The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1915-08-26
ALIENS Neutrality-suspicious.
Federal Government Seeks to Make
Citizenship Mean More to Those
Coming from other Countries and De-
mands Better Preparation.

IN Une bureau or NATURALIZATION OF
the department of labor, one of the
greatest, most extensive and potential
pieces of constructive administrative
work has been going on for almost a de-
cade, without attracting any particular
attention on the part of the general
public. This work has its foundations
in the very vitals of the national fabric
and consists in the work Of making cit
liens out of the raw material of the res
tdent foreigner who has been coming
80 this country from all Of the nations
of Europe ever since it's discovery, and
in vast and increasing numbers during
the past three generations.
The making Of citizen, in 50 far as
the requirements of the law are con-
cerned, is no difficult matter but to make
a citizen in spirit, sympathy, and 10y
atty, one imbued with all Of the essen
tials of the love Of country, is vastly
different matter. For over century
the nation quietly and persistently slept
upon this most important duty and per.
mitted anyone, even the most unscrup-
ulous, to violate the naturalization laws
and to add hundreds of thousands annu-
ally to the enjoyment Of the privileges
OF the franchise, the holding Of office,
and all of the other rights, held in an
cient Rome to be sacred to the natural
born citizen.
Congress, however, was aroused by the
report of the commissioners Of natural
ization, appointed by the president, and
on juno 20, 1905, passed the current
naturalization law. By this law, all Of
the courts, both state and federal, and
the officials of these courts, in their
ministerial relationship, were placed
under the supervision of the United
States government. This administra-
tive authority rests with the bureau Of
naturalization of the department Of la
Dor.
With the creation of this federal con-
troll, all of the laWlessness ceased, ex-
cept in some sporadic cases which arise
because of the ignorance of some par
ticular candidate for citizenship, his in
born fear of the government and the
law, which make him the prey Of the
unprincipled, willing to win few dol
lars by quick rather than honest meth
DDS.
Almost two and one-half million for
eigners have asked for citizenship dur
ing the first eight and three-fourth years
of federal supervision of the naturaliza-
ton law. Almost one and three-quarter
million of these have declared their in
tention, or taken out their first papers.
Something over three-quarters of mil
lion have asked for final papers, and, Of
these, about six hundred fifty thousand
have been admitted to citizenship dur
ing that time.
During the same time, there have
been upwards of eighty-fve thousand
foreigners who have been refused admis-
sion to citizenship. Over one-half Of
these have been denied because Of men
tai and moral unftness. The bureau
has kept close supervision over this
phase of its work and as early as 1907,
through it's activities, the public mind
was directed to the necessity for pro-
viding some means to enable these un-
fortunate candidates from the vast
f)reign populace not only to accomplish
the act of admission to citizenship, but
to equip them better to carry on the
daily fight for their livelihood. For it
is among these that the fight for their
existence is carried on under the most
adverse circumstances.
While the above figures indicate a
large number among the foreign element
of this country coming forward for cit
azenship, the number does not appear
relatively very large when it is known
that in 1910 there were nearly fourteen
million foreigners in this country, that
of this number nine million were not
citizens, and that the foreign body has
been increased nearly one million an.
rually since then, By far the larger
portion of the foreign residents of this
country have retained their allegiance
to the sovereignty of their birth. Re-
Gently, reports in the public press have
shown many of these are ready to re-
spond to the behest of these sovereign.
ties. 1t is well known that large mum.
bers returned Immediately upon the call
of the country of their nativity, leaving
the ties, personal, family, industrial, and
others which have grown up in this
country, for the stronger call Of allie
glance to the foreign sovereignty. This
was the case prior to the great war OF
Europe, in the lesser wars among the
Balkan States. Many have gone back
to the old countries who have declared
their intention. Some of these after
wards returned to this country and pre-
scented themselves before the courts Of