El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-01-15
ONE IN EACH ID
IN J. g. ALIEN
Bill Before Congress viii
Make Citizens of Aliens
Who Enlist.
b FREDERIC ]. HAskIN.


Talk Of the deportation OF alien
brought an avalanche OF applicant
70 the courts TO procure their first
papers. while the news that foreign
powers were thinking Of sending re-
cruiting agents to this country FOL
the purpose Of mobilizing wandering
E15fects brought even greater num-
berE- Then there was a drop. our
flrzt papers make them eligible for
the draft.
One in Each Ten an Alien.
50 FAR the recruiting officers and
the deportation have not materialized,
and American citizenship does not
appear 10 offer the advantaEes il
once did The alien In this country
IS Eafe-about as safe as 1t is pos
Elble Tor anyone to Re IN world at
var Prom the national point OF
vtrz. this IS a serious matter One
rhird OF our poulaton Is foreign
born one person in every ten an
1ile1- In other words, II IS really a
case OF American citizens going to
var 70 protect foreign subjects
On the other hand, under the pres
ent naturalization laws. military
service in this country Is anything
but fair 10 the alien He may be
drafted into the army II he has de-
dared his intention to become an
-Ila-- tan aALAAEANs AAL ne EduUUL QG~
rEiu e commission until two years
sfter his first papers have been
fled ana he actually becomes q citi-
sen Under these circumstances. the
slieD certainly IS not TO blame II he
does not precisely relish the idea OF
entering the American army
Law Nay Remedy Defect.
Legislation Is now pending in con-
Eress for the amendment Of the
usruralization laws 50. that any alien
who enters the American army may
- once become an American citizen,
the argument being that II a man is
willing to offer his Iife for a country
he deserves all Of its privileges As
soon as this amendment Is passed.
representatives Of the Bureau Of
Naturalization will be sent to all the
training camps 70 instruct alien sol
dieTs in a Few facts concerning Amer
lean political institutions. Then they
VIII Be taken TO the nearest naturan-
nation court and. be made American
CtizenE.
This win permit foreign born SOL
dlers 70 obtain commissions when
they deserve them and doubtless
once more stimulate interest IN
American citizenship Meantime, the
tnE 2 nation wide campaign TO this I
end Chambers OF commerce, 1omenis |
clubs, employees, school authorities all /
over the country are cooperating 1
VITA the government in persuading I
aliens 70 become citizens. It is war 1
measure
The var has ehown the menace Of
slcn a large foreign population as /
ours. The government has no way OF i
keeping track Of the alien. unless 4
By suspicious conduct he has sue
ceeded IN arrra acting the attention OF i
the secret service. He comes here TO 4
earn his living. but that IS all He /
does not assIluilates he has not had
the advantages OF American public Il
schools and he IS slow 70 relinquish
he customs and traditions OF the
oountry which bred him,
Prove n Menace.
This Is not particularly reprehen-
s-ble in itself The Italian, for ex-
ample II ne prefers an Italian to an
American environment IS no more TO i
-s condemned than the American OF
he American settlement IN China,
Eh0 refuses 20 accept the Chinese
customs But IN time Of war when
.Cyalty IS an absolute necessity, a
arge population Of foreigners, fgnor-
znt Of and Indifferent TO American
constitutes, as has been
aid, q menace They form too fer
ale a ground for the enemy's propa-
Iznda-
n describing this aspect Of the
ituation, r F. Crist. OF the Bureau
z Naturalization said: There are
oEelgn colonies IN this country
Were German SPY would be as
ale as II he were IN Berlin" It is
.ot that aliens are deliberately dis
oyal so much as that they are iE-
Grant 70 the point OF illiteracy and
.encs susceptible to bad influences. Z
he many mysterious fires occurring
2 munitlon factories In various parts
Z the cog1try are assigned by Ger
an government officials TO these
irc1nstances.
Ehus the government is beginning
Q realize as never before that If .
.merica f. going TO maintain its !
Euzl open door policy 10 all classes :
European Immigrants, IL has got I
. educate them after they come ,
ere For a long time, there was no ,
ny IL which the government could
cme into personal contact with the
nr1lgrant but now. through the Of T
csE Of the Bureau OF Naturaliza ton, :
Is possible 20 follow the history !
2 the alien who takes out his first
apers
me procedure IS like this: On the {
FEt working day OF every month !
be natural fzatfon courts all over the
lie copies Of the applications for
rizenship filed BY aliens during the
rececing month. These applications y
lntain all possible information con-
srn-ng. each alien, even TO his size j
ID weight, the color OF his eyes and l
sir. IN the offices OF the bureau ,
lis Information is transferred 70 a -
rye index card and mailed to the i
1blic school OF the district In which Y
lc nan is a resident Then a let {
q IS mailed to the mans wife, II e
; has one, explaining 70 her a5- n
intzges Of attending night school e
Meantime. the card is received by c
e public school, which Immediately Z
spatches q truant officer to the ad-
-esz Of the applicant TO persuade n
n % come 70 school Eleven hun t
ed schools are now maintaining D
imber IS constantly increasing. ii
Educating the Aliens. s.
IN this way thousands Of aliens a
e being educated who would other n
.ss always remain hopeiessly iIlit- V
ate The great pity is that many Il
ore eehools nave not enlisted in
lE campaign for AmericanizatiOn. L
several states laws prohibits the 81
Denoiture OF public school funds for Ct
e education Of adults; in others I
ere is a lack OF funds TO expend; tC
still Others there is q lack OF en- 81
usiasm On the part OF the general h.
blic IN the education OF aliens, and b.
clsiOnally the aliens themselves
n % appreciate its benefits. CT
IN one place. moreover. where the nj
Bile schools have steadily refused al
open night classes for adult Ell
ems, in spite Of a large local alien al
pulation. the Bureau OF Naturalist ca
ia discovered an interesting coin
.euce- An attorney Of local fame
Is adding 70 his income with great IN
erity by drilling aliens on certain pI
-rters slight knowledge Of which al
e required by the naturalization 81
lrt before r. granted petitions. The OF
"a was 10 make them American ar
izens with as little knowledge as pJ