Speech #680069944

I have written a paper on the subject of naturalization. The Senator from Pennsylvania [M\.i. REED] franted a quota bill upon the proposition that the quotas should be based upon the number of the nationals from the different nationalities who have been naturalized. He based it upon census figures. Those census figures. which I shall not give exactly but only for comparison. would show. for illustration. that 65 per cent of the Germans had been naturalized and that 38 or 39 per cent of the Italians had been naturalized. The naturalization basis will lead exactly to the same results as the 1890 quota basis. On those census figures a much smaller number o1: the people from southern and eastern Europe have been naturalized than from northern and western Europe. Are these census naturalization figures sound as showihg relative eagerness to becoime American citizens on the ptrt of these different national groups? In this coirnection we must bear in mind the fact. that the " old" immigration came over here 30 years before the "new." that the "old" came over here before 1890. and the " new " came over here since 1890. T6 become naturalized a man must be 21 years of age and must have five years residence here before he can take out his final papers. If these inmmigrants had all come over here at the same time. if a nillion Italians and a million Germans had come over here in 1900. and we were going to take the census of 1920 as the basis. there might be some basis for comparison. provided they had the same opportunity to become naturalized when they got here. But to base upion these census tables a deduction as to the nnibes who desire to b)ecome Amerietan citizens Is absolutely unsound. And the reason wvhy is because the " old" immigrants catle to this country 30 or 40 years before the " new " and. of course. a greater number would be naturalized. The true test is. how long wits tile average Germal here in this country before lie took out his final lpapers? How long was the average Italian here before lie took out his final papers?