Speech #680192668

I was interested in the observation made by the Senator from Missouri . I understood him to interpret the law differently from what I conceive a proper interpretation to be. The Senator stated that after applications were filed by those seeking citizenship with. the county clerks of the respective State courts. the applications then had to be carried. to a Federal official connected with the Naturalization Bureau and reexamined. by him. and then transmitted back to the State court or transmitted to the Federal court where the final procedure is had which results in citizenship being granted. Mr. President. the law as I interpret it is different from the statement made by the Senator from Missouri. A person seefing naturalization may go either to the Federal officialwhose office is usually in a Government building. sometimes in the same building where the Federal court is being heldor to the office of the county clerk of tie county where ie seeks his citizenship. The county clerk receives and examines his application. and the necessary steps are then taken for advertising and setting the case for hearing. The Federal official representing the Bureau of Naturalization is then brought into contact with this application and lie is advised. of course. of the witnesses who are to be tendered. and makes what inquiries as to the character of the individual. and his worthiness for citizenship. as he deems necessary. Mr. President. it looks to me as though the committees action is- the beginning of a plan to deny the State courts the right to grant citizenship. It looks as though there is a purpose to drive applicants into the Federal courts. to take them away from the State courts. to make them feel that they are under the control of Federal officials. and may not obtain their naturalization papers through the State courts. Such a policy as that I should regard to be unwise and harmful. In the first place. In many of the States the Federal courts are held in but two places. usually in large cities. If applicants for citizenship were compelled to go to the Federal courts only for their citizenship papers. it is clear that the costs would be great. in many instances prohibitive. and in the case of many poor persons who want citizenship it would amount to a denial of the opportunity. I am in favor of opening the doors of the State courts and utilizing their machinery to aid worthy persons in being naturalized. I am not in favor of directing their attention so emphatically as this amendment does to the fact that they must go to the Federal courts and that they are amenable only to the Federal agencies in securing naturalization. So this amendment. aside from the question of the economies which it is alleged are involved. is to me a rather dangerous one. and seems to me to be a step in the wrong direction. A statement was. made by a Senator concerning the inclination of Federal officials to increase their authority and extend their jurisdiction.