Speech #680181261

Chairman. I rise In support of the amendpient of the gentleman from New York . I desire to state supplementary to his remarks that the conditions in Brooklyn. where I hail from. are most deplorable with reference to naturalization applications and the granting of final papers. I had occasion about a month ago to appear in Judge Garvans court. which is the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. the jurisdiction of which coinprises Brooklyn. Queens. and Long Island and Staten Island. I asked Judge Garvan how many applications lie passed upon. and lie told me that he or one of his associate judges are assigned once a week in that district court throughout the year for naturalization. and it was their intention to handle some 200 i applications each week. but because of lack of clerical force both in the court and in the Naturalization Bureau. due to lack of appropriations. they have been unable to handle more than 60 per cent of the contemplated amount. on an average. and as a consequence great delays occur in the handling of the petitions and applications. I am informed through responsible sources that within a period of two years they will be five years behind in the handling of this work in New York City. The increase of applications for certificates of naturalization in Brooklyn alone has been over 20 per cent in the year ending 1924 over the year 1923. Heretofore we have had the aid of State agencies. The .county clerk of Brooklyn. Kings County. and the county clerk of New York County supplemented the work of the naturalization bureaus. but this work was taken out of the control of the county clerks and placed exclusively and entirely within the Bureau of Naturalization. therefore the Government and the Committee on Appropriations should take into consideration the necessity of allowing the county clerks to help in this work and should make additional appropriations. so that the business I of naturalization will not be hampered. The amendment offered by the gentleman froin New York would take this into consideration and provide for a proper appropriation to take care of this large and increasing volume of business that is now being handled by the Government and would under proper Federal control and supervision permit the State agencies to hell) in the expedition of granting naturalization papers. You can well appreciate. my good friends. that If this delay continues in affording proper appropriations. you are going to put immigrants who want to embrace citizenship. who want to become Americanized. at a most serious disadvantage. and the least we can do is to lend a helping hand to those who .thus express their willingness to become a part of our body politic by accepting and embracing our citizenship.