Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-09-16
LEFT FAMILY BEHIND;
WOULD-BE AMERICAN
REJECTED BY COURT
Naturalization Hearing Pre-
sents Scenes That Mingle HUI
NOR and Pathos-Appli-
cants Kindly Treated
sTUMBLERs GET HELP
BY MLIss

BY MLISS
II your wife's gone to the country YOU
may hooray all you please, but II you've
LETT her back IN the old country and
have any aspirations to United states
citizenship. don't try before Judge Nc
Pherson in the United states District
Court with any expectations Of success.
It's easy enough to become a citizen
In the land OF the free and the home OF
the brnve-almost too easy. some might
thlnk-for OF the 200 who made final ap-
pllcatlon today before Judge Mcpherson
only few were turned down. the most
notable exception being timid little
gentleman from sunny Italy. who came
here In 1910 minus his wife and child.
Although he was vouched for by two
substantial-looking citizens. and although
he was Just on the verge OF being ctti-
zen, United States Examiner Shoemaker.
who sits at table and looks fierce. In
terfered.
''where are your wife and child7" he
asked. sepulchrally.
The man trembied. This citizen busl-
ness. which involves the necessity Of a
certain knowledge OF the Constitution, to
say nothing of the whereabouts of ones
wife and offspring, Is a nervous business
for the majority Of the applicants
TOLD TO BRING FAMILY.
Back in de old countra." the man said,
in scarcely intelligible English.
A debate ensued The United States
Examiner and the Judge put their heads
together and the result was dire for the
foreigner.
when you locate your wife and child
and bring them 20 this country" Assist
ont Deputy Clerk Broadbeck said, kindly,
come back"
And the man with disappointed ait,
as II to say what did read that Con-
stitution for?'' skunk away TO let u
swarthy Turk take his place before the
bar
The crowd which congregated In the
District Court this morning to swear al
legiance to the Stars and Stripes was one
Of the largest, and II is doubtful IL ever
before so many crowned heads of Europe
and Asia we're given the glad go-by for
n certain lean and whiskered gentleman,
familiarly known as Uncle Sam.
The sultan of Turkey. the Kaiser. the
Czar. the Kings OF Italy, Great Britain
and Ireland. to say nothing of the po-
tentate of Rumania, whoever he may be,
were all passed up by a motley thronG
of pale foreigners, impehed by various
reasons to seek the protection of the fiag
of one of the few countries that isn't en-
gagged in hacking It's rival countries down
or trying to do.
Despite the comparative ease of the
proceeding, many of the applicants find
II hard to meet the requirements, but the
assistant deputy clerk is kindly man
not averse to helping the stumbling ones
along a bit.
Take, for instance, the case of dark
| ard nervous Russian this morning who
though he declared right vigorously that
hc had read the Constitution and was
well acquainted with its contents, In.
sisted that the President was elected fol-
| term of IS years, and that the proceed
| ing took place at Harrisburg.
HE MEANT WASHINGTON.
'"You mean Washington. don't your
| asked the clerk. .t.u
The Russian oplned that he did and OF
answering the questions, How long doe,
Representative OF the United States
server" and who is the commander
in-chef of the United States army?" cor
rectly, was given the precious white sliT
which permitted him to swear alleganc,
| and walk forth an American citizen.
The swearing of allegiance which con
| cludes the business OF becoming a citizeT
is done In a wholesale fashion. a hal
dozen perturbed and wondering appli
cants holding up their right hands stimuli
| taneously.
Maybe the oath OF allegiance some
times escapes the white mustachios o
the chief clerk and gets to the ears o
those for whom II is intended. but thi
is doubtful With lightning-like rap
!dity, he "spiels" II forth over and owe
again. and the erstwhlle foreigners wer
the sweat from their brows with thei
left hands grateful to get the busines
| over with.
One applicant this morning could no
get it out of his head that the duty o
making war did not devolve upon tn
secretary"
THE secretary doesn't make war;" tn
deputy told him. At first the applican
seemed inclined to argue the matter, bu
seeing the firm look In his inquisitor'
eye. thought 1t best to keep still. Tn
result was that he passed"
About five questions are asked of eac
prospective citizen, varying from "Ho,
long does a Senator server" to "Wher
does Congress stir"
II isn't necessary to answer all OF then
correctly. but despite this fact It's
dificult business for most OF them, a
the little groups of foreigners who 81
out in the anteroom of the court to re
ceive last-minute coaching from thei
| auxioua frienda nrove