The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1919-02-07
Denied CITIZENSHIP
Judge ThOS. |. BOuCk Refuses Full
Citizenship Papers to John Erik
Albert Anderson

Albert Anderson
Following are the reasons pre-
sented to Johan Anderson by the
court when Judge Bouck refused to
grant full citizenship to him:
'Mr. Anderson: This is the time
indicated by the court to give your
petition for citizenship further con-
sideration. You have heard the
discussion here, and have heard the
objection Of the United States to
your admission to citizenship in
this country. Under the law it ap-
pears to the conrt that the objec-
tion that has been made to your be-
coming q citizen is good. The
court is further Of the opinion that
you have shown yourself unworthy
OF citizenship. This clearly ap-
pears from the answers you made
in your questioqire which you
made and signed in January 1918.
At that time this country was in q
most perilous position and needed
the support and loyalty not only Of
those who were citizens but of all
who had declared their intention to
become and expected to become
citizens in the future. In that
questionable you stated that you
were citizen of Sweden, and you
therein claimed exemption from
military service for the United
States because of your Swedish cit
izenship. You further declared
that you were willing to return to
your native country and enter it's
military service but qualified that
answer by saying, but not to fight
this country
"You offer no explanation Of
your claim for exemption from mil
itary service because Of your Swed-
ish citizenship; but do attempt to
offer an excuse for your willing
ness to join the Swedish a~my by
saying that you thought you had to
fight for the country that you be-
longed to. Il you are truthful
when you tell me that you thought
it your duty to join the Swedish
army if required, then | am de-
cidedly of the opinion that man
who has no greater or better know
ledge Of The duties Of citizenship is
not, fit to be a citizen Of any
country In making your claim for
military exemption in this country
you may have been influenced by
pro- Hun propaganda. ! am in
formed that a certain Swedish
consul in this part Of the country
wrote many letters to SUBJ
jects of Sweden advising them to
claim such exemption You may
have been one of them to receive
such advice. It makes little differ
ence, however, it was an evil spirit
that Influenced you. You refused
to fight for this country after you
had been here six years. and after
you had voted, and had known of
our government and laws, and en-
joyed its privileges, protection and
opportunities. By your acts you
have shown yourself unworthy and
forfeited your rights to citizenship
if you ever had any such rights.
Persons worthy to become American
citizens must be so constituted that
they will not depart from the paths
of duty or fofsake their country in
time of need.
"You further say in your ques-
tionaire that you came to this coun
try on the Luisitania, the same ship
that was sunk by the black hearted
Huns. whereby they murdered scores
of American women and children.
The spirit Of humanity should have
been sufficient within You to have
caused you to resent this outrage
by manifesting q willingness on
your part to fight the perpetrators
of this dastardly deed regardless Of
to what foreign country you might
owe allegiance.
You say you had . change of
heart last September and that you
were. then willing to 60 If neces-
sary, but your change Of heart
came too late. It came when every
body knew that the kaiser was vhip-
ped. It came, If it came at all,
after one and one-half millions Of
our boys had arrived ia France and
Belgium to finish the job. It came
after two millions Of our other boys
had gone to camps and canton
ments and were vying with each
other to get overseas and doing
every thing within their power to
get into the thick Of the conflict. !"
There 10 another potent reason
why You should b denied citisell-
ship. Il you were awarded that
nro,,d dinkinckfon von wnnM n N.