Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-03
Hospitality
OfU.S.CaIIed
Too Liberal
Native Citizen Should
Rank Before NaturoIized
BY WEsTBROOK PEGLER


France. as hospitable as this one
to the kickouts, renegades, NAL
contents and spies of other
powers.
We know, OF course, that the
disaster of France was due in
no small part TO her indiscrim-
mate hospitality which en-
couraged abuse of asylum and
enabled the creation within her
political body of poisonous
growths which Slapped her life.
There were always those
among the native French who.
in the name of democracy, would
insist that alien devotees OF this
or that ism or faction in other
nations must be allowed TO en-
ter and, in the course of time.
take a full part in the affairs OF
Franc -not necessarily as =
grateful adopted children of the
family but often as critical and
obstreperous intruders.
They wiped their shoes on the
flag to which they owed their
escape from death, hooking the
hospitality of people who
risked and, finally. lost their
freedom for the sake OF a tradl-
ton or superstition.
IN THE United States the
L period of probation for immi-
grants desiring 10 become citi-
Zens is five years, with certain
classes of exceptions, the most
important of which is that per-
uniting the alien spouse of an
American citizen 10 become
naturalized in three years or
less.
But obviously the mere oath
of citizenship has not always
been proof OF characterization.
The remuneration Of foreign
ties is insincere or, anyway,
incomplete IN HE thousands of
ostenslble Americans who. never
theleSs, continue in this land 10
regard themselves as partial
Italians. Poles. Irish. French or
Germans and. in organized
ranks. masquerading as cultural
groups, TO fight at a distance old
battles OF the homeland.
AS to whether naturaliZed
British do this here / do not
know. but il seems to me that
not many OF them do adopt
American citizenship.
They have other means OF
serving king and country among
us. the most potent being an
appeal 10 the pathetic snobbery
of Americans who swoon in the
presence Of a broad "A" and the
trashy little titles which the
crown turns out by the batch 10
reward politicians, party con-
tributors, lawyers and the Ike.
7 MAY be unconstitutional. and
L believe / am. in suggesting
that a native American citizen
should rank before a naturalized
immigrant.
In the present circumstances
7 would amend the Constitution
so that n naturalized citizen
could not hold federal Office att
all, and trust TO the several states
10 adopt similar restrictions as
TO state and municipal office.
True. that would create a B
class of citizenship. but see no
objection TO that in view of our
experience and especially in
view of the doubtful quality Of
much of the immigration. which
has swept in here. much Of it
under pretext. since the scourage
began abroad.
TRUE, in this way We might
L deny ourselves some very
fine leadership, but / believe we
would protect ourselves against
much more of a kind Of leader
ship which was largely RESPONSE
BILE for the hell on earth in
Europe.
The answer to any such pro-
posal instinctively will be that
the founding fathers were them
selves malcontents from Europe,
but the time, the nature OF the
United States and the character
Of the immigration are different
today.
Those malcontents came here
TO escape oppression in Europe
and 10 found a new home for
themselves by working. and they
were willing TO forget Europe.
The newer malcontents are no
more content with our ways
than they were with those of the
lands from which they fled, and
are very critical of a country
whose native population would
be very well pleased TO solve
their own problems in their own
way and vote issues in the cleo
ton instead of Old World ma
tionalistic hatreds.
TIVE Constitution can he
Il changed, and / would be in
clined to guess that proposalf
TO restrict all public office and
all office in labor unions to ma
tive Americans would be heart
lily received by the native