Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-25

are all right, and the children Of the frst
generation OF !tai lYps - american cities n,s
are aGen turning non out citizens OF their
But 1t must NJ. be thought that the
italian Americans are hure materialists
who think Of nothing else but making
and saving money. On the contrary.
their fitness for American citizenship is
notably displayed on what may be COM
prehensively called the spiritual side Of
their nature-in their charity, their devo-
tion 10 rehgion, art, science and generally
to the higher things of life.
The Italians in America do not leave the
care OF the poor and helpless among their
number to the strangers among whom
they dwell. On the contrary, they stand
ready to assume full responsibility for
them in the hour of need. II an immi-
grant cannot find work. or misses meet
ing his friends in this country; II a la
borer meets with an accident, or an over.
the thousand misadventures that beset the
lives OF the poor should chance to hap
pen, there Is always an Italian benevolent
society, hospital or other charitable or
gan1zatlon ready to give whatever help
Is necessary.
Hospital Work.
The Columbus Hospital Of New York is
one of the best known and most efficient
OF Italian charitable institutions. In ef-
ficiency. though not in size, it can chal-
II
America. 1t is carried on by the mission
airy Sisters of the Sacred Heart, all ma
tive Italians. The Italian Benevolent In
stitute and the Society for the Protection
OF Italian Immigrants are other excellent
institutions maintained by Italians for
Importance to the community, because
they find work Tor thusands of friendless,
helpless men every year. and prevent
them from becoming a charge on the
American people.
The name of the Italian charities in all
the large American cities is, indeed, le-
gion. The sixty-two united societies over
which 1 have the honor to preside are all.
IN one way or another, of charitable ma
ture.
Different opinions may exist among
readers of this article as to the desirable
ity of the Italians devotion to his church:
put surely nobody, whatever his religious
creed or lack of it, can help admiring the
generosity and self-sacrifice with which
that devotion is displayed.
Father Bernardina Polizzo rector of the
CHURCH of the Most Precious Blood, one of
the East Side churches of New York. has
built noble edifice at cost of 500 600.
from the pennies contributed by the hard
working members Of his congregation
They are all poor Italians, but during the
past three years they have paid of 10000
OF dept besides raising large sums annually
for the running expenses of the church and
the missions attached to 1t. This story
might be duplicated a dozen times in any
dig city with large italian population.
Daily Sacrifice.
And the life of the Italian priest in Little
Italy is life of daily self-sacrifce and
the hardest of hard work That was we'll
exemplifed by Father Nicholas Russo, who
first took charge of the Jesuit italian Mis-
sion on the East Side Of New York.
Father Russo was one Of the leading
scholars in the Society of Jesus. His life
work had been among educated and cul-
tured people, as professor of philosophy
and as rector OF Boston College Yet when
the appeal came to him to work in the
Sums among his poor countrymen, he
cheerfully responded, declaring that he
would devote the rest of his life to them.
He labored there for about ten years. and
then died of overwork. Priests and people
are worthy of one another.
The Italians are entering the professions
There are in New York city lis italian
registered physicians CO pharmacists q
lawyers, Is public school teachers and o
architects. There are sixteen daily and
weekly newspapers printed in the italian
language, and theaters, banks schools.
churches and other institutions of an edu-
catonal and elevating character. Most
Italians have keen desire for self-im-
provement, especially on the artistic side.
That Is why you may hear bootblacks and
BARRIERS discussing the Italian operas at
comes round. Many an Italian in New
York, earning s. or $40 week, will not
miss a single one of those operas when
Herr Conried chooses to give them as a
change from Wagner. The Italians taste
is good in the drama and in literature as
we'll as in music and art. 1t Is always the
best which appeals to him. however poor
he may be.
The complaint Is often made that the
Italian is criminal to a greater degree than
other sections of the population. This is
not the fact. Prison statistics prove the con-
trary. A wrong impre ssion has been created
by sensational newspapers to the Italians
serious detriment. His crimes are almost al
ways crimes of passion, unprecedented
and unconcealed. They make good new
parer copy" and are therefore published
with fiaring headlines, s/totally false idea
of their frequency in proportion to the pop
ulation being thereby given.
In industry, commerce. charity, religion,
art. science and politics the italian in
America Is already beginning to play an
important part. 1t is a part destined to
become more and more important as the
years roll by, and the rising generation
grows to manhood and womanhood and
takes its proper place in our city COM
munities.