Speech #670325584

The most peculiar result of the operation of the law is that our net gain consists entirely. of women and girls. The number of male aliens who departed from this country during the fiscal year just passed exceeded those admitted by almost 12.000. while the number of females who were admitted to this country during the fiscal year ending June 30. 1922. exceeded those who departed by more than 98.000. so that the net gain in the number of aliens for Ihe fiscal year last past. from both quota and nonquota countries. is 87.121all females. In addition. the immigration laws have been better administered. The percentage of those usually. debarred has been less than 2 per cent each year of those who seek admission. while under the adminLtration. of the 3 per cent law the percentage of debarred has aInmost doubled. Another fine result of the law is the fact that under restrictive immigration naturalization of foreign born is on. the increase. We have approximately 14.000.000 foreign. born in- this. country and. less than half are naturalized. As is well known. when a tuan is naturalized his wife. and also his children who are under 21 years of age and! residing in this country. automatically become American citizens. Titis process takes at least five years for tie man. About 12 years ago naturalization was granted to a number equal approximately to 10 per cent of the new immigrants who. came. to this country. During the last fiscal year this situation has been reversed. and.. while the net gain of foreign born is about 87.000. the natuxalization amounts. itt round numbers. to approximately 262.000. I am one of those who believe that a foreign born who coies to this country to make a living. should think enough of the United States to renounce- allegiance to his foreign ruler and become a citizen of the United States. Sometimes those seeking to be naturalized fail. but generally through no fault of the Government. Of tite 29.000who were denied naturalization in the last fiscnl.year. 10.000.were refused because they. had claimed exemption from military service of the United States on the ground that they were aliens. This law has been operating so successfully that it has- been extended. for two addlional years with some amendments. For example. a penalty is imposed upon steamship companies who bring aliens here in excess of tile quota-. also. instead of one year. aliens must reside continuously for five years immediately preceding the time they seek admission to the- United States fron Canada.