The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1915-08-26

armies and fighting under their native
allegiance broke the continuity of resi-
dence for naturalization purposes, and
denied their applications.
Among the approximately fourteen
million foreign alien residents, 1850, 361
are classed as illiterate. These Hitter
ates are the natural prey of the design
ing and scheming foreigners and ma
tives, as well, at every turn. They com
pei them to pay tribute, both in cash
and blood, for every service both real
and imagined, and in the qualification of
their desires. however INSCRIPTIONS or
unnatural
For years, this condition has been
studied by the bureau of naturalization
in its application to the administration
Of the naturalization law. 1T is safe to
state that although eighty-fve thou
sand foreigners have been refused cit
izenship because of mental and moral I'M
fitness, at least that many have been adj
mitted to citizenship, in spite of these
deficiencies, during the period of feder-
al supervision. The courts have been re-
luctant to refuse citizenship to can
didate, even though he be ignorant of
our institutions or Of the privileges con-
ferred upon him. Especially is this so
where there are no facilities offered
by the cities and towns where the petit
TONERS live for overcoming these de-
fects. In many places the public schools
have, under the inspiration of the bu-
reau of naturalization opened their
doors to the foreigner and have taught
him the duties of American citizenship
and, in these places, the courts have
readily responded to the new order Of
things and refused citizenship unless
the candidate could come up to the high
er standard which has been brought
about by the federal supervision. This
system the bureau has tried out for
years and with success in various local
tiles throughout the country. There is
scarcely state in the whole country
that does not have citizenship classes
carried on either by the public schools
or under the direction of private
agencies.
In many localities where there are
hundreds, and indeed thousands, of citi-
zens admitted annually. no cognizance
had been given this important proceed
ing by the general public, municipal
oficialdom, public school or other au-
thorities until brought to their atten-
ton by the representatives of the bu-
reau of naturalization. This was so evil
brought to the attention of the mayor
Of Philadelphia, last winter, the fact
that about four thousand petitions for
naturalization would be heard during
the spring months and, as a result of
this, approximately eight and one-half
thousand new citizens would be made at
that time in the persons of the candi-
dates and their wives and children, born
abroad. This resulted in the first re
ception extended by any municipality
in the United States to it's citizens Of
foreign birth.
This reception was but one of the
activities Of the bureau Of naturaliza-
ion to bring to the attention of the en-
tire ma Ion this most vital activity Of
citizenship. In the press OF the day pre-
ceding the reception, there was publish
ed throughout the United States an an
nouncement of the nationwide move
ment for the education of the resident
alien body through the candidates for
citizenship.
Heretofore the activities Of the
schools have been directed almost
wholly to the candidate for final papers,
while the foreigner possessing his first
papers, or who has declared his inten-
ton Of becoming a citizen at some fu-
ture time, has been largely neglected.
The bureau has recognized, however,
that there has been constant and
steady, though silent, appeal coming an
nually from the hearts of hundreds of
thousands of foreigners holding first
papers, for relief, help, and assistance
to the attainment Of their hopes and de-
sires in this country.
The law permits an alien to declare
his intention who is an illiterate. In
from two years to five he is eligible to
petition for naturalization. During that
period, while the United States holds
the candidate to be on probation, it has
done nothing heretofore to help his
claim except in very meager way.
The bureau of naturalization has been
the only governmental agency which has
extended to him the helping hand. Tt
has now arranged and perfected plans
for the helping hand to be extended to
the nearly half million foreigners
who each year ask for citizenship.
During the last year over three hun
dred thirty-fve thousand foreigners de-.
clared their intention and petitioned for
naturalization. This is the high water
mark since federal supervision. The