effect, no alien shall be naturalized who can not read the English language in addition to being able to speak it, unless physically unable to read." The writing test is not in there.

Mr. RAKER. It was in at one time; it was in one of the other bills and it has been taken out.

Mr. VAILE. Well, we will let that pass for the present, because we know our views.

Mr. MILLS. The next section is simply one that provides for having the ceremony of giving the certificate one of dignity and which will impress the new. citizen. That is the section intended to provide for a ceremony when he is granted a certificate.

Mr. RAKER. There would not be much ceremony, even if they carried out that provision, if they should continue to carry out the law with relation to naturalization as at present.

The CHAIRMAN. Let us see what it says:

Every final hearing upon a petition for naturalization shall be held in open court before a judge, or the judges thereof, and every final order which may be made upon such petition shall be under the hand of the court and entered in full upon a record kept for that purpose."

That is the present law?

Mr. RAKER. Yes.

The CHAIRMAN. "And upon such final hearing of such petition the applicant and his witnesses shall be examined under oath before the court, in the presence of the court."

That is the present law, is it not?

Mr. MILLS. Yes.

The CHAIRMAN. It provides that the applicant and his witnesses shall be examined before the open court and that—

"All certificates of naturalization shall be delivered publicly to the applicants by a judge having jurisdiction to naturalize aliens or by a distinguished citizen of the community designated by the Secretary of Labor to perform such function, and the delivery of such certificates shall take place in a court room of a United States district court, in the auditorium of a public school building, or in some other proper and convenient auditorium at such time as shall be most convenient to the applicants, such place and time to be designated by the Commissioner of Naturalization: Provided, however, That the auditorium selected shall be one for the use of which no charge is made to the Federal Government.'

That is all right. That provides for all of the process we now have, and on top of that he is planning for public meetings.

Mr. VAILE. I think it is a pretty good idea.

The CHAIRMAN. We have section 14 on page 23:

"The Secretary of Labor may, in his discretion, in cooperation with the judges exercising naturalization jurisdiction, recommend examiners of the bureau of citizenship and its field service for designation by the court as special commissioners who shall upon such designation have authority to take testimony in naturalization cases and in open court in the presence of the court and the petitioners make final report thereon to the court. Such report shall be a compliance with the requirement for the final hearing of their petitions for citizenship, and shall be in lieu of the appearance of the witnesses thereto, provided by sections 13 and 15 of this act."

Mr. CRIST. That gives an opportunity for a ceremony, because we have but 100 people there instead of 300.

The CHAIRMAN. I think we are all driving at the same thing. We know that the candidate has been prepared and a date set for him to go to court; he goes with the certain knowledge, barring some great exposure or the discrediting of all that he has done, that he is going to get his certificate; he goes there dressed up; he takes his wife and friends; he does not go with a mob, but goes to get something that is valuable. So I think we are both working for the same thing.

Mr. MILLS. Exactly.

The CHAIRMAN. I suppose a line or two could be put in here authorizing a ceremony.

Mr. VAILE. I think Mr. Mills has a very good idea about that and that it is worth incorporating.

་

Mr. MILLS. Yes, sir; we did submit that, bus not seen the result of the vote on that particulars The CHAIRMAN. I am told it carried by a yeLY Mr. MILLS. I would not want to say, Mr. Jolest) The CHAIRMAN. What was the proposition? Mr. MILLS. The proposition was that no man shoc he could read and write.

Mr. RAKER. If New York has adopted a constiçan, all those who desire to vote, both men and wom write, what legitimate objection could possibly be the York C'ty to requiring those who desire citizenship to in Mr. MILLS. There could be no objection because The on this particular question in so far as New York is cobe The CHAIRMAN. Do you think the language provisio the husband and wife? Your bill, on page 5, section 2. "Hereafter no al'en, physically capable of speaking. English language shall be naturalized as a cit zen of the P You would want that to apply to men and women alike Mr. MILLS. I certainly would, because now women exeT of citizenship.

Mr. RAKER. You are also in favor of the attitude of general bill that there should be a separate naturalizations Mr. MILLS. Yes; that they should go through exactly the Mr. RAKER. How are you on the other question, that is, zenship to women by virtue of marriage, but requiring them i Have you given any thought to that?

Mr. MILLS. I have given it thought, but as a practical prog me that the difficulties are enormous if we do not; I mean. all of the other rights of women, such as the place standing

The CHAIRMAN (interposing). The holding of property? Mr. MILLS. Yes. It seems to me that we disturb a legal ture that has been built up by very long custom, and that ing to go into the whole matter and say how that is go should be unwilling to advocate a change just at this time. The CHAIRMAN. On the other hand, if we should say woman who marries an alien should retain her citizenship. the other side of it.

Mr. MILLS. I have always been opposed to that particular i question has arisen, as you know, in political conventions, have been very insistent upon that particular proposition, hi been willing to concede that a woman who marries a foreigner her American citizenship.

