Norwich bulletin., 1920-06-02
JUDGE. .H|NMAN SPEAKS TO NEW CITIZENS

have been had there remained-dressed in the manner. with the homes, the employment, the earnings, the manner of living, the thoughs-al conditions in all respects as you might have been had not a kind destiny called you to this land. If you can, in imagination, picture what
 you so would be today it may help you
 to realize and appreciate what you all
 ready owe to America-even without this
 added honor and privilege of citizen
 ship.
 This step which you are now taking
 is no idle ceremony and you must not
 regard it as such-you are giving up
 your allegiance to and freeing your- self from the authority of the land of your birth aud pledging your loyalty to this land of your adoption-the United States. And this loyalty which you are
 promising hereafter to give to this gov- ernment is no small, unimportant or idle l thing. The foundation, the most neces- sary element of government. is the loy- atty of it's citizens. No crime is more horrible or is punished more severely l than treason-that is lack of loyalty. | And one of the most vital elements of | loyalty is obedience to law. As you have already learned the great distinguishing
 mark of free government such as ours | is that the people make the laws, which l regulate their own affairs, and choose | the officers who administer and execute l those laws. The only true course for | loyal Americans, when laws do not suit l them, is not to break them but tC
 change them in the orderly manner. Law and order must prevail Justice can be | had by every man through the proper | and peaceful methods. Violence or def | ance of law has and can have no plaec l in our scheme of, government. The good American is and must be loyal, tc his family, to his friend, and to his country.
 And the loyalty whichs you pledge un 1 der the oath of allegians must be an un divided loyalty-you must be ATnericai through and through. You cannot be-
 and be true to your oath-a "hyphenat ed' American, a ''f1fty-ffty''. American O anything else short of lone hundred pc
 cent" American.
 You have adopted and placed yoursel
 under a new 1ag-the Stars and Stripe which on the one hand will follow yo'
 the world you may claim that protec
 l ton on the other hand you must fol low and protest that flag wherever il , may go and respect it at all times an
 1 in all places
 Americanism "is not a stock or a rac' r or creed, it is a spirit To become
 true American whatever his parentag
 or the land of his birth one must hay caught that spirit.
 f Until your heart beats a little faste l when you see the Stars and Stripes yo , have not become fully American.
 Perhaps the right and yrivilege of cit = zenship which most directly appeals | you is the right to vote. and it is inGee -hIIt al Il assume the duty to exercise the right il t | telligently-not be led blindly by othel . often actuated by unworthy motives. e vote inteligently it is important that yo - continue. more and more. to become f; a miliar with the spirit and history of ol 7. government and to inform yourselfs ( f public questions It is largely becau e this is true that it is required that t order to vote one must be able to read = the English language, but you should n t stop with merely learning to read enoue j. English to qualify as a voter-you shou l. be able to read in English good new Il papers and good books-the most reliab e sources of information on public que y tions and the history and affairs of Il g nation and the world. F'urthermo ]. English is the language of this. yo' e adopted country, and should be made u Ia of not only in reading but in convers l. ton for all the purposes of everyd; J. life-wherever possible.
 But your duty as a voter Is a sna l. part of your duty as a citizen. It is on IS once or twice year that you have J. opportunity to act as an intelligent vc T. CT but every day in the year brings Il you it's chance to act the good citnze h The good citizen is not only an intel et gent voter and loyal patriot He mu d be. as I have said, peaceable and la' l. abiding. He must be prudent and sa d ing, a home maker and is possible .o home owner. He must take good care l. his fanily-educate his children so tn 1t they may grow up in the spirit of O II institutions and become themselves go i'd vitizens. He must be an example u his fellow -men-particularly those wi Id have been his fellow countrymen in t