Speech #660333826

W. B. Wilson. wrote me as follows. assuming very properly that noneligible aliens were not contemplated by the act: "Your letter of the 1st instant to the Commissioner of Naturalization. with reference to the naturalization of subjects of Japan under the act of May 9. 1918. has been considered by the officer named and has been called to my personal attention by him. "I note that you state that Judge Bledscoe had told you that one of the naturalization examiners requested favorable action on the case of the Japanese. and that the same thing happened In San Francisco and Honolulu. A report has this. day been made of the chief naturalization examiner of San Francisco concerning this matter. and instructions have been given which will leave him in no doubt that it is the administrative view that Congress has made no provision for the naturalization of other than free white persons and persons of African nativity and descent. with the exception of the Filipinos referred to in the seventhsubdlvision of section 4 of the act of June 29. 1906. as amended by the act of May 9. 1918." So the Department of Labor and its Bureau of Naturalization have agreed with this interpretation which my amendment would put upon the act. that the law was intended only for those who are eligible to citizenship and who had enlisted in the service of the United States. and the main purpose was to prevent them from being adjudged traitors should they be captured on the other side when fighting the battles of our country. The evil that has grown from this is that a large number of Japanese. taking citizenship In this way. which is clearly irregular. and I believe will be declared of no validity should it ever reach the Supreme Court. granted. this class of privilege of citizenship under an act where there is no real authority to grant it. came to the State of California. and have organized corporations. which. under our land law. may be organized only by citizens of the United States. They have organized those corporations for the purpose of acquiring our agricultural lands. laithough we have passed every known form of law to bar them.