Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-15

accurate information, argues Secre-
tary Davis.
K II x
There is active opposition in Con
gresS to any measure for registra tor.
| one of the chief opponents is Repre-.
sentative Emanuel Celler Of the tenth
district, Brooklyn.
Mr. Celler voices his reasons, in
brief, as follows:
1. The bill bears the characteristics
OF "Prussianism' and would lead TO
invasion of homes by spies
| Z. Such a law would be in violation
| or our Constitution, which guaran-
tees equal protection to all persons,
citizens and non-citizens.
! 3. similar bill was declared I'M
constitutional in California, while the
present Secretary of the Navy, Mr..
! Wilbur, was a member of the Cali
fornia Supreme Court.
4. This bill does violence to every
treaty"
| 5. While such a treaty is. by the
Constitution, the supreme law of the
| land, the proposed measure ought TO
be, If indeed it is not. unconstitu-
In answer to Representative CelIer.
officials of the Department of Labor
declare:
l. That registering aliens is no more
Prussian' than is English. French,
Italian or Brazilian, for. in fact, the
united states Is the only country in
the civilized world which does not re-
quire registration of all aliens.
2. As to the registration being 2.
VOCATION of our Constitution, Article
xiv, section l. cited by Mr.. Celler. as
guara nteeing equal protection of the
H. L
or non-cltlZens,' that clause is not
violated by the requirement by law
OF registration of aliens Further.
more. as President Coolidge remarked
in MS recent message, aliens have no
inherent rights" in this country
until they become citizens, except the
protection of the common rights Of
man, in life and liberty, so long IS
they do not violate the laws of the
country admitting them.
.. True. California went beyond the
proper functions of State legislation
| in attempting to legislate against
aliens-a function that belongs ONLY
TO the Federal Government. Justice
Wilbur would not question the right
of the Government to do what a State
might not do
The United States Supreme Court,
IN judgment upon the California
u. ..
69S. U. S. Supreme Court. said:
Congress has the right to provide a
| system of registration and identifca-
ton OF any class of aliens within the
country, and to take all proper means
to carry out that system"
| congress having the right. as 1t may
see fit, to eXpel aliens of a particular
class or to permit them to remain,
| has undoubtedly the right to provide
system of registration and identif-
cation of the members OF that class
within the country, and to take all
proper means to carry out the system
| which it provides" 20
" X X
The fact that the proposed system.
would do away with the need of wit
nesses in connection with application
| for citizenship papers Is shown to be
| an important relief for both the ap-
| plicant and the courts, by statement
| made last week by Judge A. N. Hand
| of the United States District Court,
New York. He said that two days a
| week court sits to hear an average Of
| 800 applications a day. These REQUIRE
| two witnee~ eS each-900 persons, in
| line. to fl! nto a room whose capac-
! ity is $50. the two days 1900 per.
sons mus; ppear in court to enable
| 600 of thei-4 to become citizens. The
Judge recommends reform so that all
! that work can be done by the Natur-
| aliZation Bureau, with appeal only to
the court. No court, he says, can
| really consider the testimony of 1900
persons in two days.
The registration cards would elimi-
nate the economic loss of idleness and
| travel of the 1900 witnesses, say the
officials of the Department Of Labor.
(Copyrtght. 1925. by Pau Y. colaaAl