Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-09-14
Humanity In
Government
Making New Americans
BY MI j. DAVIS
Secretary of Labor

vital 10 the WtlLdIC ~
American is the work OF making
real American citizens out OF the
motley throng of aliens who have
come to this country, seeking 'ne
opportunities which America PROM
ises. This is the task OF the Ne
partment of Labor through the
Bureau of Naturalization. We nave
in the United States today nearly
$4,000, 900 foreign born, and OF these
one-half have not yet accepted Tue
privileges, duties and Responsibilities
OF American citizenship. Upon the
Bureau of Naturalization rests me
responsibility for bringing these
millions, aliens to u speech, our
customs and our institutions, to ine
point where we can say TO them, IN
the words of Paul the Apostle, NOW
therefore We are no more strangers
and foreigners, but fellow citizens
When a new baby ONE into an
American home, it is usually a time
OF rejoicing. All of the relatives are
Interested and take the irst oppor-
tunity to see and in their way vel
come the little helpless stranger.
The baby is generally a force for
good but its potentialities are para
mount, not its present power
strength, and ability to better the
conditions of the family.
When an alien is admitted into
American citizenship. it should bt. a
source of pleasure to the family:
He should be welcomed by his Uncle
Sam" through his agents, who Tor
this purpose should be all the peo-
pie. 1t Is a rebirth of the alien. he
Il a present force. If he be cIean
morally, regardless of whether or
not his reasons for becoming a cit
izen are selfish, his admission INTO
the body polite is a decided ac-
QUESTION. If in the old days a slave
was worth one thousand or hfte-n
hundred dollars. who can overcs-
innate the value of a freeman who
casts his lot with us?
Naturalization is as old as The
nation itself. In the Declaration of
Independence we find as n of the
grievances of the colonies against
the King of England that he d
eEdeavored to prevent the popula-
ton of these States: for that pur-
pose obstructing the laws for nat
uralization of foreigners" Wien
the colonies had gained their in
dependence they wrote also :he
Constitution Section s of Article /,
that Congress shall have power TO
establish a uniform rule of naturally
ation."* followed as a natural Sc
quence the indictment referred to
above in the Declaration of Indep-
Evidence. Then, pursuant 20 the
authority conferred by the Constl-
tuition there followed quickly the
first naturalization law passed IN
March rs, 1890. History records
that one of the grounds on which we
fought with Great Britain in 1872
was that the right of expatriation
from the native land and %associa-
ton through naturalization with This
country was personal and inherent
IN the individual; and that this nation
had the right to adopt and protect
as citizens those foreign born Who
complied with our naturalization
On June 90, 1906, the existing
naturalization statute, since amend
ed in some slight respects, was ap-
proved. Prior to that time there
had been little or no supervision
and naturalization had fallen into
a national and to a degree an inter-
national scandal. In some instances
1t was bought and sold; without
compliance with law it was thrown
as a cloak around many who had
but recently come to these United
States and who possessed little or
no knowledge of the institutions of
this country. In 1906 congress es-
tablished for the first time a work.
able. uniform rule of naturalization
and in addition established a federal
force to control and supervise it.
The law became effective on Sep
TENDER 81 of that year and from
that day naturalization ceased to be
a scandal and American citizenship
through the process of n~aturaliza-
ton has been raised to a high STAN
dard. The government. recognizing
inability of the courts to furnish
personnel to investigate the legal
qualifications and moral character
of petitioners, provided a force of
examiners to investigate the cases
and thereafter report to the courts
In order that the latter might, be-
fore they took action on the appli-
cations, be apprised of the WORTH
ness or unworthiness for American
citizenship of the applicants. AS
notice of each application for natur-
alization filed under the general
provisions Of the law must stand
posted for at least ninety days, the
government has the opportunity to
conduct a careful investigation. 1t
has been the policy Of the admins
trative branch of the government to
assist to a realization of their de-
sires, those who can meet the re-
quirements of law and who are
morally qualified, but to endeavor
to see that those who do not possess
the moral qualification, or those
who do not meet the legal reouira-
ments, are denied.
The naturalization law is a spe-
clal statute, passed for a certain
class and under such circumstances
those proceeding under it's provi-
slons u comply strictly there
with. 1t practically gives to those
porn IN a foreign land the birthright
OF Americans. with the exception
OF eligibility for the presidency and
On May 8, 1918, congress passed
the so-called Soldier Act" by virtue
or which approximately 10000
foreign born soldiers in the Ameri-
can Army during the World War
were admitted into American citi-
zenship without compliance with the
usual formalities. Prior to the en-
actment of this statute it was felt
by many that If those in the servics
were good enough to fight and per
maps die for this country. they were
good enough to be American citi-
Iehs. evidently felt the
Same way: Many of these soldiers
were admitted to citizenship in the
camps throughout the country and
some through applications filed
abroad while in the service.
There never wan : time IN the
history of this country when Amer.
lean citizenship meant so nue. to
the alien born as it does TODAY.
Many ind it difficult to find EMPLOY
ment unless they can show that thew
possess their second citizenship pa
pers. frequently the aliens wife