Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-03-02
EXAMINES ALIENS
FOR CITIZENSHIP
United States Naturalization
Examiner Gurnett Is in City
to Probe Records.
ALL MUST BE QUALIFIED

United States Naturalization Elk.
aminer ]. NJ. Gurnett, of the bureau
OF naturalization OF the federal gov
enment, is in the city conducting a
personal examination in the Federal
building OF all aliens whose applica-
tious for citizenship Second papers)
in Douglas county, will mature for
hearing in the Douglas county dis
trist court on May 7, next. Upwards
of 100 applicants will be examined
as to their fitness to become citizens
OF the United States during the next
few days.
Since the breaking off of diplomatic
relations with Germany, there has
BEEN tremendous increase in appli-
cations for citizenship throughout the
country, Mr.. Gurnett states. Many OF
these aliens have the erroneous i'm
preston that all they have to do to
become citizens is to go to the Office
of the clerk OF court, file their appli-
cations, and become citizens without
taking further steps. Such is not the
case. The federal naturalization law
requires that all petitions for naturali-
cation must be on file at least ninety
days before any court can exercise
the authority of hearing them. Fur
thermore, naturalization hearings in
court can be had only on certain days.
agreeable both to the government and
the court.
Four Hearing Days.
There are four naturalization hear
ing days at Omaha each year, namely,
the first Monday OF February, May,
August and November. As the ninety
days required by law to elapse be-
tween the date of the filing O. appli-
cations in the clerks Office and their
hearing in court will not have passed
by May 7, next, all those who have
filed applications for their second
papers since the break with Germany
will not have hearing on their appli.
cations until the first Monday in Au.
gust, next. All those whose applica-
tions were on file not later than Feb
ruary 5, will get hearing on May z,
next, and will be made raturalized
citizens Of the United States provided
they have been found, upon investiga-
ton by the government, to be quail
fed in every way to become citizens.
Each Man Must Qaulify.
Before the hearing in court Of ap-
plications for citizenship, the field
force OF the bureau OF naturalization
conducts an investigation into the
case OF each applicant, Mr.. Gurnett
states. In addition to having lived in
the United States for more than FIVE
years continuously Immediately pre-
ceeding the application and to prov
ing BY at least two American citizens
his good moral character and resi-
dence for the time he has lived in the
United States, the applicant must be
able to speak the English language
and to show that he is thoroughly
familiar with the principles of the
constitution of the United States and
hat he is attached to those principles
md is willing to surrender, without
reservation, any foreign title or al
cgiance he may possess.
Should an applicant fail to measure
ap to the strict standard the govern
mcnt maintains, he cannot be legally
inturalized. An officer Of the bureau
q naturalization appears in court at
naturalization hearings held before
the district judges, to look after the
interests Of the government and to
object to the making Of citizen Of