Speech #730136787

There is nothing involved in the proposed amendment to stop alien representation which even touches the Negro issue at all. because. with very few exceptions. representing largely persons from the West Indies. an inconsiderable factor in the. total. the Negroes. having been born here. are citizens of the United States. I am perfectly willing to face any legitimate issue that involves protecting the rights of the colored man. but I naturally and legitimately protest against any effort. hostile in purpose. and without regard to the real interests of the Negro race. to tangle that question up with the perfectly plain and simple one of who shall be represented in determining the policy of the Government of the United Statescitizens of the United States or citizens of some other country. This amendment likewise has nothing whatever to do with the question of who shall come to this country and how many shall come. for it does not touch the immigration laws. The questions raised by them are entitled to be settled on their own merits. Nor does the proposal to stop representation of aliens have the slightest thing to do with the question of the conditions under which aliens may become citizens. for the proposed amendment has nothing whatever to do with the naturalization laws. Frankly. I recognize thedesirability of awakening the public to the proper aspects of Americanism and a scrutiny of the naturalization laws.. and particularly of their administration. For example. take a case like that reported in the New York papers early in 1928. In the county of the Bronx. the third most populous of the five counties entirely within New York City. 10.000 aliens were naturalized in 2 weeks. a thousand a day. herded into court in four squads of 250 each. and perfunctorily lectured and turned loose to vote for Tammany candidates. That ought to be looked into. No-. body can seriously believe that all of these 10.000 fully complied with the provisions of the naturalization laws. The proposed amendment would not take away any right from any alien who is resident in this country. His most important right is that of becoming a citizen.