New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-22
Aliens at Heart
One Who Cannot Change His Ma
tionaGtv NV S;on;ro pon.rs

One Who Cannot Change His Ma
tionality by Signing Papers
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: In the enforcement of the new
immigration law the officials of the In
migration Department have, according
to recent newspaper reports, expressed
views on the question of the naturali-
zation of aliens which, believe, should
not be allowed to pass without chal-
lenge. Briefly, they take the attitude
that it is the duty of all aliens to seek
American citizenship and that any who
DO not do so arc guilty of negligence
or carelessness. Such a doctrine has
no Justification.
There are great many intelligent
aliens in this country who, while they
admire and respect the government and
people of the United States, do not
seek citizenship, because they believe
that it is impossible for an adult to
change his allegiance and to make a
sincere oath of fidelity TO any other
country than his own. By such action
they are the losers and not the gamers,
as are those who are ready to profess
abandonment of their native country.
In most cases such changes of ma
tionality are made for selfish reasons
and the true allegiance does not
change.
The question which is sometimes put
to me is this: "Do you not consider
that as you are earning your living
here and enjoying the advantages of
American law and government it is
your duty to become citizen?" My
answer is "No; l give my services for
the money l earn; pay taxes for the
benefits of government which I receive
although l can have no voice in impos-
ing them. | respect America and the
Americans, but was not born an
American, and however proud I would
be to be ali American citizen | cannot
be one. cannot change my nationality
by signing papers any more than the
leopard can change his spots. If I
forswear my allegiance to my native
country, am less likely to do the same
to my adopted country if circumstances
should alter?"
Americans in Paris, London and else
where preserve their patriotism and
celebrate their national holidays with
perhaps even more enthusiasm than if
they were at home, and no Frenchman,
no Englishman objects--on the con-
trary, they admire and approve. In fact.
IN Europe people have very little use
for the nah1ralized citizen.
1t is true that the position of the
United States is somewhat different
and to some extent, particularly in the
case of political refugees, changes of
nationality are desirable and inevitable.
But the normal alien who has the
courage to refuse citizenship because
he knows that in his own heart he can
not sincerely swear allegiance is de-
serving of respect and not of blame.
Might l. suggest with the utmost
Difference that if citizenship were
granted only to those born in this
country and who would thus have a
natural love of America, the country
and the states and cities would then be
governed entirely by real Americans
and not, as at present, in some cases
at least, by factions consisting largely
OF what arc in reality foreign elements
Il,
VINO cannot possibly have the interests
Of America first in their hearts.
PATRIOTICUS.
New York, July 20, 1921.