The New York herald., 1922-10-29
Effect of the Law as
Summarized by Mr.. Cable

summarized Dy MI. (dDie
Summarizing the effects Of the
change in the law Representative
Cable said:
"a natural born American must
wait twenty-one years before she or
he is permitted TO participate in the
Government of this country. a for
eign born man or single woman who
comes 10 this country and resides
here continuously for five years, IL
he qualities before the courts, may be-
come naturalized and acquire the right
OF suffrage. But foreign born woman
who comes TO this country one day
automatically becomes an American
citizen the next II she marries an
American citizen or If her husband be-
comes naturalized. With one days
period of residence, as compared to the
natural born Americans twenty-one
years of residence, she acquires the
same rights, privileges and benefits
in and to our Government. She is not
required to be able to speak the Eng
lish language. to know OF our Gus
toms and laws, our Constitution, and
to be attached to the principles OF
our Government; she does not even
have TO renounce allegiance to her
foreign ruler and take the oath of al
legiance TO Uncle Sam.
THE present law permitting the
naturalization of foreign born deals
directly with the husband and father
and gives the wife and mother but
secondary consideration. The husband
is the one who is educated. He is the
one who must learn to speak the Eng
lish language, TO know our country,
it's Constitution, and laws. He is the
one who must be attached to the prin-
ciples of our nation. He only re-
nounces allegiance to his foreign ruler,
and in most cases he only appears in
open court and declares on oath that
he will support and defend the Con-
stitution. The husband is the one who
must be fitted and prepared for his
part as an American citizen. Even
the children are sent to public schools:
but what of the wife? The true
process of naturalization should in
clude the education OF the mother OF
this immigrant family. The mothers
influence and guidance would be lost
to the family without the education
that naturalization proceedings pro-
vide and require. My bill is intended
TO permit this wifo and mother TO
learn something about the country.
She Is the one who should guide these
children and ought TO have the same
privileges OF an education as the
father.
"1n my opinion the rich American
who narries title and lives abroad
should cease to have the privileges and
benefits Of an American citizen. and
under my bill special provision is
made that if she resides continuously
for two years in the country OF which
her husband is a citizen or subject.
or resides continuously for five years
abroad she is presumed to have ceased
to be an American citizen. But there
are many American girls who marry
foreign born and who continue to re-
side in this country. Their loyalty
and fidelity is with the United States.
Since the nineteenth amendment
grants equal suffrags TO women, 50
also should they have equal rights with
reference TO citizenship. An American
citizen who marries an allen girl still
retains his citizenship; SO also should
the American girl who marries the
alien man. We should not relinquish
our rights TO legislate or withdraw our
country's protection from these nat
ural- born American women; their
personal and property rights should
be determined by our laws; and we
should not by legislative action CUR
render this right TO any foreign
nation"