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wee wee n > - a z e ra ° What Does ”* Terrorization Of "+. Jav-Americans In Farrell, Pennsylvania, Mean To You? Any attempt to deprive foreign-born Americans of their rights ie an attack on American democracy. The attempted terrorization of an entire community of 18,000 people—by seeking to intimidate naturalized citizens and non-citizens—can establish a dangerous pattern for spreading hysteria and discrimination against all Americans. THIS 1S WHAT HAPPENED On January 16, 1997. Frank Berkovich, ane of the lead- ers of the Yugo-lav-American community in Farrell. was calied to the Youngstown. Ohio, office of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Qn January 20, Anton Evakich was called. CITIZENS THREATENED Ju Youngstown, Berkovich—a citizen since 1940—and Evakich—a citizen since 1927—were each questioned for 3 hours. They were insulted by insinuating questions con- cerning their private lives. They were harangued. They i+. cuieatened thal, unless they cease their progressive activities in the Yugoslav-American community, their American citizenship would be revoked, NON-CITIZENS TERRORIZED Other Yugoslav-Amerirans in Farrell also fare difficul- ties and threats when they seek to become American Many non-citizens are told plainly that they will nat : ond ie become citizens solely because of their membership in the Aria Singing Society. the Croatian Auneviean Cisie Club, or local hranches of the Croatian Fraicrnal Union and the International Warkers Order. \pplicants for citizenship are told that their member: shit in these organizations—which is their only social, cntuc dh and fraternal activits~makes them ineligible far American citizenship, They are told that. if they con- trilegte ta Yugoslav relief (to help their own fanilies in wordbevastated Vogoslavial. they will met hecome citizen-. Tle are told that, unless they publicly oppase the present Yugoslay government, they will not became citizens. ' The buomigration and Naturalization Service is seck- ing t. terrorize the entire Yugoslav-American cone weeny in Farrell, This eampaign violates the consti: tutional rights af those non-citizens secking to be- cone American citizens and endangers the democratic rita. of all of the people in the United States. AMERICAN WOMEN ACT From an Open Letter to the Hon. Ugo Carusi, United States Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization “We, the undersigned, wish to protest the action of the Youngstown, Ohio, office of the Immigration and Natural- ization Service in seeking to prevent the naturalization of Mrs. Catherine Jurenovic and Mrs. Bertha Cemeric. Mrs. Jurenovic is a widow whe consented to the enlistment in the armed forces of her two sons, although they were both under age. One son was honorably discharged after 3 years” service in the air corps. The other son ie still serving in the United States Marines, Mrs. Cemeric’s son has just returned home after serving four years in the armed forces of the United States. “Mrs. Jurenovie and Mrs. Cemeric are average American mothers, seeking peace and security for their families. They are part of the common people who have made our country great. We urge that you investigate the conduct of the Immigration and Naturalization Service in Youngs- town, OKie, in the cases of Mrs. Jarenovie and Mrs. Cemerir, ae well as the other cases in Farrell, Pennsyl- vania, who are being prevented from acquiring American citizenship.” BOBENTA ANTHONY «¢ JESSIE W. ARMSTRONG « ELIZABETH F. BAKER + JOVCE RORDEN RALOKOVIC « CHARLOTTA A, BASS s MARY McLFOU BETHUNE «© ALICE STONE BLACK. WELL © HON. JANE WV. BOLIN «© PROF. S. P. BRECEIN- RIDGE ¢ PROF. DOROTHY BREWSTER © AUGUSTA F. BRONNER ¢ DR. CHARLOTTE HAWKINS BROWN © VALEDA J. BRANT s MARTHA CASAMAIOR © SARAH CLEGHORN CHERYL CRABTORD « PROF. MANRGUERITE Db. DARKOW POSEPHESF WL ODUVENECH « DOA. BERTHA W. ELLIS SONJA FINDLAY © MARY JANE GRUNSFELD © UTA HAGES MINSA HARKASY © PLARL MW. HART © PROF. GRACE M. HEIDER + ALICE HUGIES « VRS. HANNAH JOHANSON CAROL KING © KATHERINE LASSITER 2 RAY LEV FLMA EHRLICH LEVINCER « FLORENCE H. LUSCOUR PROF. HELEN McMASTER «© MARTHA OSTENSO s DOROTHY BF. PERERA « HARRIET IDA PICKENS ¢ MARION H. POLLAK BERTHA ©. REYNOLDS « PROF. MARIA RICKERS-OVSIAN- KINA « MARY W. RITTENHOUSE «¢ ELFANOR ROOSEVELT ROSE V. RUSSELT, » LISA SERGIO «© PROF. VIpbA pb. SCUDDER © ANTONIA SENTNER ¢ PROF, VERA SHLAKMAN VIOLA BROTHERS SHORE © ELIZARETH W. SMITH THELMA STEVENS © CENDVIEVE TAGGARD « PROF, ELLEN B. TALBOT « CAROLINE TATED «WARY CHURCH TERRELL DR. LUCTA TRENT © JEAN STAIR UNTERMEVER «© FREDI WASBINGTON + ANNA B. YARNALL