Part 1
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE
Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.
Footnote anchors are denoted by [number], and the footnotes have been placed at the end of the book. Many of the Tables have associated footnotes, which have been kept at the bottom of that table and labelled as a ‘note’ rather than a footnote. These note anchors are denoted by {number}.
Some Tables were very wide; these have been split into two or more parts, with the first column of the first part being repeated in the other parts. When relevant, the first two columns have been repeated.
In those Tables with ‘court number’ from 1 to 29 as a header, court number 11 is always missing; this is not an error, it is absent in the original text.
Some other minor changes to the text are noted at the end of the book.
AMERICANS BY CHOICE
_Americanization Studies_
SCHOOLING OF THE IMMIGRANT. Frank V. Thompson, Supt. of Public Schools, Boston
AMERICA VIA THE NEIGHBORHOOD. John Daniels
OLD WORLD TRAITS TRANSPLANTED. Robert E. Park, Professorial Lecturer, University of Chicago Herbert A. Miller, Professor of Sociology, Oberlin College
A STAKE IN THE LAND. Peter A. Speek, in charge, Slavic Section, Library of Congress
IMMIGRANT HEALTH AND THE COMMUNITY. Michael M. Davis, Jr., Director, Boston Dispensary
NEW HOMES FOR OLD. Sophonisba P. Breckinridge, Professor of Social Economy, University of Chicago
THE IMMIGRANT PRESS AND ITS CONTROL. Robert E. Park, Professorial Lecturer, University of Chicago
ADJUSTING IMMIGRANT AND INDUSTRY. (In preparation) William M. Leiserson, Chairman, Labor Adjustment Boards, Rochester and New York
AMERICANS BY CHOICE. John P. Gavit, Vice-President, New York _Evening Post_
THE IMMIGRANT’S DAY IN COURT. (In press) Kate Holladay Claghorn, Instructor in Social Research, New York School of Social Work
SUMMARY. (In preparation) Allen T. Burns, Director, Studies in Methods of Americanization
_Harper & Brothers Publishers_
AMERICANIZATION STUDIES
ALLEN T. BURNS, DIRECTOR
AMERICANS BY CHOICE
BY JOHN PALMER GAVIT
HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS NEW YORK AND LONDON 1922
AMERICANS BY CHOICE
Copyright, 1922 By Harper & Brothers Printed in the U. S. A.
_First Edition_
G--W
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
The material in this volume was gathered by the Division of Health Standards and Care of Studies in Methods of Americanization.
Americanization in this study has been considered as the union of native and foreign born in all the most fundamental relationships and activities of our national life. For Americanization is the uniting of new with native-born Americans in fuller common understanding and appreciation to secure by means of self-government the highest welfare of all. Such Americanization should perpetuate no unchangeable political, domestic, and economic regime delivered once for all to the fathers, but a growing and broadening national life, inclusive of the best wherever found. With all our rich heritages, Americanism will develop best through a mutual giving and taking of contributions from both newer and older Americans in the interest of the commonweal. This study has followed such an understanding of Americanization.
FOREWORD
This volume is the result of studies in methods of Americanization prepared through funds furnished by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. It arose out of the fact that constant applications were being made to the Corporation for contributions to the work of numerous agencies engaged in various forms of social activity intended to extend among the people of the United States the knowledge of their government and their obligations to it. The trustees felt that a study which should set forth, not theories of social betterment, but a description of the methods of the various agencies engaged in such work, would be of distinct value to the cause itself and to the public.
The outcome of the study is contained in eleven volumes on the following subjects: Schooling of the Immigrant; The Press; Adjustment of Homes and Family Life; Legal Protection and Correction; Health Standards and Care; Naturalization and Political Life; Industrial and Economic Amalgamation; Treatment of Immigrant Heritages; Neighborhood Agencies and Organization; Rural Developments; and Summary. The entire study has been carried out under the general direction of Mr. Allen T. Burns. Each volume appears in the name of the author who had immediate charge of the particular field it is intended to cover.
Upon the invitation of the Carnegie Corporation a committee consisting of the late Theodore Roosevelt, Prof. John Graham Brooks, Dr. John M. Glenn, and Mr. John A. Voll has acted in an advisory capacity to the director. An editorial committee consisting of Dr. Talcott Williams, Dr. Raymond B. Fosdick, and Dr. Edwin F. Gay has read and criticized the manuscripts. To both of these committees the trustees of the Carnegie Corporation are much indebted.
