The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-02-24
MANY Candidates =.
FOR CITIZENSHIP
Federal Bureau of Naturalization
Transformed Into Great
Humanizing Force.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22.-There is
a great Americanization drive on al!
over the country. Hundreds of thou
sands of the adult foreign-b born of the
United States, who are candidates for
citizenship, are attending public night
school this winter in large numbers
! and over a broader territory than ever
before. The reason is their desire to
learn the English language and OBJ
tain knowledge CT American institu-
tons and government So that they
may be qualified to enjoy the
privileges as we'll as assume the duties
and responsibilities of citizenship
when acquired.
The public school authorities OF
approximately 1,4O0 cities and towns
| in every state in the Union, working
in close cooperation with the Bureau
I of Naturalization of the United States
Department Of Labor, are now MAIN
tanning night classes for the benefit
of their adult foreign born residents
The number of schools and the at
tendance have grown far be, ond the
expectations of the most optimistic
and this patriotic movement is now
generally regarded as enc of the great
saving forces of American national
life.
This surprising growth has been
due largely to a series mass meet
ings. proposed by the Bureau of
Naturalization, for the purpose of
stimulating the interest Of the candi-
dates for citizenship in the citizenship
classes conducted in the public schools
throughout the United States. These
meetings have been arranged by the
public schools, chambers of COM
MERGE. municipal officials and various
organizations and have had the cordial
support of applicants for citizenship,
the local resident foreign body and
leaders of the various racial associa-
tons. The results have been far
reaching. Candidates for citizenship
now know that they have real
friend in the Federal government and
that their exploitation for pecuniary
or political benefit IS a thing of the
past.
Foreigners Bear Expense.
In addition to this, discussions at
these meetings focused the attention
of powerful commercial, labor and
patriotic organizations throughout the
country on the vital importance of
alien instruction and closer Federal
supervision Of the naturalization law.
Evidence of this is seen in the resolu-
tons they have forwarded to members
of the United States senate and house
of representatives favoring the use of
all fees received by the government
in natul alization matters for the c.du-
cation of the alien population of the
country These resolutions closely
followed the information. that since
the Bureau of Naturalization received
from congress a few years ago the
sole control of naturalization matters.
there has been an annual average OF
ever $50, 1000 in excess of all cost of
maintenance. The citizens of the
United States do lot bear one cent OF
the expense of this governmental
agency. 1t is all borne by the
foreigner, who applies for citizenship.
In other words, from the, IS paid by
each foreigner for a good administra-
ton of the naturalization law, all of
the expenses Of the naturalization Of
OfcI IVV,OVU dIHu dl1y arc paul, anu
over $1,000, en- an average, is turned
into Uncle Sans pocketbook every
year.
The activities of the Bureau of
Naturalization show how a routine
governmental agency has been trans
formed into a great humanizing force.
This has been accomplished by link
ing together those important agencies,
the Federal and state courts, the
Federal government and the state
public schools. The work of this
bureau now stands for more than
naturalization, as the term is gener-
ally understood. 1t represents Amer
lea nizatiOn in it's truest sense. It
cordially welcomes and brings into
the national family foreign friends
fully qualified, through public school
instruction, for the proud title of
citizenship.