Omaha daily bee., 1918-03-20
URGES NORSEMEN
TO Be NATURALIZED
Fremont Attorney Advises
Scandinavians in U. S. to
Become Citizens as Soon
as Possible.

Alien Johnson, Fremont attorney,
has written the following letter OF ad-
vice to Scandinavians in the United
States who have not yet completed
their naturalization:
This country is now at wa with
Germany and, while Sweden, Den
mark and Norway are yet neutral, no
one knows when they will be drawn
into this worlds war. 1t appears kat
the peoples of these countries are dis
tinctly favorable to the allies and
against Germany. but it also appears
that the crowned heads and the ruiz
ing classes have revealed some SYM
pathy with the kaiser, not wishing to-
lose their own crowns before the on
rush of democracy. For this reason
it is impossible to tell on which side
OF the conflict any of these countries
will finally land.
This letter is addressed to all men
born in Sweden, Denmark or Norway,
who have come to this country but
are not now fully naturalized citizens
and it is written for the purpose of
urging upon them the importance of
completing naturalization at once. If
naturalization is delayed until per-
chance either Sweden, Denmark or
Norway takes up the side of Germany
then no man who is a native of the
country so alligning itself with Ger
manly can complete his naturalization.
he will be in the same predicament
that the men born in Germany now
find themselves. The law of the
United States prohibits the naturaliza-
ton OF persons born in a country with
which the United States is at war.
For these reasons it is of the ut
most importance that any man from
either of the countries named shall
at once complete his naturalization
and become a full-hedged legal citi-
zen of the United States. If he delays
it longer he may find that he cannot
become a citizen until after the close
OF the war and must be registered,
photographed and classified as an
allen enemy"
United States Welcomes.
"You have all come to the United
States because you thought you could
better your condition and most of
you have done so beyond your great
est expectations. Under this govern
ment you have become citizens in
stead of subjects, and proprietors of
lands and homes instead of eking out
precarious existence by the grace
or favor of some man above you.
This fact should inspire you with a
love for the country of your adoption
and for its institutions and should
lead you to renounce and abjure once
and for all all allegiance to any for
eign prince. power, potentate or SOW
ereignty. The most ordinary impulses
of gratitude, for the blessings we
have received under this greatest and
best of all governments should speak
loudly for our utmost services in its
hour of need. And our government
welcomes you to its citizenship: You
are industrious and loyal and have
been one of the mightiest forces in
making this the prosperous country
that it is and the best place in the
world to live.
Having fresh in my mind the EN-
barrassment and predicament of the
Germans who came to my office and
other law offices for guidance iii the
ordeal that they were recently put
through, and being Swedish by ma
tivity myself, feel that ! do not Of
fend the proprieties in making this
appeal to all Scandinavian people
who have not completed their nat
ura1;zaf;on