■I
APRIL, 1924
were too few, altogether too few citizen fishermen to were brought (before the bar to defend their actions
take their places. The competitors on the Washing­ in the matter of iss.uing fishing license to fishermen
ton shores of the Columbia would get all the fish. whose status as aliens in the eye of the law was com­
Besides, if the alien fishermen of Astoria could not mon knowledge on the waterfront, along the packing­
obtain fishing license in Oregon they could pull across house and cannery row.
the river, obtain a Washington license, fish in the
In the absence of any other strong incentive to seek
same waters and bring their catch to the Washington American citizenship and acquire the necessary in­
shore and sell to the competitive canners and packers. telligence to become naturalized, the alien clause in
From a financial standpoint the Astoria packers and the fishing law caused the fishermen promptly to take
Banners would face disaster and the city of Astoria up the study of America’s language, history and po­
would be minus its chief distributive revenue—the litical science, the essentials to qualification for
fishermen’s dollars.
naturalization.
To say the least of it there was a tacit understand­
When an alien becomes an applicant for citizenship
ing abroad in Astoria and vicinity that this provision Uncle Sam makes it his business to look into the ap­
in the Oregon Commercial Fishing Law could not be plicant’s record of life to see if he has always been a
enforced until the State of Washington should adopt law-abiding resident whose past conduct might be an
a similar provision regulating the issuance of license indication that he will continue to lead an upright,
to fishermen. Legislative committees on fisheries in clean life. The examiner, sworn to perform his duties
the two states held numerous conferences. The State conscientiously, makes a quiet investigation. In As-1
of Washington finally adopted a law similar to the toria he has been finding ugly records, innocent-look-1
Oregon law in this respect. Last year for the first time ing papers on file. Many applicants for citizenship I
an open attempt to enforce the alien clause in the Ore­ who otherwise could qualify have been found to have
gon law was made in the lower river districts on the “sworn,” time and again, that they were citizens, in
Oregon side, because the State of Washington also re­ order that they might obtain a fishing license. These
fused aliens the right to fish under state license. This ugly records are presented in court when the applicant
caused a great deal of hardship on the alien fishermen appears with his witnesses for naturalization. The
who for years had been fishing in the waters of the court scans frowningly these ugly records and pro­
Columbia as licensed fishermen and never molested nounces scathing denunciations against the bewild­
on the point of their right to a license, if they ered applicant who stands in court, a perjurer in the
otherwise did not violate any of the rules of the eyes of Uncle Sam. Before realizing that he stands i
fishing code.
charged with a serious crime the applicant is “sen-
The law had for several seasons been knowingly
violated. Expediency paved the way. The alien fish­
erman, ignorant of the seriousness of his offence,
trusted the seasoned good American citizens, neigh­
bors and townspeople. They told him to sign a slip
of paper for his license. lie did. He was happy in
his lot fighting with the breakers and the tide the
dreary long nights through, watching his gears and
CREDIT—more than any other factor has been
nets and in the early hours pull for the fishery canners’
responsible for making America a Nation of
scow, under the shore, to deliver his precious haul.
Better Homes. Were it not for credit, thousands
His thoughts were of his loved ones for whom he
upon thousands of homes would not be nearly so
beautifully furnished as they are.
struggled. He had no reason to think that he was a
criminal. He was doing nothing in secret. He was
Heretofore only furniture of the cheaper grade
told that it was quite all right. They all knew he was
was sold on a charge account basis. Now—the
not a citizen.
very finest furniture made is within the means of
everyone who desires, through the use of credit,
Though it’s now a matter of common knowledge
to have a beautifully furnished home<.
and the slips of paper those aliens signed have now
Our credit plan was devised to render a helpful
become conspicuous and ugly official records, no in­
service to our customers. There are no rigid re­
dictments for perjury, fraud and falsifications have
strictions, no embarrassing investigations, no red
yet been prosecuted against any of those fishermen
tape—just a simple credit plan that enables you
who are technically guilty on this point of such
to choose the furniture you desire, and pay for it
hideous misconduct. Why ?
on the most liberal, most convenient credit basis
Justice might be blind, but such proceedings would
you will find anywhere in the entire West.
no doubt bring to the surface the facts regarding the
We charge no interest
part prominent citizens, perhaps officials sworn to
uphold the law, had played in making law violators of
the aliens.
If it is held at law to be a crime for anyone to aid
THIRD AND YAMHILL
and abet in the commission of wrongdoing there
seems to be little doubt that some people in Astoria
and vicinity, 'both high and low, would cut a sorry
figure before an unprejudiced American court if they
THE UNITED AMERICAN
tllilllllllllllllllltllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllltlllllllillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllltlltltllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
Our Credit Plan
Place Your Orders With The United American Advertisers—and Tell Them Why