Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-03-08


from war service on account of
alienage when he appeared before
the draft board during the war.
Several other petitions were dis
missed or denied because the apple
cants had failed to acquire a know
ledge of the English language sufti-
cient for them to read
Following are the names OF. those.
admitted to citizenship: Charles
Giroux. Winslow; John Nicholas
kallil. Waterville:l John Francois
Charles Cote. Augusta: Fritz wiz.
liam Dessler, Gardiner: Myra Louise
Black, Gardiner; Robert Lewis Nc
Dougall. Augusta; Brunswick Burns
Galway, Augusta; Gustave Ruoff.
Albion; lessen Alexander CorkuTn,
Gardiner; Arthur Louis Lehel Wat
erville: Joseph Albert Colfofd. Au-
gusta: Orman Hunter Brewer. Wat
erville: Robert Barclay Stewart. Jr.,
Waterville: Merance Audete. Watt.
erville; Francois Xavier Ferland,
Waterville: Ernest Forth. Water
vile: George 1. McCurdy. Water
Majorique MERCER. Waterville: Will
liam James Brayell, Waterville;
Joseph Alphonse Doyon, Augusta;
William Edward Mclean. Augusta;
Ernest Victor Sofa, Belgrade Lakes:
Charles Eugene Pelletier,. Augusta;
Leo Ambrose Rodrigua. Augusta.
An Important Step III
think perhaps 1t is almost aduty
devolving upon me to address a few
words to those who are assembled
here this morning for the purpose
of becoming American citizens.
Those of you who may be eligible
to American citizenship are about
to renounce your allegiance to the
which you have hitherto owed 10y
atty and allegiance, an take up a
new allegiance and new loyalty to
n new country-not perhaps new to
you. for some of you may have been
here many years, but new so far as
your citizenship is concerned.
This is an important step. 1t Is
no small matter. When a man has
been reared in a country and owed
allegiance to it's flag, 1t is an i'm
portant step to renOunce, not the
love of the flag, not the love of his
country, but allegiance to that
country. and take up new allie
glance in another and distinct coun-
try And the step which you are
about to take is very important
with respect to it's responsibilities.
You are about to become American
citizens. You are about to become
eligible to all the rights, duties and
privileges of American citizenship;
and with those rights and privileges
you are to assume all the respon-
sibilities and duties Of American
citizenship. They are many. ana
sometimes onerOus.
You are about to become citizens
of a country that affords you, and 7
not you who have attained middle
age and perhaps beyond. at least
your children, an opportunity that
no other country on the face of the
globe can furnish them. And In view
of that fact, everyone of you VINO
contemplates the great step of be-
coming an American citizen this
morning should fully appreciate
what it means to you and your
children.
In this country. as you know, the
simplest boy. the barefoot boy that is
walking on the streets in summer in
any city or town may become. I'M
der the opportunities afforded MN
here, one of the foremost citizens or
the world. That opportunity is not
afforded by any other country. and
that opportunity carries with it very
great responsibilities.
In the first place. in these days
when advocacy of violation Of law is
found upon every hand. l want to
say to you that this is country OF
law 1t is country where law pre-
walls, and where law controls the ac-
ton Of the citizens; and therefore,
when you become citizens OF THIS
country, want to impress upon you
"a Ace
law of the land. and wherever the
law under which! you have lived shall
come in conflict with the law under
which YOU are about to become a
citizen, your allegiance. your duty
and your fidelity is due to the law Of
America. the law under which you
have lived many years perhaps. but
now the law under which you are not
only to live, but to receive protection
as a citizen.
Owe Other Duties
You owe other duties besides ODE
dience to law. You owe a duty to So
ciety. think one Of the tendencies
on the part Of foreign born citizens
who come to this country is to segre-
gate themselves. For instance, the
French people will segregate them
selves and separate themselves and
associate with French people. prac-
tically alone. Other nationalities
will do the same. l do not think that
Is the proper way to become Ameri-
can citizens. To enjoy all the rights
and privileges of American citizen
ship | think you should not segre-
gate yourselves in that way, but be-
come members of the society in gen.
eral. mingle with the people-minele
with the American people and with
the other nationalities who live in
your vicinity. Because when you
have taken the oath Of allegiance to
this country you are all American
citizens. 4.
want to impress upon you further
whep l say that you are. all American
citizens that this country will not
tolerate any hyphenated citizenship.
/ would not admit q man to citizen
ship in this State who wish to affix
to his name a German American. or
a Franco American, or an English
American. When he becomes a citi-
zen Of this country by admission here
this day he becomes an American
citizen, pure and simple and nothing
else.
He should owe entire fidelity and
fealty to the flag OF this country.
that stands there in this court room
as an emblem Of it's opportunities
and its freedom, and to no other
flag and to no other country.
Should Learn Language
Another thing that I, think foreign
ers who are admitted to this country
should observe, and that Is the
learning Of our language. 1 have dis
covered in my experience Of more
than 20 years upon the bench in try
ing cases in various sections Of this
State that in some localities will
find men and women who have lived