Speech #680079761

Chalrman and gentlemen of the committee. I have prepared an amendment with the hope that the committee will see the wisdom of including the same in this bill in order that adult aliens shall be forced to becone citizens of this country within a period of five years after being admitted to the same. realizing that if they do not there will be many who will avoid shouldering any responsibility looking to the protection and maintenance of our Government in the future. My amendment Is as follows: After the word " Immigrant." In line 22. page 22. Insert a new paragraph. as follows: "(a) No adult Immigrant shall be admitted to the United States until a written declaration Is executed stating that an application will be made for the purpose of becoming a naturalized citizen within a period* of five years. "(b) The Commissioner of Immigration shall require every adult immigrant to execute the proper declaration with respect to naturalization. and a complete record with respect to every adult shall be made and a copy of each- declaration shall be filed In: the offie of the Department of Labor. "(c) Every adult Immigrant ohall be requiredl at the end of the fiveyear period to file with the Commissionerof Immigration a copy of the application made for the purpose of becoming a naturalized citizen of the United States. and any person failing or refusing to comply with this regulation shall be subject. to be immediately deported to his or her native country uider such regulations as shall be provided by the Commissioner of Immigration. "(d) The Scer tary of Labor slall have the power to render final decisions in all matters covered by this paragraph." Every Member of Congress within the hearing of my voice remembers full well that during the war there was a class of aliens in this country who absolutely refused to do anything toward sapporting our country when It was necessary to mobilize the best brawn and brain for military duty. There were thousands of aliens who claimed their exemption because of the fact they had never become naturalized citizens. and all during the war this class of aliens.. who were engaged in various. profitable occupations. charged the American people the highest prices that they were ever called on to pay for the necessities and conveniences of life. A large per cent of them refused to aid the Red Cross. others were negligent when it came to purchasing Liberty bonds. in fact. this class of profiteers were nothing more than parasites sucking the lifeblood from our citizenship during the time when our- people were making sacrifices in order that our armies might have the kind of support ito keep up the proper morale and bring the war to an early close. I have no patience with any foreigner who comes to this country for the purpose of making a livelihood and who is not willing to share the same kind of responsibility as that borne by the rest of the people. This amendment. it adopted. would require every adult alien. to make application for citizenship within a period of five years. Tlhis would noir work a hardship on any person. but. on the other hand. would cause those who. came to our fair land to have a better understanding of the economic and social conditions of our country and at the same time instill into them a. higher degree of patriotism. which- would in- the end make them bettersatisfied citizens. The adoption of this amendment would not make it maniatory on ihe part of any bureau of our Government to deport any alien citizen. but. to the contrary. would leave the matter entirely to the discretion of the Commissioner of Immigration to say whether or not adult persons failing or refusing to comply with this amendment should be subject to be returned to their native country. Therefore I hope the chairman of this great committee will not make a point of order against this amendment. I am just as strong for safeguarding the citizenship. of our country against a flood of foreigners as any person can lie.