The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-26
PLAN 10 TEACH IMMIGRANTS
lHE HIGHER AMERICANISN

new campaign Is Delng ltlt III every
n,r, Of the Union where there is an
Men born population.
The extent Of the undertaking will
\. realized when il Is understood that
(, the eight and three-quarters years
n which there has been Federal super
\ ,islon Of the naturalization laws al
most $500 900 foreigners asked for citi.-
,,nship. Three hundred and fifty
thousand declared their intentions last
YEAR alone. Of the $500, 900 applica-
tons made in the eight and three
quarters years $4,000 have been de-
ned. while final papers have been is
sued to $50 600 applicants. The other
ases are pending.
But the issuance OF final papers to
$4,000 means the creation Of many
more citizens than that. The n~aturali-
alion II the father also carries with
L the naturalization of the minor chill
iren. Immigrant families are not
snail,
The census of 1910 showed nearly
1900 00 foreigners IN tSis country,
and nearly 1000, 900 a year have been
added since. OF the $4,000. 900, 9,00O,-
100 were not citizens.
Time was when citizenship was Easy
10 obtain. Courts. in the periods pre-
rsding elections, were transformed into
yer!,sble naturalization mills. The az
sninations were p~erfunctory; in blocks
q dozens the aliens stood up and swore
that they were attached To the prin-
cples Of the American Constitution"
and the statement was regarded as
~slflciegt evidence OF the fitness OF the
applicants.
change has come. Back in 1905 the
naturalization of aliens had become
little short ot a national scandal.
Courts, state and Federal, throughou.
The country. had varying methods OF
naturalization. or no method at all.
The President thereupon appointed n
commission To make inquiry into the
subject and to draft a law designed to
cure existing evils.
This commission consisted of NJ. d.,
Purdy. Assistant Acknowledgement:
Richard h. Campbell, then attorney
for the immigration bureau in the De-
partment OF Commerce and Labor.
and Gaillard Hunt OF the Department
Of state. The law drafted by these
gentlemen. with sone notifications,
was enacted by Congress June 20.
1905, and is the naturalization law Of
to-day. Under it all of the courts,
both state and Federal. and the Off
Gals of these courts, in their minis
terial relations. are placed under the
supervision Of the Federal Govern
nent.
The division of naturalization, with
Nr Campbell AT its head, was created
IN the Department of Commerce and
Labor. Subsequently in 1913. on the
Geat.on 81 the Department Of Labor,
MS division was raised to a bureau OF
he new Department. and Mr.. Camp
! bell continued at its head as Commits
s!oner Of Naturalization.
Federal supervision Immediately
produced uniformity of practice, and
results were shown almost at once in
keeping out OF citizenship the undesir-
able and those who could not clearly
prove their fitness. 80 far az the tests
prescribed by the law were con-
cerned. But this was not enough. To
quote from a recent publication by the
bureau Of naturalization:
The making Of "A citizen. in NJ far
as the requirements of the law are
concerned. is no difficult matter. but
10 make a citizen in spirit. sympathy
and loyalty, one imhued with all of
the essentials of love of country, Is a
vastly different matter"
And il Is this vastly different mat
ter upOn which the bureau Is now
Concentrating its efforts.
The reason il not hard to find. 1t
Hes in the ideals of two men, each
representing "A distinct type of good
citizen, the two types in their origin
being far apart, but closely united in
the thought of making good citizens.
One IS Secretary William Il. Wilson
OF the Department Of Labor, N OF
the two foreign born members of the
Cabinet, who in his boyhood was a
poor immigrant boy, coming here from
! Scotland. The other is the head of
the bureau, Commissioner Richard h.
Campbell, Il member of an ancient Nir-
|. gInia family, born in the Old Domin-
4 on, reared to early manhood in New
York and receiving his professional
training in Maryland. Out of the as
ISOLATION of these two men has come
the present campaign for educating
the alien in citizenship.
Under the naturalization act" said
Commissioner Campbell, in explaining
The plans for the campaign, this bu-
reau has general authority to super
vse all matters relating TO naturali-
ntion, If any one wants TO take a
narrow view in constituting h a he can
assert that IL means all matters en-
pressly mentioned in the legislation.
But il Is evident. II the higher SER
wee is 20 be- rendered, something more
must be done in addition merely to
letting in those who comply with the
letter OF the law and shutting out
those who do not.
This bureau stands at the fountain
head from which flow the waters or
new citizenship and so standing II
must gee to it that the flow Is pure
and wholesome and that no impurities
which might pollute the stream are
permitted 20 pass through.
THE courts, with the assistance OF
'h'S bureau, can grant or deny citizen
shlp. What the courts cannot do IL
10 give any assurance that the mar
WHO Vas received his certificate OF cit
izenshup will he a good citizen.
Secretary Wilson, a man who n
10 train himself In citizenship, Is the
hrSt Secretary we have had to see how
vital a part the element OF training
ss!s in the making OF a good citizen,
T. my delight he suggested that we
tax" up this matter OF training. Hence