Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-08-29
URGES UNIFORMITY
IN NATURALIZATION
Judge Stake Addresses Ma
tional Conference at Sara
toga Springs, N. Y.
BAR ASSOCIATION MEETS
Philadelphia Makes Bid for Next
Years Session of American ,
Lawyers Organization

Judge William II Stake. Of Common
Pleas Court No. and president of the
American Bar Association, which is now
in session at Saratoga Syringe. N. Y. In
an address today to the members of the
national conference of commissioners on
uniform State laws. strongly urged uni
formlty of naturalization laws at this time,
when the citizen Is coming forward. will
ingly Offering his life and property for the
salvation of his country.
In his plea for a uniform basis for de-
Gliding upon an aliens qualifications TO be-
come a citizen of the United States. Judge
Stake said in part:
I'm my judgment there is n great need
for n uniformity which cannot be created
or brought about by any individual action
of the respective States of the union II Is
uniformity which has been created by the
laws of the nation and not by the laws
of n state or States of the nation. Refer
ence is made to the naturalization laws of
the United states of America. II cannot
be said that the naturalization laws differ
so far as their language, form and sub
stance are concerned; but 1t is common
knowledge that so far as the actual ad-
ministration of these laws by the courts is
concerned, whether they be courts Of record
States, there is an utter lack of uniformity
in the Interpretation of the law and in the
practice in different jurisdictions under the
law.
Undoubtedly, the object of the naturall-
zation laws is first to have the alien evince
reasonable knowledge Of the principles or
our Government; that he honestly and sim
cerely desire to renounce all fealty, oblga-
ton and allegiance to the Government of
w hp IV1 c
moment of the hearing and granting of his
application. 1t has well been said, how can
any one be attached to tho principles of
government who has no understanding, APP
probation or idea of what those principles
mean, as TO what they ordain, what they
maintain and what they demand upon the
part of the applicant for citizenship"
WIDE RANGE OF ADMINISTRATION
He commented upon the wide range of
administration of naturalization laws from
that of barring the man who could read the
Constitution and knows there is a President,
but does not know the name of the Presi-
dent, to admitting the man who cannot
read or write, but who has good morals
Judge Stake, speaking for the Philadel.
phia Chamber of Commerce, extended an
invitation to the Bar Association, with the
other bodies which are meeting in Sara
toga, to meet in Philadelphia next year. AS
this is the first invitation and since there
are indications that no others will be urged
II is considered likely that the meeting will
come here -.-
In the early part Of his address the Judge
had asked the members to support the war
measures of the country with loyalty and
to encourage others to support these meas.
ures Now that the country is in the war he
asked his hearers to impress upon every per-
son that the country has superior title
to our earnings, our property our services
and our lives"