Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1918-01-16
INTENDING
TO BECOME CITIZENS
Persons Taking First Papers Prior
to July 1906, Not Completing
Naturalization, Must Make
Declaration of Intention
Anew,
ALSO WAIT TWO YEARS
BEFORE MAKING PETITION
Clerk of the District Court of Winne-
shiek County Has Received No
tice From Chief Naturali-
ZatiOn Examiner at
Washington.

S. j. Moore, Clerk of the District
Court of Winneshiek county, has re-
ceived notice from the Chief Natur-
alization Examiner at Washington,
d. c., that the Supreme Court of
the United States has held "old law"
declarations of intention to be invalid
for all naturalization purposes. This
means that all persons who took out
their First Papers" prior to July
1st, 1906, and have not completed
their naturalization, will have to
make their Declaration of Inten-
tioI" anew and wait for a period of
two years before making petition for
naturalization.
Under the new law all declarations
of intention are invalid after a peri
od of seven years from the date is
sued by the Clerk and persons hold
ing such declarations of intention will
have to appear before the Clerk and
make a new declaration of intention
and wait for a period of two years
before he can make his application
for citizenship the same as those who
made declaration under the ''old
law" All persons holding declara-
tions which have been issued by the
Clerk within the past SEVEN years
should examine them and If such
person can prove continuous resi-
dence in the United States for the
past FIVE years he should appear be-
fore the Clerk and make Petition to
become a citizen of the United States.
Those who have had their Declara-
tion of Intention for period or
more than seven years should make a
new declaration of intention and at
the end of two years they may file
their petition for citizenship.
The following facts may be of in
terest to persons who intend to be-
come citizens of the United States.
All persons Except honorably dis
charged soldiers and sailors who
have been in the service of the U. s.
have to prove a residence of five years
in the United States before they can
make application for citizenship and
there must be at least two years be-
tween the date of making the Declar-
alton of Intention and the date Of Pc
tition for Citizenship, no matter how
long the person has been resident
of the U. S.
All persons arriving in the U. b
since June 29, 1906 have to ille a
certificate of landing in the U. >. TO-
gether with their Declaration or IL
tention at the time of making the Pc
tition for citizenship.
The Clerk has special form 1or
making application to the Bureau OF
Naturalization for this Certlhcate
and the applicant should bring his
Declaration of Intention with him
when he comes to fill out this form
as the Declaration of Intention must
he forwarded to the Department to-
gether with his Request for Certifl-
cate Of Landing"
The applicant will be notified by
the Naturalization Bureau when his
Certificate of Arrival has been for
warded to the Clerk and at that time
he should bring TWO witnesses with
him who are citizens of the United
States and who have seen him at least
once each month for the five years
Immediately preceding the date of the
signing OF his petition and who know
that he has resided continuously IN
the u. S. during all that time.
If the petitioner has lived part oil
the last five years in some other
state he may prove his residence ia
that state by Dispositions OF two VIII
nesses who knew him while he lived
there. He must live at least ONE
wear in the State of Iowa before ne
is entitled to make his petition here.
The cost for making declaration OF
intention is S1.00 and for making pc
tition for citizenship is $4.O0..
Immediately after the filing of the
Petition it is the duty Of the Clerk
to post notice of the filing of the Pc
tition on the Bulletin Board at the
front door OF the Court House and
this must be done at least so days
before the date set for the hearing
before the Court.
Petitioners should not appear be-
fore the Clerk during term OF Court
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