The New York herald., 1922-10-15
The Draft Chicken Roosts.


all the men turned down had claimed ex-
emption from the draft on the ground
that they were aliens. The Government
put them in Class F. Away back in 1917
and 1918 that appeared to mean nothing
except that these men wouldn't have to
fight for the United States. Now the
chickens come home to roost. The natu-
raliZation law says not only that an alien,
to be eligible for citizenship, must have
resided continuously at least five years
in the United States but must have been.
during that time, attached to the prin-
ciples of the Constitution of the United
States and we'll disposed to the good order
and happiness of the same" The Govern
ment now reasons that a man who claimed
exemption an alien was not so very
firmly attached to the principles" of our
Constitution. 1t has ruled that if they
come up for citizenship within five years
of the time they claimed exemption the
application shall be denied. This ruling is
not law and is not binding, but the Judges
seem to be uniformly observing it.
Two priests stood up as witnesses to the
good moral character of one of these young
men in the Federal Court when the writer
was there, but the Judge shook his head
and said the record Showed draft de-
linquency" The witnesses were sworn SO
that they need not come back again and
the case went over for further investiga-
tion The crowd shrank rapidly as the
high speed machinery of naturalization re-
volved. By now all had seats Over at
the steps of City Hall a band, huddled in
the rain. was playing 1.-The Star-Spangled
Banner" One man in the court room
he was Russian-rose to his feet as the
strains came through the open windows
then sat down with a sheepish smile as
lie realized that he stood alone. The band
changed to MY Country, 'Tis of Thee
A candidate with newspaper protruding
from his coat pocket was at the rail. 1t
was Yiddish paper. go back and bring
your wife," the clerk directed. To a Ger
man who didn't know who was Governor
Of New York the Judge said: "Study for
another year." He was a little German
His stride his stiff posture, arms straight
down at the sides. heels together, betrayed
old country army training The next
candidate knew that Mr.. Harding" was
President. but was stuck on the identity
of the Vice-President. Another year for
study was awarded to him, and Calvin
Coolidge stood avenged.
AT twenty minutes past twelve the last
man had answered to his name or been
marked absent. The schedule had been
preserved and everybody was on time for
luncheon.
The scene in the Supreme Court was
much tanner. if that is the word For
one thing, the Judge who was sitting will
not permit more than fifty names to go
on his calendar. For another, the hand
ling of the applicants and their witnesses
was more orderly. There was no shout
ing of names. A clerk or attendant went
quietly along the edge of the crowd, call
ing in such low voice that it could not
De heard in the jury box where 1 sat- AS
the candidates and their witnesses re-
sponded another attendant marshaled
them in a file stretching from the rail in
front Of the Judge to the back of the room.
There was a large American flag in the
room. near the front, and it was used
Up at the head of the line, as men and
women were accepted for citizenship. a
clerk motioned them toward the flag. Be-
side the flag stood another clerk. snil-