Word: schwimmer
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...Rosika Schwimmer was born in Hungary in 1877. She became famed as a pacifist. Her eloquence induced Henry Ford to undertake his Peace-Ship trip in 1915. Once, under Count Karolyi's regime (1919) she was Hungary's minister to Switzerland. Eight years ago she settled permanently in the U. S., set up residence in Illinois. Two years ago she applied for U. S. citizenship, Question 22 of the application asks if the applicant, as a citizen, would bear arms in defense...
Replied Applicant Schwimmer: "Not personally. I understood women are not required to bear arms in the United States...
...District Court in Illinois refused to grant her citizenship. In the U. S. Supreme Court, whither the case was carried, Mme. Schwimmer writhed with resentment as Acting U. S. Solicitor-General Alfred A. Wheat told the court that, if "an ordinary American housewife" held her beliefs it wouldn't matter, but that in the "brilliant Schwimmer mind'' those same beliefs were dangerous...
...Supreme Court divided 6-to-3 against Mme. Schwimmer's application. Said Mr. Justice Butler in the majority opinion: ''It is the duty of citizens by force of arms to defend our Government. . . . Whatever tends to lessen the willingness of citizens to discharge their duty to bear arms . . . detracts from the strength and safety of the government. The influence of conscientious objectors ... is apt to be more detrimental than their mere refusal to bear arms. The fact that, by reason of sex, age or other cause they may be unfit to serve, does not lessen their purpose...
...Weiss, who inherited it from the late great Dion O'Bannion. The perforated bodies were those of Moran's brother-in-law and co-leader, James Clark; No. 1 Gunman Peter Gusenberg, Con-Man John Snyder, Gorilla Al Weinshank, John May, the man in overalls, and Reinhart Schwimmer. Frank Gusenberg, Pete's "Kid" brother, carrying 20 bullets, lived for three hours after the shooting but gangland's curious code of honor sealed his lips against police proddings. Besides him, the only living thing in the garage when the slaughterers left was the Gusenbergs' police...