Speech #590089178

Mr. Chairman. in 1903 the Department of Justice appointed a special examiner to examine into naturalization frauds. He made a report. and in that report is found the following language. to which I desire to call the attention of the committee. The special examiner was Mr. Van Deusen. He said: The evidence is overwhelming that the general administration of the naturalization laws has been contemptuous. perfunctory. indifferent. lax. and unintelligent. and in many cases. especially In inferior State courts. corrupt. I find that it is and has been the practice of judges of State courts to hold evening sessions of court at the behest of political leaders for the sole purpose of naturalizing hundreds of aliens for political purposes. with a full knowledge on the part of the judges that the aliens have been bribed to become citizens and voters by the payment of their naturalization fees by the political organizations. These evils and frauds have existed for years. exist today. and will continue to exist and multiply until radical and stringent changes are made in the naturalization laws and a strict supervision of the administration imposed. Nearly everyone. Mr. Chairman. who has spoken upon this floor today in reference to this bill has admitted that in the main these charges are correct. that we have had a very loose and lax system of naturalization In vogue in this country. that many have been naturalized improperly and improvidently and contrary to the provisions of the law. From such investigation as we have been able to give to this question we have concluded that the primary reason for the lax and loose administration of the naturalization laws has been because of the large number of courts of different characters of jurisdiction throughout the United States. There are today some 5.000 different courts in the United States naturalizing aliens. So long. Mr. -Chairman. as there are that number of courts engaged in this business we can not hope to have a uniform system of naturalization. and there was never a better demonstration and illustration of that fact than which I called to the committees attention a few moments ago of what occurred In the city of Chicago. Now. it has not been the aim of the committee to make it difficult or impossible for worthy aliens to become naturalized. so we did not go to the extremes. as many urged us to do. and limit naturalization to the Federal courts. The naturalization of aliens is a Federal matter. and so there were some strong arguments that might be urged now. and were urged upon the committee in favor of limiting naturalization to the Federal courts alone. but the committee did not go to that extreme. On the contrary. we have provided that not only the Federal courts. but that the State courts of the highest original jurisdiction in every State might be authorized to naturalize aliens. and in every county in every State and in every Territory of the Union there is some court of highest original jurisdiction that will sit at different times throughout the year than can naturalize aliens under the provisions of this bill. and therefore I hope. Mr. Chairman. that the amendment that has been offered. and other amendments seeking to add to the courts that may engage in this business. may be voted down and the report of the committee approved by the Committee of the Whole House.