a more active part in
civic affairs.
But the greater number of appl-
cants for citizenship continue now,
as in the past, to come from Russian,
Austrian and Roumanian Jews, with
Italians next. In the week Of May
1910 10S natives Of Russia asked
for citizenship papers, as against
lO3 last year. The number of Rus
slams applying for final papers shows
n decrease from &C last year to sc
this year for the same week. Aus
tro-Hungarians +eeking first papers
increased from - last year to 90
this, and from 80 to At in quest Of
final papers.
The Irish maintain an increase in
applications for both first and final
papers. In the week of May 9-15
of last year 49 irishmen obtained
first papers, compared with So this
year, while the number who OBJ
tanned final papers increased from
22 last year to &c this.
At the Federal bureau the num-
Der Of Irish who were given their
first papers increased from 10 last
year to 33 this year, an increase of
more than 70 per cent. At both bu-
reaus percentage of the applicants
were women Of Irish birth.
Italians who registered at the
Federal bureau this year numbered
SO, as against 80 last year, and at
the Supreme Court bureau 76 as
against 60 for the same week in May
of 1914. Final papers were given
to % Italians, as compared with IS
last year, an increase of more than
80 per cent.
English Show Decrease.
The only nationality showing
decrease in the number Of applicants
for first papers is the English. At
the Supreme Court bureau the fig
ures were Is for 1914 and 8 this
year. At the Federal bureau there
was an increase from 2 TO 13 this
year. Last year two Englshmen OBJ
tanned their final papers at the Su-
year.