TO FURTHER EXTEND NATURALIZATION PRIVILEGES TO ALIEN VETERANS OF THE WORLD WAR RESIDING IN THE UNITED STATES

JANUARY 25, 1932.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed

Mr. JEFFERS, from the Committee on Immigration and Naturalization submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 6477]

The Committee on Immigration and Naturalization, to which was referred the bill, H. R. 6477, being a bill to further extend naturalization privileges to alien veterans of the World War residing in the United States, reports the same favorably with amendment and recommends that, as amended, the bill do pass.

The bill as originally submitted, and as amended, follows. The original submission is in roman, with the portion stricken out inclosed in black brackets, and the amendment in italic:

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That an alien veteran, as defined in section 1 of the act of May 26, 1926 (ch. 398, 44 Stat. 654; title 8, sec. 241, U. S. C., Supp. 1), shall, if residing in the United States, be entitled at any time within two years after the enactment of this act to naturalization upon the same terms, conditions, and exemptions which would have been accorded to such alien if he had petitioned before the armistice of the World War, except that [such alien shall be required to appear and file his petition in person, and to take the prescribed oath of allegiance in open court] (1) such alien shall be required to prove that immediately preceding the date of his petition he has resided continuously within the United States for at least two years, in pursuance of a legal admission for permanent residence, and that during all such period he has behaved as a person of good moral character; (2) if such admission was subsequent to March 3, 1924, such alien shall file with his petition of certificate of arrival issued by the Commissioner of Naturalization; (3) final action shall not be had upon the petition until at least ninety days have elapsed after filing of such petition; and (4) such alien shall be required to appear and file his petition in person, and to take the prescribed oath of allegiance in open court. Such residence and good moral character shall be proved either by the affidavits of two credible witnesses who are citizens of the United States, or by depositions by two such witnesses made before a naturalization examiner, for each place of residence. The purpose of this bill is to restore to the veterans of the World War who performed service in the American forces and were honor

ably discharged the privileges of naturalization upon a similar basis as prevailed during the World War.

The term "alien veteran" means an individual, a member of the military or naval forces of the United States at any time after April 5, 1917, and before November 12, 1918, who is now an alien not ineligible to citizenship. It does not include any individual who at any time during such period or thereafter was separated from the American military forces under other than honorable conditions, and it does not include any alien who at any time was discharged from the military or naval forces on account of his alienage. It excludes aliens who were neutral aliens in the United States Army who surrendered their declarations of intention and consented to be forever barred from naturalization if they might be relieved from military service, and who applied for such release during the period of military activities which terminated on Armistice Day.

During the World War there were large numbers of aliens who volunteered and who were drafted into the military service of the United States. A simple procedure of naturalization was authorized by Congress under which those enlisted in the military service of the United States were naturalized by courts which held sessions largely in the Army camps throughout the United States. This privilege was extended by the Congress on July 19, 1919, for a period of one year after the last of the military forces overseas were returned to the United States. The last soldiers returned March 3, 1923, and one year later the statute expired by limitation. At that time there had been 288,683 veterans of the World War who were aliens at the time they entered the military service who had become naturalized, at no expense. On May 26, 1926, Congress renewed the war-time privileges of naturalization for a period of two years. This privilege was again renewed on March 4, 1929, and expired March 3, 1931. During the first 2-year period 9,552 aliens availed themselves of the privileges, while 5,495 were naturalized under the last extension.

Since that time there have been requests from alien veterans of the World War submitted to the Commissioner of Naturalization asking for the privilege of citizenship. Probably the largest number have believed themselves to be citizens because they were led to believe that military service gave them citizenship. It has been necessary to tell each of these veterans that he must make a declaration of intention and wait two years before he may be permitted to petition for citizenship. When the petition is filed he must wait a further period of three months under the general provisions of the naturalization law before his petition may be heard. The reenactment of this war-time privilege for the remaining veterans of the World War will entitle them to become naturalized by filing their petitions in any court within whose jurisdiction they may find themselves and be heard without having a delay longer than the usual 90-day period.

The bill as originally submitted did not provide for due recognition of the passing of time and the possibility of acts which would make an applicant for citizenship undesirable. The committee has amended the bill, therefore, so that, as submitted for consideration by the House, it calls for proof of continued residence in the United States for at least two years immediately preceding the filing of the petition for citizenship, with proof of entry into the United States lawfully, and proof of good moral character during the 2-year period.

Without this amendment, alien veterans of the World War who had been outside of the United States for any period of time might return to the United States, regardless of any unfavorable records while outside of the United States, and, upon presentation of his honorable-discharge certificate, petition to any court and secure admission to citizenship. Similarly, one who has had a criminal record in one part of the country could appear in another part of the country before a court within whose jurisdiction there had been no residence, file his petition for citizenship, and have it brought summarily for a hearing. Without the period of 90 days to intervene to give the Government an opportunity to investigate the petitioner for citizenship, and without the requirement of two years of good moral character, citizenship could be obtained by one whose record, upon disclosure, would result in his exclusion.

The period of 90 days is usual in all cases to enable the Government to examine into the record of applicants for citizenship.

O

HR-72-1-VOL 1- -26

INTERIOR DEPARTMENT APPROPRIATION BILL, FISCAL

YEAR 1933

JANUARY 25, 1932.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. TAYLOR of Colorado, from the Committee on Appropriations, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 8397]

The Committee on Appropriations submits the following report in explanation of the accompanying bill making appropriations for the Interior Department for the fiscal year 1933.

SCOPE OF THE BILL

The bill embraces regular annual appropriations for the various branches of the Government service under the jurisdiction of the Interior Department.

A detailed tabulation will be found at the end of this report giving for each appropriation in this bill the amount appropriated for the fiscal year 1932, including amounts in deficiency and other acts, and the Budget estimates for the fiscal year 1933, together with the increase or decrease in appropriations and estimates as compared with the amounts recommended in the bill.

APPROPRIATIONS AND ESTIMATES

The amount recommended to be appropriated in this bill is $50,431,432.33, which is $18,911,174.40 less than the 1932 appropriations and $6,273,920 less than the Budget estimates for 1933.

In addition to the regular annual appropriations the estimated permanent and indefinite appropriations for the fiscal year 1933