Evening star., 1943-05-09
'I-Am-American Day.
To Be Observed in 500
Cities Next Sunday
NuturuIized Citizens to
Be Given Welcome in
Nationwide Observance
BY OLIVER MCKEE.

The District and approximately
500 other cities and towns will ex-
tend formal welcome to the Ma
tion's new citizens on May IS, des-
ignated Il Am An American Day
by presidential proclamation.
Washington will observe the day
with mass meeting Sunday night
at the Departmental Auditorium in
| which more than score Of civic and
patriotic organiZa tions will partici-
pate.
The idea of special observance
to welcome new citizens evolved
from scattered celebrations in vari-
Gus communities. going back as far
as 1915. In 1889, the immigration
and Naturalization Service decided
to assist in co-ordinating the sepa-
rate community exercises. and make
the observance Nationwide.
Authorized by Congress.
Shortly afterward Congress au-
thorized the selection of the third
Sunday of May each year as Il Am
An American Day" In 1912, OBJ
servances we're held in 800 cities and
towns, and this year, according to
reports reaching Federal ofncials,
500 communities are planning to
hold celebrations.
The past II months have added
approximately 2.677.000 men and
women to the roll of American cit
liens. and these will occupy the
places of honor at the May I6 cele-
brations. This total includes about
2,407 900 native-born Americans who
have reached voting age during the
past year. and 270000 foreign born
persons who have become natural
lied during this period, including
$4,000 men in the armed forces who
have been granted citizenship under
the Second War Powers Act.
Record Naturalixa ton.
Naturalization Of foreign-born
persons, during the past three years,
has reached the highest level in our
history, and the upward trend is
still continuing. Last year the num-
ber Of naturalization petitions filed
totaled about $4,000, the largest
number Oh record, and twice the
total of five years ago.
Despite the fact that immigration
has now been practically shut of,
and that it has been subjected to
quota restrictions for two decades,
the United States is gaining new
citizens at faster rate than ever
before. The increase in naturalisa- =
tions has brought the percentage Of
aliens in our population to the low
est point In history-about 3 per
cent.
Joe E. Brown to Preside.
Many of the celebrations planned
this year for II Am An American
Day" are elaborate affairs, with ma
tionally-known speakers and motion
picture stars on their programs.
Earl G. Harrison, commissioner of
immigration and naturalization, will
address the meeting at Boston, held
on the Esplanade Assistant Attor-
ney General Wendell Berge is sched-
uled to address the celebration in
Cincinnati, and Ugo Carusi, execu-
tive assistant to Attorney General
Biddle. will address a meeting at
Los Angeles, in which Joe E. Brown
will serve as master OF ceremonies.
The Philadelphia committee is
planning to hold a ceremony at In
dependence Square, and hopes to
arrange national radio broadcast
from Independence Hall featuring
the ringing of the Liberty Bell by
electric signal from the White House.
Mrs. Henry Grattan Doyle, presi-
dent of the Board of Education, will
preside at the meeting here next
Sunday evening at the Departmental
Auditorium. Among those who will
address this meeting are Solicitor
General Charles Fahy, Maj Gen.
Lewis B. Hershey, director of the
Selective Service System, and Justice
Bolitha j. Laws of the District Court.
In 1910, the alien population Of
Washington totalled $4,000. About
1000 aliens were naturalized in the
District during the period from May,
1912 to April, ls43,