Speech #710127008

Chairman. the subject just discussed by the gentleman from New York is an allimportant one. not only to the large number of unnaturalized residents in the United States. but also to the country itself. The person who sells his property and business in a foreign land. severs his home ties. and with his family comes to the United States does so. as a general rule. for the purpose of making this country his permanent home. Citizenship through naturalization is the logical sequence of such permanent residence. Yet. of the 14.000.000 or more foreignborn in the United States today. less than half have become American citizens. Far more immigrants come to the United States than are ever naturalized. During the years from 1908 to 1929. reports of the Department of Labor show. the net increase of population. as based on admission and departure of aliens. was 7.708.777. while during substantially the same period. 1907 to 1929. but 2.884.520 were naturalized on their own petition. It is not the stringency ofour law that prevents a wider Americanization of aliens here. for the naturalization requirements are not great. Indeed. for all practical purposes they are today just the same as they were by the act of 1802. when naturalization was made as easy as possible. Nor is Americanization prevented by inadequate facilities. In the United States there are more than 2.200 courts which are open to all those who are eligible to citizenship. and in those courts the alien may become an American citizen. The country Is divided into 23 districts. including Alaska. Porto Rica. Hawaii. and the Virgin Islands. each in the charge of an examiner. who with the officials In each court is always ready to assist and advise the applicant as to the requirements for naturalization. This work is supervised by the Commissioner of Naturalization. Raymond F. Crist. of Washington.