NATURALIZATION 



4071) 



NATURALIZATION 



of natural gas was found in 1913 in the Petro- 

 lia oil field. In Alberta natural gas has been 

 obtained from the two fields, known as Medi- 

 cine Hat field, which has been producing since 

 1891, and the Row Island field, which has been 

 producing on a large scale since 1912. Natural 

 gas from this field is supplied to Lethbridge, 

 Calgary and other towns of the district. W.F.R. 



NATURALIZATION, nat u ral i za' shun, the 

 legal process by which a person becomes a citi- 

 of a country other than that of his birth. 

 Though the details of form vary in all coun- 

 . a man who becomes naturalized always 

 renounces allegiance to his native land and 

 takes an oath of allegiance to his adopted coun- 

 try. In all countries a married woman and 

 minor children are regarded as citizens of the 

 to which the husband and father owes al- 

 legiance. Thus naturalization of a man changes 

 tli. citizenship of his wife and minor children. 

 Unmarried men and women, however, of legal 

 age, become naturalized in the usual way. In 

 countries where military service is compulsory, 

 mm are not allowed to emigrate and renounce 

 their allegiance unless they have served their 

 time bearing arms, or have secured special per- 

 mission from the government. Occasionally a 

 man escapes without performing his service, but 

 if he ever returns he is still liable to service, and 

 in some instances is subject to imprisonment or 



fine. 



The whole theory of naturalization is, indeed, 

 a modem development. Until the nineteenth 

 :y a man was a citizen of his native land 

 rdless of where he lived, and the old maxim 

 of the common law, "Once an Englishman, al- 

 ways an Kn^li-hman," had its counterpart in 

 tin- law of practically every civilized nation. 

 One of the causes of the War of 1812 was the 

 Bnti-h impressment of seamen who were of 

 Hrin.-h birth but of American citizenship. It 

 was not until 1870 that Great Britain formally 

 renounced the old principle and recognized the 

 rinht of individuals to transfer their allegiance. 

 All tin- principal nations of the world, except 

 Tun enacted laws which provide for 



<>n of foreign-bora persons. 

 In the United States. The naturalization of 

 Chinese is prohibited by a law of Congress, and 

 courts also refuse naturalization to Japa- 

 nese. H MIIS and natives of India. Any 

 -ee) who is a white person, or of 

 m birth or descent, if he desires to become 



ration of his in 

 of the United States District 

 any state or territorial court of record 



which has jurisdiction over the residence of the 

 applicant. This declaration must state the name, 

 age, residence, occupation, time and place of 

 arrival in the United States, and it must state 

 the applicant's intention to renounce allegiance 

 to every foreign potentate or state, and par- 

 ticularly to the one of which he may be a sub- 

 ject or a citizen. The filing of this declaration 

 is called "taking out first papers." Children 

 born abroad of United States citizens are them- 

 selves citizens and need not be naturalized. 



Final Papers. Not less than two years after 

 the filing of this declaration, and after not less 

 than five years of continuous residence in the 

 United States and one year in a state, the ap- 

 plicant may petition for his " final papers," a 

 certificate of naturalization. The petition must 

 be written in English by the applicant, and 

 must state his name, age, birthplace, name of 

 his wife (if he is married) and a number of 

 other facts. The petitioner must declare him- 

 self not opposed to organized government; he 

 must not be a polygamist or a believer in 

 polygamy. The facts of his residence for five 

 years and his general character must be veri- 

 fied by the testimony of two citizen witnesses. 

 These petitions are heard by the court in open 

 session not less than ninny days after the pe- 

 tition has been filed, and not less than thirty 

 days before a general election. Aliens who have 

 been honorably discharged from the army, or 

 have served four years in the navy, may be- 

 come naturalized without filing the first declara- 

 tion of intention. An alien who becomes natu- 

 ralized must speak English (if physically able) 

 and must renounce any title of nobility or 

 membership in any foreign orders. A fee of 

 one dollar is required when the <1< 'duration of 

 intention is filed and another fee of four dol- 

 lars when the petition for final papers is h 

 by the court. 



Rights of Natural*: ns. After natu- 



ralization a foreign-born citizen has all the 

 rights and privileges of a native-horn en 

 except that he can never brcoin a of 



the United States. If he travels abroad he is 

 entitled to the same protection given to nnti\ - 

 born Americans. The right to vote is not, how- 

 ever, derived from the Federal governn. 

 This is a right granted by the state, and nearly 

 half the states allow a foreigner to vote after 

 he has officially declared lu> intention of be- 

 coming :i citizen. 



In Canada and Other British Dominions. 

 Naturalization as a Canadian citi/<n involves 

 naturalisation as a British subject Unu- 