Mr. VAILE. Women who appear before our committee and have tion drawn to the difficulties you suggest are not quite as insiste The CHAIRMAN. They quit here with modified views, but later ing any attention to details they go on talking for it.

Mr. VAILE. I want to call attention to the provision on page 53 9238:

"No person shall, after this act takes effect, be naturalized as a the United States who can not speak the English language unders unless physically unable to speak. After one year from the date this

effect. In in add The Mr. Ra

been take Mr. VA views.

Mr. MIL mony of citizen. Tar granted a Mr. RAKI that provision naturalization The CHAIRA "Every fina court before s be made upo

in full upon 2 That is the Mr. RAKER The CHAIRN

and his with

ence of the

That is the Mr. MILLS. 1 The CHAIR examined before "All certifi‹“ · cants by a jude citizen of the function, and of a United Sta or in some othe most convenient

Commissioner selected shall Government."

APPENDIX X.

of the bill under consideration is as follows:

11. R. 9238. Sixty-seventh Congress, first session.]

or the guidance and protection, the better economic distribution, and ent of the foreign-born residents of the United States, to repeal laws relating to the naturalization of aliens, and to establish a uniform Varalization of aliens throughout the United States, and to create Ship in the Department of Labor, and for other purposes.

That is all r on top of that he Mr. VAILE. I The CHAIRMA "The Secrets. exercising nate of citizenship a missioners who in naturalizatio petitioners mal compliance wit citizenship, and provided by sect Mr. CRIST. T. 100 people there The CHAIRMA that the candi he goes with i' crediting of all i there dressed but goes to get for the same th Mr. MILLS. E The CHAIRMA a ceremony.

Mr. VAILE. | | worth incorpor

the Senate and House of Representatives of the United in Congress assembled, That the Bureau of Citizenship is in the Department of Labor to promote the welfare of the minister the rule for the uniform naturalization of aliens isions contained in this act. The Bureau of Naturalization I hereby abolished.

officer in charge of the Bureau of Citizenship and its field Director of Citizenship, who shall be appointed by the th the advice and consent of the Senate. The Director be under the immediate direction of the Secretary of such acts consistent with law, and make such reports se as the Secretary of Labor shall require. All acts properformed by the Director of Citizenship shall be first fary of Labor.

eau of Citizenship shall provide for the guidance, proTomic distribution and better economic adjustment of Shall facilitate their social and economic well-being in vibed. In order to accomplish such betterment, each fter residing in the United States is hereby required r making the declaration of intention prescribed by

reau of Naturalization to promote instruction in the ing in citizenship responsibilites of candidates for blic schools is hereby placed with the Bureau of include the promotion of such education for all perand classes of instruction conducted or maintained y civic, educational, community, or other organizaThe public-school authorities. In discharging this for of Citizenship is also authorized to disseminstitutions of the United States Government in te loyalty to those institutions, making use of through the use of pictures, slides, and mo al of civic, educational, community, and other The Director of Citizenship. The Director of tion and aid of the public-school authorities promoting the well-being of foreign-born d them full opportunity to attend publicie-school buildings, places of employment, s, in order to aid them to avoid embarrass, customs, and life, and to combat docConstitution of the United States. Such to accomplish the purposes of this act abor and paid from the appropriations

Mr. MILLS. The last suggestion in my bill has probably been covered by your registration proposition. This is to establish naturalization stations in the congested centers, where you will have a commissioner in charge, and who will be able to give them the necessary blanks, accept their declaration of intention, and so on. That is more a matter of convenience than anything else. Take in a city like New York. They have to travel very great distances, and when they get down there they have a very long wait.

The CHAIRMAN. That is a process for furnishing them with blanks and preliminary applications?

The CHAIRMAN. Would you favor having all of those things on wheels so that blanks could be carried to men in a factory or in a coal-mining district in western Pennsylvania, for instance?

Mr. MILLS. Well, I must say that I had not thought of anything like that, and in this suggestion I am dealing with a situation that probably does not exist in most parts of the country, but it exists in probably two or three cities.

The CHAIRMAN. Well, there is a great deal of trouble in Massachusetts; the county seats are the centers and the papers are there, but the men are out in the factories.

Mr. RAKER. But the men can get on a street car and go to those centers in 20 minutes.

Mr. MILLS. Where are you going to establish your registration?

Mr. RAKER. At the courthouses.

Mr. MILLS. This is exactly the same thing.

The CHAIRMAN. Except that this is an annual proposition, and whether it will require too much machinery is a question.

Mr. MILLS. If you establish registration stations in the schools you may as well go a step further and have there all necessary blanks and administer such preliminary oaths as are necessary.

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Mills, we will have a hiatus between the special session and the beginning of the regular session. We have just made a last draft of the proposed recodification of the naturalization laws. While it is not the work of the committee in its entirety, the committee has been over some of the provisions in other bills, and I think all the members of the committee will be under obligation if you would read that bill with some care during the adjournment.

