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Show J ABOUT THE NATURALIZATION LAWS. .., - ...... - . 1 , Congress having refused to act, Secretary. Root created a citizenship board to draft what-would be just to' have crystaUiied into a law regarding the j naturalization of foreigners, and denaturalization of - American citizens who permanently settle in foreign jlanda. ' v Long ago Congress declared that expatriation 1 was the natural right of man, and that no foreign country, could contest our right to admit foreigners 1 to citizenship, but failed to say how Americans could become foreigners. i This board recommends that an American may I be assumed to have expatriated himself when he be-' be-' comes naturalized in a foreign country, or when he lives permanently outside of the United States, without with-out intending to return. Discussing this, the Nation thinks that "the justice jus-tice of the first proposition is palpable, but how to . determine a man's intentions is obviously a difficult task." , There are certain things that nations have to assume. as-sume. When an American goes to a foreign country, invests his money there, establishes his business or lives there at his leisure year after year, it is a clear case that his native country has no claim on him. He has invested his property and expects a foreign power to protect him and his property riphts. Why should he not be dropped from the rolls after a reasonable rea-sonable time? So foreigners come here and get naturalization nat-uralization papers, they bring no property, and so soon as thev get their papers they return to their native na-tive country, settle down for life, the object being to evade military duties or any other duties of citizenship. citizen-ship. Whv should this country be put in jeopardy by trying to protect such frauds apaiust the rights of their native country? Again, our country makes a foreign woman, who marries an American and comes here to live, by the fact of her marriage to an American, an American woman. Then why would it not be just as well when one of our girls buys a foreigner, goes with him to his country, invests her money there, to declare that she is no longer an American citizen? The question comes up. in case a woman becomes a widow or a grass-widow, and desires to return to her own country, what then? That could be easily fixed by her getting naturalized. The board recommends that the old status so far as children are concerned shall remain. Those born here, except in foreign legations, are citizens. This has been declared a law by the Supreme court, but the board recommends that the naturalization of a father shall not give citizenship to his children, unless un-less they actually come to the United States to reside. re-side. The law makes it necessary for a man to file his intentions to become a citizen two ears in advance of his receiving citizenship papers, but if in the meantime he goes back, this country will not protect or defend him. That is richt ; it oueht to be left as it is. because if he Cops hack and could obtain protection pro-tection there on his first papers, there are plenty of them who would do nothinc more: they would be neither citizens of this country nor of their name country, but they would hold to their native country for their homes and lok to the United States for protection. The board recommends that this he modified so that if they are actually called away for a brief time that durinrr that brief time their passports, statme the time, will insure them protection from our ;v-ernment ;v-ernment durincr that time. It is a complicated business. This naturalization business certainly needs a revision, and h great many that tret in every year should he kept out. In fact, all should be made to brine such guarantees o good citizenship at home that they will be acceptable here. |
