The Pittsburgh Press from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • Page 44

I 1 morning I went to collect the It When I found the right place the man who refunds the $4 had gone out to luncheon. BY WENONA MARLIN. EN, women an BTxffragettea, greeting: Tell me, am I a citizen? I'm just tack, from seeing the Fan ama Canal, and "when I arrived hack- clerk said I could wait, but I didn't. The next morning I started early and I found tbe 4 man. I presented the card showing that I had paid the alien head tax.

Then, In a perfectly proper business manner aad voice to match, I said: "What is necessary for me to do to prove that I aan a citizen of the United States?" He was one of those eagle-eyed, shrewd, calculating, polite, know-it-all young men you've seen 'em and he looted at ma with a piercing gaze. Re said: "All that is necessary Is for yon to show your husband's citizenship papers. I straightened up, and In an ley tone tt must have made him shiver, I replied: Fortunately, I have no husband." Now, I ask you, isn't that the limit? In order to prove that I am a citizen I must produce a husband. I thought at first that I had misun -i tMi Arri Miss Wenona Marlin. V-nUf She led the mounted dl- Vv- first-class passenger on our steamer had acceptable proof with him that he was a citizen of the United States.

Who was It? A man born in Bohemia, who had taken out his naturalization papers In the United States and secured a passport. The rest of us every man and woman born In this country had nothing to prove that we were citizens, and therefore we were all foreigners that Is, until we could prove that we not foreigners. Funny, Isn't it? They all paid $4. I didn't say much, but I began to think. Then I began to count my money.

I had a little splggotty money, monkey money, English money and some change bearing "In God We Trust." Panama hats are expensive even In Panama, and tips on the steamers are acceptable, and, well, in other words, I was Just about broke. However, I had nothing to prove that I was a citizen except my word that mother's family was one of the oldest, fee. and while the derstood this man, but no, it was true. If YWI vision of the recent I I Woman's Suffrage parade. LhC I tn New York I bad to prove that I was a citizen of the Halted States.

Easy Try St. When I went down to Central America I never thought about gettlns back. All I thought of -was going. A day or two before -we reached New York on the way home the purser on the stealer notified the passengers, both male and female, that It would be necessary to pay alien head tax or show that they were citizens of the United States. It seems that this tax of $4 la deposited on account of passengers who make unsupported claim to being citizens of the United States, which $4 will be refunded Immediately upon proof of citizenship.

This ruling comes under the United States immigration laws, and the alien head tax la collected from the agents of the vessels. All this was news to the passengers on our steamer, and while it may sound easy for you to eay you can prove that you are a citizen oJ the United States, let me ask you, how can you do It? I mean, furnish absolute and positive proof that you are a citizen. A iman may do so because he has voted'. But a woman. an unmarried woman or a widow is up, against it Aa a matter of fact, only ona could show the citizenship papers of a man who was married to me, then I was a citizen.

What could a poor girl do? I couldn't produce the goods. Therefore, Ix was still a foreigneror lather, a woman without a country. I thought Quickly and rapidly and I figured it out this way. All the nice men are married I mean all the nice men that I know are married men. So In a rather careless tone 1 inquired i wi HERE'S WHAT THEY WROTE MISS MARLIN TO EXPLAIN Is there no other way of provinjf myself a citizen of this country except by showing the citizenship papers of my crmy WHY SHri HAD TO PAY FOUR DOLLARS.

PHOJU TBS BAXBURQ" AMERICAN LINE. WB herewith beg to Incloe a memorandum sent by the United States Government, which wa V1 or.OU th reJulred Information with refwene. to head tax paid by travellers comlny Into th TJnlted States. Any passonrors coming- from Eurp on our line or any other lines are compelled to iay thi head tax. but it Is included to the prle of tfco ticket.

All line, the West Indie, aerrlce. however, collect the bead tax separately. BKCLOSVRE. immigration authorities hare no Juriadlction over United States citizens, but they have the right to satisfy themselves that the passengers claiming to be TJplted State, citizens are in fa-t and not falsely claiming cltlsenaWp to evade the immigration law or the payment of the head tax of M. TJnlted States citizen, can aid in the execration of the immigration law in several ways.

f1" Bn request inform the steamship authorities as to their pla-e of birth nd those who are a. to the dote of their naturalization paper, and the name id.nttnca0on tte. like alien, upon arrival hold in readiness Xlr FROM TBS TRBASUXT DSPARTUMKT, X7KTTBD STATES CUSTOMS SERVICE, PORT OP NEW TORE. are advised that the Immigration act of Feb. 10.

107. provides as follows "1ra BhaU be coUeeteeV-and paid a tax of 14 for every alien entering the United ZM 10 th Cocr of Custom, of the port or customs dtatrtct to which said alien shall come. or. if there be no Collector at such port or district, then to the Col. leotor nearest thereto, by the master, agent, owner or consignee of the vessel, transportation line or other conveyance or vehicle bringing such alien to the United States.