Mr. VAILE. I think Mr. Mills has a pretty carefully drawn bill, and I wish he would read over H. R. 9238 and be prepared to discuss it with us. Mr. MILLS. I will be very glad to do it during the adjournment.

Mr. RAKER. What is your view of amending the statute which now directs the courts as to the disposition of cases, such as Ex parte cases, habeas corpus cases, criminal cases, and so on, and providing in the amendment that the courts shall take up naturalization cases prior to civil and equity cases? . Mr. MILLS. I would not want to give an off-hand opinion.

Mr. RAKER. I am not asking you to do that, but I wish you would look into it. We now have a statute requiring that certain cases be given precedence over others, and the statute was amended during the war by placing the war cases ahead of all other except criminal cases.

Mr. MILLS. Of course, all of the court calendars, in both our State courts and the United States courts in New York City, are so congested and so far behind that one hesitates to push anything ahead of the cases now on the calendars.

Mr. RAKER. The purpose of my question is this, if they could rectify that situation in congested cities, if when they found there was a congestion, to put another judge on and relieve the situation temporarily until it was relieved?

The CHAIRMAN. It would be a better plan to establish out-and-out naturalization courts.

Mr. RAKER. I can not see that. Enough judges can be had to do the work. so that the people may have the business adjusted as it accrues. That is what the people want.

The CHAIRMAN. That is not a matter for this committee, that is a matter for the Committee on the Judiciary.

Mr. MILLS. I am very much indebted to you for your courtesy.

The CHAIRMAN. We thank you.

(Thereupon, the committee adjourned.)

APPENDIX X.

The revised text of the bill under consideration is as follows:

[H. R. 9238. Sixty-seventh Congress, first session.]

A BILL To provide for the guidance and protection, the better economic distribution, and the better adjustment of the foreign-born residents of the United States, to repeal laws heretofore enacted relating to the naturalization of aliens, and to establish a uniform system for the naturalization of aliens throughout the United States, and to create a Bureau of Citizenship in the Department of Labor, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Bureau of Citizenship is hereby established in the Department of Labor to promote the welfare of the foreign born and administer the rule for the uniform naturalization of aliens and the other provisions contained in this act. The Bureau of Naturalization in such department is hereby abolished.

The administrative officer in charge of the Bureau of Citizenship and its field! service shall be the Director of Citizenship, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Director of Citizenship shall be under the immediate direction of the Secretary of Labor, shall perform such acts consistent with law, and make such reports annually and otherwise as the Secretary of Labor shall require. All acts provided in this act to be performed by the Director of Citizenship shall be first approved by the Secretary of Labor.

SEC. 2. That the Bureau of Citizenship shall provide for the guidance, protection, and better economic distribution and better economic adjustment of our alien population, and shall facilitate their social and economic well-being in the manner herein prescribed. In order to accomplish such betterment, each alien at present or hereafter residing in the United States is hereby required to register annually after making the declaration of intention prescribed by law.

The authority of the Bureau of Naturalization to promote instruction in the English language and training in citizenship responsibilites of candidates for citizenship attending the public schools is hereby placed with the Bureau of Citizenship and extended to include the promotion of such education for all persons of foreign birth who attend classes of instruction conducted or maintained by the public schools or by any civic, educational, community, or other organization under the supervision of the public-school authorities. In discharging this additional authority the Director of Citizenship is also authorized to disseminate information regarding the institutions of the United States Government in such manner as will best stimulate loyalty to those institutions, making use of the means heretofore provided and through the use of pictures, slides, and mo tion pictures. In this work the aid of civic, educational, community, and other organizations may be secured by the Director of Citizenship. The Director of Citizenship shall obtain the cooperation and aid of the public-school authorities in carrying out a national plan for promoting the well-being of foreign-born and adult illiterate persons, to afford them full opportunity to attend publicschool classes to be conducted in public-school buildings, places of employment, their homes, or at other suitable points, in order to aid them to avoid embarrasment due to ignorance of American laws, customs, and life, and to combat doctrines of government repugnant to the Constitution of the United States. Such educational assistants as are necessary to accomplish the purposes of this act may be appointed by the Secretary of Labor and paid from the appropriations available for the Bureau of Citizenship.

At such places as the Secretary of Labor may designate, there may be appointed aids, interpreters, clerks, and stenographers, whose duty it shall be to assist by advice and information persons of foreign birth who may apply to them for guidance and information in matters relating to their personal welfare, in order that by practical, helpful contact with authorized representatives of the Government there may be made known to the foreign born the interest of the Government in their well-being.

The Director of Citizenship shall continue to send the names of candidates for citizenship to the public schools and otherwise promote instruction in citizenship responsibilities as authorized by this act, and shall extend the distribution of the citizenship textbook authorized heretofore by Congress to those embraced within the terms of this act when in attendance upon the classes of the public schools, referred to herein. The cost of publishing the citizenship text