Mr. Chairman. it is required by the provisions of this bill that the hearing in naturalization cases be in open court. that tie applicant shall appear in person before the court and produce his two witnesses in open court. We do that for the purpose of preventing the frauds that have so often been perpetrated in these cases and to impress the alien also with the importance of the proceeding to which he is a party. The oath of allegiance must be taken by the alien in open court. We have elaborate provisions in the bill for keeping all records in such proceedings. requiring the clerks to keep a duplicate of tile declaration of intention. and also a stub of the certificate of naturalization. so that there shall be a complete record in every court of all aliens naturalized by that court. and in the Bureau of Naturalization. at Washington. there shall be a complete record of the naturalization of all aliens who may became naturalized under the provisions of this bill after it goes into effect. We have also provided in reference to the certificate of naturalization that it shall be upon safety paper furnished by the Bureau of Naturalization and that those certificates shall be consecutively numbered. These provisions are all intended to prevent the sale of these certificates to people who are not entitled to them. It came to the attention of the committee. and it has been stated many times in the press. that certificates of naturalization have been sold not only in the United States. but sold in foreign countries to people who have never been upon our shores. and that immigrants have landed upon our shores carrying with them fraudulent. counterfeit. and false certificates of naturalization that were sold to them upon the other side of the globe. These matters that we have provided for the keeping of record and the care of the certificates are to prevent such cases as those.
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naturalized immigrants naturalization Naturalization