The purpose of the report is to give as clear a notion as possible of the methods of the agencies actually at work in this field and not to propose theories for dealing with the complicated questions involved.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
Publisher’s Note v
Foreword vii
Table of Contents ix
List of Tables xvi
List of Diagrams xxi
Introduction xxiii
CHAPTER
I. OF THEIR OWN FREE WILL 1
These Are Our Voters! 2 Primitive Attitudes Toward Immigrants 3 Legal Position of the Alien 5 What Is an “American”? 7 The American Has No Racial Marks 10 Not Racial, but Cultural 12 Essentials of “Americanism” 14
II. NEW MEMBERS AND AN OLD GAME 17
Factors in Immigration 18 Politics Welcomes the Irish 21 They Always Have Been Democrats 21 Early Germans Became Republicans 24 Effects of the Gold Craze 25 Vast Naturalization Frauds 25 First Choice in Politics 30 The Politician Close to Humanity 33 Political Aspects of Social Clubs 35 Politics a Great Americanizing Force 37
III. CITIZENSHIP: UNDER THIS FLAG AND OTHERS 40
Roots of Political Society 42 Influence of Emigration to America 43 The Right to Emigrate 44 The Subject _vs._ the Active Member 45 Essentials of Citizenship: Ancient--and American 46 Bases of American Citizenship 49 Common-law Definition Taken for Granted 50 Concerning Americans Born Abroad 51 Children Born at Sea 52 Question of Dual Nationality 53 Countries Denying the Right of Expatriation 54 Conditional Recognition 55 Naturalization Treaties With the United States 55 Great Britain 56 Germany 57 Citizenship Takes No Account of Sex 62 “A Woman Without a Country” 63 The American Under Three Jurisdictions 64
IV. DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATURALIZATION LAW 69
Our “Charter Members” 69 First Naturalization Laws 70 Efforts Toward Uniformity 73 Bars Up Against Alien Anarchists 77 Various Presidents Discussed Naturalization 77 Definite Reform at Last 80 Naturalization Commission Appointed 80 What the Law Requires 83
V. THE LAW IN OPERATION 89
Restrictions of Race 92 Limitations Regarding Age 95 The Declaration of Intention 96 “Declaration Invalid” 98 Should Declaration Be Abolished? 102 Naturalization Judges Favor Its Retention 105 The Seven-year Limitation 107 The Certificate of Lawful Entry 109 The Vexatious Question of Names 112 The Petition for Naturalization 115 Ninety Days’ Interval Before Hearing 119 The Final Hearing in Court 119 Must “Speak” the English Language 120 Attached to the Constitution 123 In the Matter of “Continuous Residence” 124 The Absurdity of the “Incompetent Witness” 126 Judges Denounce the Absurdity 129 Depositions of Witnesses 133 “Good Moral Character” 135 The Final Ceremony--Oath of Allegiance 137 Ceremonies of Initiation 138
VI. PERSONAL EQUATION IN NATURALIZATION 143
A Function of Local Courts 145 “Personal Equation” of the Judges 147 Bird’s-eye View of the Questionnaire 154 General Trend of Judges’ Opinions 158 The Clerks of the Courts 161 The Question of Adequate Clerical Force 163 When the Clerk Pockets the Fees 164 Forms of Petty Graft 165 “Personal Equation” in the Naturalization Service 167 A Scrupulously Honest Service 169 Need of Unifying Influence 170 “Nothing to Litigate!” 171 Confused State of the Educational Test 173 The Craze for “Americanizing” Somebody Else 177 Extra Responsibilities Self-sought 180 Enormous Arrearage in Bureau’s Work 186 The Aliens Support the Bureau 189 Fitness of Candidates 193 “Personal Equation” of the Public 195
VII. SOME STATISTICS CONCERNING IMMIGRANTS, “NEW” AND “OLD” 197
Paucity of Dependable Information 199 Vast Arrearages in Examinations 202 Report of Immigration Commission of 1907 204 Legend of “The New Immigration” 204 Disparity in Numbers Among Racial Groups 206 The Factor of Length of Residence 208 The Factor of Language 214 Length of Residence and Earning Power 215 Voting on “First Papers” 217 What Becomes of the Declarations? 218
VIII. LATER STATISTICS--IN WHICH SOME TWENTY-SIX THOUSAND PETITIONERS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES 225
More Than a Fifth of All Petitioners 226 From Twenty-eight Representative Courts 226 In a Reasonably Normal Year 227 The Racial Groups Are Typical 228 Relative “Civic and Political Interest” 231 How Did These Petitioners Fare? 231 As Regards “Immoral Character” 234 The Showing as to “Ignorance” 235 Time-intervals in Naturalization 236 How Do the Racial Groups Compare? 238 They Are Young People 241 Relative Age and “Political Interest” 242 The Real Racial Distinction 243 Race and Relative Age at Arrival 244 At the Beginning of Married Life 247 As for “Stability of Residence” 247 Intellectual Equipment and Occupation 250 General Conclusions 252
IX. CITIZENSHIP VIA MILITARY SERVICE 255
Position of the Alien Soldier 256 Revolutionary Legislative Action 258 Citizens at Heart, but “Enemy Aliens” 260 All Safeguards Abandoned 263 All Race Restrictions Removed 265 Ordinary Naturalization Disputed 265 Statistics of Alien Registration 267 Aliens and Military Service 269 Foreign Born Eager to Serve 272 Austrians Who Were Not for Austria 274 There Was Human War-time Psychology 275 Diplomatic Requests for Exemption 276 Reciprocal Conscription Among Cobelligerents 278 Of German Descent, but Loyal Americans 278 Desertion, Among Aliens and Citizens 279 War’s Test of “the Melting-pot” 281 An Old Practice with a New Significance 282 What Some Judges Thought of It 283 Here Was “Attachment to Our Principles”! 285 Assimilating the Enemies of Tyranny 287 Episodes of Military Naturalization 288 Those Who Went Without Citizenship 292 A Great Composite Record of Loyalty 294
