The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1915-11-23
GOVERNMENT ASKS
FlEIPINOs' STATUS
. AS TOC|T|zENSHIP
Commissioners Of Naturalization
Inquiries II Local Federal Court
Has Settled Point
.e.-n. e. ( nE--:-sT gthry
ISSUE MAY HAVE BEARING 4
ON CASE or, A JAPANESE
f. ~ . ..---7t%t. Set a7.e
Judges Dole and Clemens Both
Are Deeply Interested In
Washington Query

The fact that there was quite a run
on the local federal court month or
two ago by FiIipinos who declared their
intention Of becoming American .,citi.
Gems has been officially noted in Wash
I1gton, as letter received by Clerk
Foster l.. Davis from Richard K. Camp
bell, commissioner of naturalizations,
dated November 3, will go to show.
Commissioner Campbell says that his
bureau wishes information as TO
whether or not the local federal court
has determined the status of natives
of the Philippines in relation TO their
eligibility to become naturalized eiti-
zens and on this score information sis
asked. ".''
Judge Clemens, who answered Com.
missioner Campbell 8 letter, replied
that only two applications for naturali-
cation had been fled so far, to his
Knowledge, in the local federal court
by Filpinos. That of William Ron.
dong, fled on January 3, 1908, was dis
missed on December 81, 1910, "for
want of prosecution, while that Of
Pauline Natto, filed on July 20, 1909,
was granted on March 4, 1919.
Only One Filipino Naturalized
Whether or not the question raised by
Commissioner Campbell was considered
by the federal judges here when Natto
was ~naturalized as a citizen Judge
Clemens says he does not rec0llect, but
he assures the commissioner that when
the future applications, based on the
declarations Of Filipinos now on Ale,
come up In court the question will be
eanvassed and considered fully.
,, Whether or not Commissioner Camp
bell s query in regard to the status of
Filipnos is feeler with some hidden
bearing on the application Of Takao
Ozawa, a local Japanese who has been
making n strong fight here to prove
that he is eligible to become natural
lied despite the prohibition contained
in the naturalization laws which has
been, held, to bar Japanese, is E. not
known.
Quaker State Decision Received
However, copy of a Pennsylvania
federal court decision on a case, which
Is believed to bear strongly against the
naturalization of any but "free white
persons and aliens of African nativity
md persons of African descent, (which
accompanied Commissioner Campbell 3
letter, was Immediately pounced upon
by Judge Dole and read with much
interest. Judge Dole shortly win hand
down his decision on the Takao Ozawa
case.
v Commissioner Campbell letter Is as
follows:
"'It is noted, on examination of the
fhInIicatp HecIa ratfnns thada I'm vnh p
court during September, last, that there
were twenty one declarants born in the
Philippine Islands. ."
In connection with Rule q Of the
regulations attention is invited to sec
ton 2l69 of the Revised Statutes,
which provides as follows:
The provisions of this title shah
apply to aliens being free white persons
and to aliens Of African nativity and
to persons Of African descent
Question For Courts Only.
"The question of whether said see,
tioh precludes the naturalization of
natives Of the Philippine Islands is, of
course; one which can be authoritative.
Iy determined only by the courts, The
bureau is not advised whether your
court has determined the question, and
for that reason attention is invited to
the inclosed copy of the decision of the
United States District Court at Phila.
delphia in the case of In re Alverto,
1913, Fed 688.
''lt will be appreciated if you will
advise whether your court has consid,
cred the question and if so, what con.
clusion was reached