Speech #740048631

I am sure that the purposes of this bill are salutary. and I feel it will receive the support of all fairminded Members of the House. I did not believe there would be a Member of this House who would be opposed to this type of legislation. yet I see that the Membership of this House was prevented from fully considering this bill by objections raised by the gentleman from New York . the gentlewoman from New York . the gentleman from Ohio . the gentleman from Nebraska . and the gentleman from Wisconsin . That bill would remove many undesirable aliens. and I fail to see the consistency of the objections made. Another bill reported from the committee is H. R. 5799. This proposes to correct a situation created by the recent Saar plebiscite. Many naturalized Americans went from the United States and cast their votes in a foreign country on a matter in which they as United States citizens had no interest. and they voted in the interest of a foreign nation. A study of our laws revealed that there is no statute in existence which is sufficient to bring about the forfeiture of the citizenship of such naturalized aliens who hold a dual allegiance of this character. Hence reluctantly concluding that such drastic legislation is necessary this bill was reported. While the measure reported will not affect those who voted in that Saar plebiscite. probably the enactment of this bill now would prevent such a situation arising in the future and would serve notice that hereafter there will be no such double allegiance. Persons who become naturalized citizens will know they must declare themselves as Americans and by that act give up all connections which would justify taking part in elections or plebiscites in the interests of any foreign country. and they will know that if they do vote in a foreign election they must suffer the consequences and be classed here as aliens and subject to all disabilities that aliens may be subjected to thereafter. This very necessary new legislation was not permitted to receive proper consideration by this House when the gentleman from Wisconsin . the gentleman from Ohio . the gentleman from Illinois . and the gentleman from Michigan all objected to consideration of this bill. I am at a loss to understand what possible objection could justify them in preventing the Membership of this House from acting on this remedial type of legislation which seeks to strengthen citizenship.