X. THE FOREIGN-BORN WOMAN, HER HOME AND HER CHILDREN, IN AMERICAN POLITICS 296
Regardless of Qualifications 298 Unmarried Women Have Male Rights 298 Dangers of “Derivative Citizenship” 299 Children of Aliens Here American Born 301 “Derivative Citizenship” Almost Equals the Direct 302 Woman Suffrage Was Widespread 303 Applicants Came as Young Married Men 304 The Mother Must Be “Americanized” 305 Must Learn Politics by Political Activity 307 Few Women Seek Naturalization 309 Some Courts Notice the Wives 311 Obstacles of Distance and Expense 312 Woman Suffrage Opens a New Era 314 Opinions of Naturalizing Judges 315 650,000 “Derivative Voters” Extant 317 Largely an Ignorant Vote 318 Political Indifference Not Peculiar to Foreign Born 320 Many Were Called, but Few Responded 321 Foreign-born Women Without Political Experience 323 They Are Good Material 324 How the Women Can Be Reached 327 A Specific Example--It Works 330 What the Children Did 333
XI. THE FOREIGN-BORN VOTER IN ACTION 335
Divided by Racial Traditions 338 Aliens Not Without Political Influence 339 There is no “Foreign Vote” 340 Old Evils Abolished 341 Corruption Was Not an Importation 343 Home-grown in Adams County, Ohio! 344 Who Is the Buyer of Votes? 345 Attempts to Find the “Foreign Vote” 347 Response to Progressive Ideas 354 Some Results from Cleveland 357 “Civic Interest” in Grand Rapids 365 Municipal Voters’ League of Chicago 369 Some Other Instances 373
XII. THE FOREIGN BORN IN RADICAL MOVEMENTS 377
The Socialist Press 380 Dues-paying Socialist Members 381 Racial Groups of Socialists 383 The Socialist Vote 385 German Influence in Socialism 387 Jews in Socialism 390 Effect of the War on Socialism 391 The Single-tax and Agrarian Movements 393 The Nonpartisan League 397 Ultraradical Movements Nonpolitical 401 The “I. W. W.” and the Homeless Worker 403
XIII. SOME GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS 410
No Lowering of Standards 416 A Function Administrative or Judicial? 420 Physical Conditions and Dignity 422 Function of the Naturalization Bureau 425
APPENDIX 429
INDEX 435
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE PAGE
1. Immigration from Ireland and Germany Each Year, 1820-1840 22
2. Aliens Naturalized 1856-1867 in two Courts in New York City 26
3. Applicants for Naturalization in Supreme Court, New York City in October, 1868 28
4. Number of Replies from Judges in Each District 149
5. Appropriation for the Naturalization Service for each fiscal year, 1908-1919 185
6. Receipts from Naturalization fees and disbursements, 1907-1920 190
7. Number of Declarations of Intention and Petitions for Naturalization issued, 1907-1920 201
8. Per Cent that fully Naturalized Male Employees are of Total Male Employees who were twenty-one years of age and over at Time of Coming and who have been in the United States ten years or over, compared with the per cent that Male Employees in the United States ten years or over are of those here five years and over, by race 207
9. Per Cent of Foreign Born Male Employees Reporting Citizenship who have been in the United States each specified period of years, by race 209
10. Present Political Condition of Foreign Born Male Employees who have been in the United States five years or over and who were twenty-one years of age at time of coming, by race 211
11. Average weekly earnings of male employees, by race and specified industries 216
12. Per Cent of Foreign Born of Voting Age having First Papers and also per cent in states Permitting Aliens to Vote on first papers, compared with certain states not Permitting Aliens to Vote on first papers for 1900 and 1910 218
13. Number of Declarations filed each year 1908-1912 with Average Number and Ratio of Petitions consummating in five-year period ending each year 220
14. Yearly Number of Declarations Filed 1908-1912 and Number of final Petitions for Naturalization Assumed to have been based upon those Declarations 221
15. Ratio of Declarations of Intention to Petition for Naturalization by States 223
16. Comparison by Races of (1) Naturalization Petitioners Studied, (2) Unnaturalized Males twenty-one years of age or over in nine cities and in the country as a whole, in 1910 229
17. Comparison of Causes of Denial for the years 1908-1918 and 1913-1914 232
18. Racial Distribution of Petitioners Denied 1913-1914, and the Per Cent Denials for six Principal Causes 233
19. Per Cent of Denials due to “Immoral Character,” by Race 235
20. Per Cent of Denials due to “Ignorance,” by Race 236
21. Average Time Elapsing between Arrival and Declaration of Intention; between Declaration and Petition and between Petition and Naturalization 237
22. Average Interval before filing Petition after Attainment of twenty-one years, for those arriving at ages, 1-14, by Race 239
23. Average Interval before filing Petition after Arrival at Ages 16-20, by Race 240
24. Average Interval before filing Petition after Arrival at Ages twenty-one or over, by Race 241