Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-05-25
CITIZENSHIP.

CITIZENSHIP.
District Judges are making a tour
of the Hirst judicial district admitting
to American citizenship thos who
h:Ne qualified for that honor, n
who have, expressed a desire to as
sumc the responsibilities attendant
thereon. In accordance with sug-
Anestjons made by Judge Cole. and
approved NY all good citizens to
whose %atttu1tion they have come, the
exercises in connection with the adj
mission of IN ose new members. into
our political h,dy are being expanded
from the menr formalities requTed
bs Law into a ceremonial whose pNr-
pose is to impress on both the novatl-
ates and those who are citizens Of
longer sta nding something of the lpur-
pose and meaningAof American cittzen-
ship. something softits dignity. and
some conception .ofaits. duties and re-
sponsibilities.
The Unitedi States4is constantly at
tracing Immigration Of infinite va
ricty in raceeand language. and infn-'
itely varied In the lisa of worthy mo-
tives which have impelleda those who
come from.absoad to. ssek:to establish
themselves us. members of >this*great
commonwealth. People come to this
country from abroad to esNapeareligi-
Gus p~ersecutiont to enjoy a larger
measure of political liberty'than they
can find in their.old homes;vto- escape
the pressure of poverty; in response
to the call of the< spirit of adventure;
and as the natural outgrowth of So
cial and business surroundings which
may at all times have bAen salts
factory and desirable. Whatever the
reason for his coming, the immi-
grant who comes to renlaimpermanent-
ly owes it to himself.and those among
whom he has chosen to cast his lot
to become in al. things-an American.
He who enters upon American Citi-
zenship must absolve himself of all
allegiance to any foreign, state or
ruler. He is not required to de-
clare himself an enemy OF the land
of his birth, nor is it expected that
he shall entertain such a feeling.
His reputation of foreign allegiance
is merely a necessary step in the
transfer of his membership from one
nation to another. He must take
or he should not apply for citizenship.
but in taking it he sacrifices nothing
of the affection which every normal
being feels for the pleasant assOci-
atoms Of his youth. nothing of the
respect which every man feels for
the fine and noble things in the land
which gave him birth. But he. is
taking upon himself a new relation
ship. and he must be prepared tc
say in all earnestness to the nation
at whose door he knocks: Whittier
thou goest | will go. Thy people
shall be my people. and thy God my
God
The ceremony of admission to citi'
zenship concerns both the new anc
the old. The new citizen is taking
upon himself a new relationship ant
assuming new obligations. In be,
coming a full member OF a new so.
e1ety he expects to participate in al
The benefits arising from that re
%lationship. and he must expect It
perform faithfully all he duties which
that relationship eptai1s. He acquires
the right to participate in the govern
ment Of the nation. He must alst
respect, uphold and defend that gov
IL orf and nhcor,,o 49,, Iou,, 4. ~
ter and in spirit. The nation s::st
because men have labored, and, whel
necessary, have died for it. The new
citizen must be prepared to perform
his share Of the work and to max,
his share Of the sacrifices which ma,
be called for in order thai the natjol
may endure.
Those WHO are already citizen
w ITO those whom. through tn
operation of their laws. they haye ad
mitted into fellowship all the obi
cations of faithful comradeshir
Their status is that of elder brother.
and in that capacity they must b
prepared not lon to deal justly an
fairly, but to exercise kindness an
&S~forbearance when the feet OF thei
new associates find 1t difficult to trea
our unaccustomed paths and tongue
unfamiliar with our language in,
difficulty in mastering it. There ar
Certain things which we have a 'righ
Is demand of a new citizen. we mul
mot make it needlessly d%ifficult 10
him 10 comply with our demands.
The ceremonies attendant on tn
admission Of new citizens ought I
be an inspiration to citizens both ne,
and old, and as the new member 80
EMMY declares his allegiance to tn
nation and the ideals upon which
Ssixs founded. SO thould the occasion /
Of reconsecration FOR those VII
have already enjoyed the inestimab
priviledge Of American citizenship,
COMMISSION GDyERNMENf
PETITION. I
N-Ns ~ AL HE L1aEL "a