The Washington times., 1916-01-09
Schools Help to Draw
Aliens to CitiSenship
Institutions in 500 Cities Being Used by Naturaliza-
ton Bureau to Bring Applicants Up to Re-
quired Standard Of Lteracy.
BY JUDSON c. WELLIVER.

The public school authorities of over
500 cities in the country now are active
ly cooperating with the Federal Bu-
reau of Naturalization In the effort to
take the hyphen out Of the hyphenated
citizens, and mako citizens out of the
thirteen million aliens resident in this
country.
In the few years since effort has been
directed to organize systematically the
business of naturalization, 1t has been
discovered that the task is herculean.
When aliens are resident in cities 1t is
possible to open an avenue of approach
to them through the schools. When
they are resident in the open country,
1t is much more difficult. though some
success has attended efforts to reach
them through the county superintend-
ents OF schools.
Nevertheless, the public schools are
the chief instrument sought to be uti-
izcd in drawing the alien millions to
citizenship. There Is every reason to
believe that in the near future this
function OF the schools will be recog-
nized as one of the most important.
Massachusetts AS Model.
Massachusetts, whose advanced laws
in so many regards have Leen made
models for the legislation Of the nation
and of other States. Is being made the
mentor in this regard. Massachusetts,
has worked out a definition OF illiteracy
that is to be applied by the Bureau of
Naturalization in its work. In the Bay
State. an illiterate is a person who can
to No aIn inn IL
standard of the fourth grade in the
public schools. That means that he
must have a reasonable knowledge OF
English, and be able to read and write
Il up to the standards OF the fourth
grade examinations. and to spell anI
manage arithmetic to the same degree.
This Massachusetts definition is regard
ed by the Bureau of Naturalization AS
the sanest and most practical that has
been set in this country; ana 1t Is the
aim of the bureau to make I the stand
ard in naturalization work.
Persons who cannot measure up TO
this minimum intellectual requirement
will be regarded as illiterate and there
fore not qualified for citizenship Some
modification of the Massachusetts basis
will be necessary in order TO provide,
also "A test of understanding OF Amrri-
can Governmental ideals; for this tn
tire test must be prcdiCat"d on the AS
sumption that ii represents the require
ment that candidate for citizenship
shall be devoted to the principles of the
Constitution. 1t is believed, on the basis
of experience thus far, that II this test
can be given universal aOpliCatio ;he
naturalized citizen will have learnc
enough about American 'r@tltutions be-
fore being given his citizenship. TO in
sure that thereafter he will be sincere
ly Interested in and devoted to, the
ideals OF the Government upder whicn
he lives. Moreover, the man who
achieves this much of elementary edI-
cation is almost certain to expand his
range Of intelligence through reading
In short, it is believed :hat citizenship
gained through this process VIII he real
citizenship.
Working Out Method.
The method by which aliens are Ia
be brought up to this educational stan
dard is fast being worked out. Soon
after the application of the new law
caused the naturalization inspectors 10
begin objecting to candidates tor ciu'
zenship, a hue and cry began to &c
I'D from different sections where they
lad been working. Rejected candl'