"The tax Imposed by this section shall be a lien upon the vessel or other vehicle of carriage or transportation bringing such aliens to the United States, and shall be a debt In favor of th United States against the owner or owner, of such vessel or other vehicle, and the payment of such tax may be enforced by any legal or eqnitable remedy. That the said tax shall not be levied uncn aliens who erHer the United State, after aa uninterrupted reaidence of at least one year i mm e-fllajtely preceding such entrance, in tbe Dominion of Canada, Newfoundland, the Republic of Cuba. the Repu-bllo of Mexico, aor upon otfaerwtee admls sible resident, of any possession of the UniJa States, nor upon aliens in transit through the Uni ted States, nor upon aliens who have been admitted to the United State, and who later shall go in transit from one part of the UiStd to another through foreign contiguous 'ale" The amount ef such tax is ascertained by the Commissioner of Immigration nnfl K-him to this office and 1. collected from the agent, of the vessel. "deration and certified by -This office is without Information as to how the variou.

steamship lines collect th passenger, who are legally couect the tax from FROM TBE COMMISSIONER OP IMMIGRATION, ELLIS ISLAND. "The Act of Feb. 20. 1907. provides 'that there shall be levied, collected and paid a ta ti fevery alien entering the United Thl, tax Is paid by the steamship company.

wLcht in turn, collects it from the passenger. By' wmcn' ln ePtted oa account of pasngers who make unsupported claim of United State, clttaenship. subject to a refund within sixty day upon submission of proof of citizenship -The reason that the reprerrtative. of the steamship lines make such diligent inquiry amn-, the passenger, is no doubt due to the issuance of a blank panger manifest upon which the aTmi of citizens are recorded. Tbe lines are adtnonlshd to place no names on this list unless the ger.

are bora ln the United States, la which event the place of birth clty or town and State) be given, or have obtained citizenship by naturalisation. If a citizen by naturalization, the name the court and the date of the paper, must be given. The object in obtaining this information fmM citizens is to separate them from the aliens (who must be inspected) and thereby avoid any unnl. sary delay in their leaving the veraeL 7 unxlece trouble. Now if we women have to prove that ire are born and have to prove that we are citizens of this country, then we ought to have the right to vote, or something to prove that we are on earth." I might Just as well say that I was getting a little bit excited, but the young man saldi "Til And out if you are a citizen." "How?" said or words to that effect.

"IT1 look you up on Ellis Island," said he. These were his words. And the thermometer was going higher and higher and I was getting madder and madder. I nt down. I waited.

I-walted some more. Another man asked me what I wanted. I said: "I'm waiting for 4." I began to think again. Here am I a citizen of this great, free, glorious country. My ancestors fought, bled and died for this country.

I am trying to prove that I am born. I have also pent my carfare, spent 10 cents for soda water on my way downtown, given up two days and missed my luncheon, and I am warm, tired and almost ready to cry, but I won't. I want my $4. ro going to hare it. Finally, the young man in a nice, raiet, polite way came to me with a flourish of his right hand, placed a paper on the desk for me to sign.

"Just a receipt for the money," he explained. I signed something -I dont know what, and he gave ma my $4. Then I asked, "How did you And out that I am a citizen?" Very patiently he explained that the records at Ellis Island did not show that I had ever entered this country as a foreigner. From which I deducted that this was sufficient proof. In other words, if I AIN'T, why, then, I.AM.

Do you wonder that I stand for "Votes for Women?" What am I going to DO? Talk. That's all we can do. Just talk. purser was very nice about it, I could see that he was more anxious to get the 4 head tax than to hear the history of my mother's family. I also paid the 94.

I don't mind telling you in confidence that I had to borrow the $4. Don't be shocked. I borrowed fit from the man who was born in Bohemia and was now full-fledged citizen of our great free United States. (Somehow I felt that it was per-f ectely proper for me to allow hhn to put up the $4. He was getting In too easy, I thought, but of course It was all according to law.

So I got back into my own country. The next thing -was to prove that I was born in this country and get back my $4. The purser had said it wa3 all a matter of form, and explained just what I had to do, so the next "Is there no other way of proving myself a citizen of this country except by showing the citizenship papers of my er my husband?" "Oh, yes," he replied, politely. "A passport will answer." "A whatr I asked. "A passport," he said.

"Well, a a passport, or whatever you call It, costs money, dont it?" I gasped. "Yes," he said, still more careless Ilka "Now, I dont want to spend any more money," I explained. "I'm here to get money my $4 that I put up. I want to get It back. See?" "Sit down then and wait a few minutes and I'll find out if you are a citizen or not," he said blandly.

7 "Well, if I can't prove It, how can you? I have no birth certificate to show that 1 was ever born. In those far-off days In a little Western village where we were born, that settled It. It was not necessary to prove that we were on earth." The young man smiled. "And more than that," I continued, "a man on the steamer said ne could easily prove that he was a citizen because he had voted in this country for twenty-five years, so he would have no fvlf Wenona Marlin on Shipboard..