Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-12-24
CONTEMPLATION AND CRITICISM.

COMMENTATOR AND CRITICISM.
Editor Freeman-Journal: Your edi-
tcrials regarding disloyal citizens have
the right ring and will no doubt stimu-
late greater vigilance. Many of us do
not realize the necessity and impor-
lance of eternal vigilance.
We must be on guard duty every
moment here at home, if we would do
our duty as citizens. Your suggestion
that all disloyal citizens be disfran-
chised, strikes me as being the right
thing said at the right time; and
sincerely hope that the suggestion will
be made effective. Your suggestion
requiring a ten year residence for
foreigners before granting suffrage
does not appeal to me at present, but
you may have good and sufficient rea-
sons for the suggestion. / am not in
favor of allowing them to compete
with Americans, accumulate enough to
return to the country from which they
came with enough to live on the rest
of their lives, as many of them do now,
never intending to become citizens. l
am in favor of making the time limit
shorter, not longer.
l am not one of those who believe
that America should be for Americans
only, las the term is used) but l am
in favor of compelling every one ad-
mitted to prepare themselves at once
to meet the requirements of citizens,
and assume the duties and RESPONSE
bilities connected Herewith, and at the
earliest possible moment.
l believe that these United States Of
America should not allow at large a
disloyal person, male or female; citi-
zen or non-citizen. These United
States should be for those only who
are or intend to be good citizens.
Immigrants should be given to un-
derstand on arrival, what wills be ex-
pected of them; that liberty does not
carry with it license to abuse the
right of free speech, by making or cir
culating seditions utterances tending
to discourage obedience to law and
order! They should be given to I'M
derstand that upon themselves would
depend their right to remain, and made
to understand that they must qualify
within the prescribed time; and
should they fail to do SO, it would
mean deportation; and to qualify, the
essential requirement should be Loyal
ty.
If a candidate proves loyalty the
chances are good he will make good
citizen, even tho he may not be able
to speak or read the language of his
adopted country. Thousands Of cases
could be cited to prove this assertion.
To be loyal one must be willing to
abide by the will of the majority. We
are having trouble with many disloyal
citizens now: These wolves in sleeps
clothing are the cause of more anxiety
today than is any other problem we
have been called upon to solve.
Never in the history of the country
was there greater need Of courage,
and it is now up to the courageous,
loyal and patriotic people of these
United States to be on their guard and
assist in every way possible in round
ing up the traitors.
Yes, Eternal vigilance is the price
of Liberty"
Very respectfully,
A. A. Coyle.
The Freeman-Journal's idea of re-
quiring ten years residence in this
country before citizenship is granted
is to insure more intelligent voters
among the naturalized. Five years is
too short a time to educate one suffi-
GENTLY to entrust him with the ballot
that little instrument that has power
to control the destinity of the nation.
However, the Freeman-Journal recog-
nizes the merit of Mr.. Coyle's position.
There should be some means devised
to prevent the things against which he
protests. How would it do to require
that every person coming here to re-
main permanently Immediately declare
his intentions of becoming citizen
and with the declaration of that in
tention make him full-fedged citizen,
with the exception OF. allowing him the
ballot until his ten years probation
period has expired?
Another point where Mr.. Coyle
seems to have misunderstood the Free
man-Journal is in its declaration in
favor of Americans for Americans
only" meaning, as stated in the article
in question, "all loyal Americans.
naturalized or native"