Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-08
ITALIANS AND AMERICANS
Amy A. Bernardy Tells Something Of
Present Conditions.
REPORT FOR THE KING OF ITALY
Subjects of Victor Do Not
Understand Our Ways and We
Do Not Understand His
Just Now.

FLORENCE, Nov. 7.-(special.)-Miss
Amy A. Bernardy, the American girl who,
as special commissioner for King Victor
Emanuel of Italy. has just completed an
investigation of Italian women and chill
rem in the North Atlantic division OF the
United States. has arrived in Florence,
Miss Bernardy has for years divided her
time between Italy and the United States,
and her writings on Italian affairs have
attracted wide attention in the latter coun-
try, as well as in this. She occupied the
chair of Italian literature in Smith college
and is undoubtedly one of the best in
formed authorities on the Italian emigrant
question. At present she is enjoying. a
years leave OF absence from her duties at
Smith college and has spent the time full
filling her mission for the king Of Italy.
Although impressing upon the writer her
inability to forecast her official report, she
nevertheless accorded your correspondent
a very interesting interview ON the general
question OF Itarian emigration to the
United States. / asked Miss Bernardy what
in her opinion was the greatest obstacle
in the way OF Italian emigration. Her
answer was prompt and to the point.
Obstacles to Emigration.
Lack of understanding of the Italians
by the Americans, and a new state OF af-
fairs, moral, political and domestic, for
the Italian sue said. Tine American o.
today cannot rid himself of the idea OF
the 'dago' OF twenty years ago. With a
hand organ and a monkey, as d member OF
a picturesque race. dealing in vendettas and
s~tilettos, ne interested them. with pick
and shovel in hand ne is a disappointment.
an altogether untraditionll 'dago.' The
American, in his zeal To do MS dury by HIM
note book in hand, approaches him, as a
clever woman once SAID to me, scientifi-
cally, viii e the immigrant has VJyaged in,O
his new land senImentalIy. lie IS alarmed
at the stdusucsy ana flies for understand
ing 10 the already arrived member Of his
own race. NON, eacn nationality, you
know. has tilIeu the Ioie OF under dog In
the incoming Of immigration. Today II
u the Italian. The lrisnman once was
Paddy bus he always gave back as good
as, he received. How is the Italian TO ID
this with no knowledge OF the lansuage?'
Effect Of Environment.
Behind him, too, is a history, a religion,
as well as habits ard customs entirely for
eign TO the economic life Of America, Take
one instance, for example. When he comes
over he hears Of divorce and remaTrlage.
TO him in Italy that has represented the
grossest of human sins, and to hear that
the new land sanctions il upsets his whole
code OF morality. II the worst sin in his
Italian mind. is legally, and often Teligl-
cusly. sanctioned, why not do as you please
in all ways in this new land Of liberty
This is but one instance of how the new
world s~tartles and affects him. A delicate
poiEt, too, is tie question OF the efficacy
Of all the methods Of the settlement work
ers and OF the missior aries, The former.
perhaps, do not always quite grasp the
Italians love OF being let alone. nor know
his language, nor the habits Of his country,