Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-15
Dissent S+irs
Argument to
Bar Aliens :
Naturalization Is Called
No Guarantee Of Merit
By WESTBROOK PEGLER

of the proposal, but IL was
worth while TO suggest the
other day that the people OF
this country close the books TO
further members for an indefi-
mite time, because the very idea
has aroused such angry dissent
that l now perceive something
which l never realized before.
1t is argued, and very scorn-
fully, too. that any American
who would entertain such a
thought is obviously no Ameri-
can himself, and this contention
plainly shows that we have
made a sort Of public links OF
our place, which was organized
in the first place as a private
outfit.
This isn't our country AZ all.
but Just anybody'S and every
bodys country, and II is out
rageouS and un-American 10
think of closing the rolls 10 new
members or limiting the privi-
-leges of the new ones until we
can police up the premises. as
simulate those who now gather
IN alien clusters around the
place and weed out those who
either do not understand the
game and our rules or refuse 10
play our way.
DY CUSTOM We have cncour-
- aged this belief so long
that probably most of us. now
actually do have some vague
idea that some fundamental writ
of ours intended that we must
never refuse 10 admit 10 citizen
ship all applicants who could
stammcr through a certain riga
marolc and present witnesses.
themselves not necessarily reli-
able. as 10 their character.
AS 10 the sincerity OF the nat
urallzation process. was inn
pressed by the proceedings in
the case OF man who had
acquired control of about q
local unions of a labor organ
lZatIon.
He was turned back twice by
quiet warnings when he applied
for citizenship but finally got
by. nevertheless. on his third at
tempt. and died a citizen owing
the American people S250,00O in
falr
from tho poor. dumb white
wings, garbage men and their
like.
RUT mere ignorance and Grim
- inality are not the only un-
desirable traits 20 be sought in
applicants for American citizen
ship.
In a large batch Of Nazis
picked up recently on charges OF
spying on this nations defense
for Adolf Hitler, all of them
presumably quite bright and
without criminal records, a con-
siderable number. were natural
lied citizens.
But ! am edited by the indig-
nant rejection of the very idea
that the native American is un-
American IN suggesting some
thing that has been summed up
derisivcly as merica for
Americans.
If America is not for Amer
leans. whose country is this?
Certainly the native American.
with few exceptions. grows up
knowing and believing in his
country.
He has the feel of America
and. conGdcntially he grows
weary of hearing Of his duty 10
make things pleasant for the
foreign born and 10 accept the
leadership and teachings of men
who came here from abroad, not
all Of them merely TO be free, but
many Of them 10 dirty up this
land, abuse It's privileges and i'm
pose on It's hospitality.
If CITIZENSHIP were re-
i Slricied 10 the native citizen.
then. in time. we should at least
be able 20 conduct an American
country by and for Americans
only
The guest status Of the alien
would be established and there
would be no possibility Of his
interfering in American politics.
If public office were restricted
10 native Americans we undoubt-
edly would continue 10 elect
some very bad officers, but they
would be American bad men.
anyway, and our mistakes and
failures would be our own.
Our native crooks and traitors
arc no worse than our import
jobs. and VIZ know better how TO
deal with them.
As 10 the foreign born who
have borne arms FOR the United
States there seems TO be undue
emphasis.
Though We recognize fully the
devotion 10 the United States OF
America and the sacrifices made
in war by Americans who were
born abroad. the fact remains
that the American forces always
have been mainly composed OF
native Americans.
They never have been, as
might be inferred from this argu-
ment. a foreign legion of the
United States Of America.
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