Mr. Chairman. I submit that it is a travesty upon the naturalization laws of this country that such an occurrence should take place as happened in the Federal court of my own State less than a month ago. On the 9th day of May. according to a clipping from the Denver Republican. two Italians were brought before the Federal court of Colorado to answer to the charge of perjury In securing their naturalization papers. They pleaded guilty. and in throwing themselves upon the mercy of the court. as ground for leniency. they urged to the court that they did not understand the questions that were propounded to them when they were being made citizens of the United States. and because they could not understandthose questions. because they did not understand the English language. the Federal court granted leniency to them and simply imposed a small fine upon each of them. I am not complaining of the sentence of the court. I pity the Italians. who were probably herded by some political committee to go Into court and be naturalized for the purpose of using them upon election day. That is one of the things we want to prevent. but I do condemn the system that makes it possible for a great number to be gathered in. just preceding an election. for such purposes. Men thus naturalized can have buta poor conception of the dignity of American citizenship. Ah. Mr.
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