The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-09-08
Teach Them English.

Rabbi MENDEs prescribes the true remedy
| for the anarchistic spirit manifested by so
| many Of the recent jewish corners to New
York It is to teach these people 1.-THE Ian
guage Of the country they reside ill.,"
Anarchlsm here Is q poisonous weed OF
late importation, English is rarely used
by the seditious speakers at anarchistio
meetings. All the leaders are OF foreign
birth, and generally they are unable to
speak the English language or have little
proficiency in it. For the most part the
Anarchists are stlll aliens: they have
not acquired American citizenship Among
tho widest OF them are some Of the
poor, miserable and degraded Jews OF
whom we have received by immigration
30 great multitude during recent years.
These have congregated chiefly In this
city. and as they have come rapidly they
have overstocked the market for the labor
which alone they are fitted to perform
and thus poverty and consequent discon-
tent prevailed among them even In the
prosperous times which preceded the pass
ing business depression.
They are shut out from the educating and
elevating influences Of the American spirit,
so long as they are unable to speak the Ian
guage OF the country. and hence Rabbi
MENDEs urges that the most permanently
valuable use to which Hebrew charity can
be put Is in teaching these wretched people
to speak English. That is the way.
he says. to arrest the contaglon OF
anarchy and to destroy 1t. The disease
is almost certain to be eradicated when
those who have been afflicted with it become
Americanized; and such transformation
requires that. first OF all. they should learn
to speak our language. When they can use
only their own foreign tongues, and more
especially when they have no ambition to
acquire our speech. they are likely to re-
main foreigners in spirit even after they
have gone through the form OF naturallza-
tion. Take away from anarchism this for
eign support. and there would be nothing
left for it to stand on in New York.
One OF the most important offices per-
formed by the public school system is its
teaching Of the English language to the
children OF those foreigners. It Is vacci-
nation which usually renders the second
generation proof against the contagion Of
which Rabbi MENDEs speaks. 1t makes
Americans Of the children. and thus sep
arates them from the communicating
influences surrounding their parents. They
become imbued with the spirit of American
ism. They look ahead aud not behind. and
speaking the language Of the country
their opportunities for Advancement are
greater. They mix and associate with the
mass Of the people, not merely with those
OF their own nationality by birth or in
heritance. They become assimilated, and
afterward they do not join the crowds
which cheer tho foreign jargon Of anar-
chistio haranguers. They are too proud to
be seen In association with such gang.
Hence no language except English should
be taught in the public schools. no language
except the language OF the country. Be.
cause so many Of the people brought hither
by immigration speak only foreign tongues
Is reason why this rule should be impera-
tive and universal. rather than any excuse
why any Of these foreign tongues should
be taught. Only the speech Of the country
should be used in the nursery OF the coun-
try. 30 that as speedily as possible the dis
and the dangers Of the Babel OF
tongues may be removed
Parents themselves are at liberty to teach
foreign languages to their children or to
preserve their knowledge Of them: but the
public welfare requires that the public
schools shall use only the language OF the
and give instruction in 1t alone
Obviously common speech Is essential to
the political and social relationships OF the
peoples OF many different tongues who
come hither to participate in the govern
ment and the benefits OF the republic.