Who Can Be an American Citizen?

Posted on October 21, 2009 by lmharnisch
Oct. 21, 1909, Woman Juror
Oct. 21, 1909: Johanna Engleman of Santa Monica still hopes to be a juror, but no attorney wants her on a case because the decision might be reversed. After all, she may not be qualified to serve as a juror!

Oct. 24, 1909, Women Jurors

Oct. 24, 1909: The police chief says he doesn’t want women jurors in police court because they are too weak to endure the foul language used in legal proceedings.

Police Chief Edward F. Dishman says: “Just picture a sensitive woman, with a sense of decency, sitting through some of the cases it is necessary to deal with. It is bad enough to force them to appear as witnesses in some instances. While I am chief of police I will not permit one of my officers to summon any venire or any part of a venire of women.”

Below: A Syrians banned from citizenship because they are Mongols?
Oct. 21, 1909, Immigration Cas

The legal system is grappling with the question of who can be an American citizen. The issue of whether Johnanna Engleman, a woman, can be seated as a juror focuses on whether she meets the requirements, including citizenship. One previous story said that under the laws in force in 1909, a woman didn’t become a citizen until she was married.

The other story involves a Syrian named George Shushine/Shushime/Shishim, and whether he is a “free, white person” or a Mongol who would be barred from citizenship.

The deputy U.S. attorney argued against admitting him.   The Times said: "Debating the proposition that the Syrians stood in the same light as the Jews, the speaker contended that the Jews were scattered all over the earth wherever white men lived, but that Syrians had only begun to come to this country within the last thirty years."

The attorney said: “America is for Americans, and those who come here asking for the rights of citizens must accept the terms we give them. It is all very well to talk about this being the asylum for the oppressed of all nations, but the question is, are those who desire to enter within the terms of the naturalization act of Congress?”

And yes, he was admitted. Nov. 5, 1909: 
Nov. 5, 1909, Syrian Nov. 5, 1909, Syrian

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About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times
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1 Response to Who Can Be an American Citizen?

  1. David Middlecamp's avatar David Middlecamp says:
    October 21, 2009 at 12:35 pm

    Today there are lots of dudes who would gladly duck out of jury duty with no thought for the delicate ears of the fairer sex.
    Funny how they thought a few words would be difficult for a woman to take. More difficult than childbirth in a 1909 era hospital or home?

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