The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-08-03
CITIZENSHIP
APPLICATIONS
SHOW BIG GAIN
Aliens Would Take Advan-
tage of Federal, State
Financial Aid
By MACK JOHNSON
United Press Staff Correspondent

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9. (UP).
Sharp increases in the number Of
aliens becoming American citizens
under the New Deal, apparently
because of better employment
prospects and 50 as to take ad,
vantage Of federal and state tinan-
cial assistance, was revealed last
night in reports by the immigra'
ton and naturalization service.
The reports show there ma
been Il steady increase in iSSu-
ance Of final citizenship papers t"
foreigners since the low mark Of
1l3,3G3 in the 1888 fiscal year.
I'm 1884 there were 1869 tina!
papers issued. These increased 70
1895 in 1888, to lll, 265 IN
1886, and to lG4,976 in 1887.
While official reports for 1888
are not yet available officials
predicted there would be Il fur
Their rise.
Federal officials say there are
four major factors behind the
rush Of foreigners to become
American citizens. They are grow
inc tendencies to restrict use Of
federal and state relief and other
bounty funds to American cltl-
ZenS, unsettled conditions and
war in foreign countries, rcduc-
ton in costs Of obtaining natural
iZation papers, and preference of
private employees for native-born
workers.
Private reports Indicate tina.
there are about 100000 aliens
in this country. Of these, about
100000 are in the process OF
becoming naturalized.
On the basis Of the increasing
trend to citizenship officials say
that the unnaturalized segment
will reach the vanishing point
before many years have passed.
They point out that aliens al
ready in the United States are
decreasing numerically because Of
death or naturalization, and tina:
there is Il marked decline in the
number of immigrants coming
here.
Movements have developed in
congress to earmark federal re
lief appropriations to prevent
payments to aliens but these al
ways have failed, although Works
Progress administration officials
say there is an "unwritten re-
stl'iction" in the present law.
They point out that the law
provides that federal relief funds
must first go to World war veter-
ans, American citizens, and to
naturalized American citizens.
This leaves very little for the
aliens. The result is that of the
100000 persons on WPA rolls,
only IL few aliens are included.
Most of them are Mexicans in
Texas, southern California, and
the Rocky mountain beet sugar
area.
Many aliens, however, al q
found on the social security rolls
which embrace 40,000,000 per-
sons. Officials said that aliens are
eligible to both unemployment and
old-age insurance accounts be-
cause the funds are financed by
taxes on employers and employees.
The old-age pension benefits
are mostly confined to American
citizens. 1t is a program of fed
eral funds being matched with
state money. But most OF the
states forbid aliens from partlcl-
pating in the program, and hence,
the federal government likewise
excludes them.
Officials said that it is rela-
lively cheap now for foreigners
to become American citizens. Fill
ing of papers and fees formally
cost around $40. In 1888, the
costs were reduced TO $40 and
many now are taking advantage
of the cut"