Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-12-16
Physical Form and Type Different
From Ancestors Is Conclusion
Of immigration Commission.
BASED UPON INVESTIGATION.
Report Indicates That the Child of the
European Immigrant Changes
Type In First Generation.

Washington, Dec. 16-That the phys
and ways of thinking of the descend
ants of foreigners who immigrate to
America is different from that of their
ancestors is the conclusion OF the i'm
migration commission as embodied in
tho preliminary report of that body
which was presented to Congress to-
day
The investigation was undertaken
soon after the appointment of the COM
mission and 1t was conducted In a sci
entific manner. Prof Frank Roas OF
Columbia university was engaged as
expert The inquiry was confined to
New York city and so far as the pres
ent report shows was restricted to
Sicllians and East European Hebrews
\ later report will give the details OF
the Investigation among Bohemians,
Hungarians and Scotch.
CHANGE OF TYPE.
The report indicates that the descend
ant of the European immigrant changes
his type, even in the first generation.
almost entirely Children born even a
few years after the arrival of the inn
migrant parents In America develop
in such way that they differ in typo,
essentially from their foreign born
parents These differences seem to de-
yelcp during the earliest childhood and
persist throughout life, Every part OF
the body is influenced In this way and
even the form OF the head. which has
always been considered as one of the
most permanent hereditary features,
tn1prCopc c0Daidpro blo CHANGE
In an official synopsis of the COM
missions report sttention is called to
the fact that oven most stable racial
characteristics seem to have changed
under the new environment and this
fact is commented upon as follows:
This would Indicate the conclusion
that racial physical characteristics do
not survive under the new social and
climatic environment OF America The
adaptability of the various races COM
ing together on our shores seems. II
these Indications shall be fully borne
out In later study, to be much greater
than had been anticipated. II the
American environment can bring about
an assimilation OF the head forms in tho
first gcncration, may 1t not be that 9TH
er characteristics may be as easily
modified, and that there may be rapid
assimilation OF widely varying nation
alitics and races to something that may
well be called an American type?"
The commission feels that 1t is too
early to pronounce absolutely upon this
question, and adds:
''Thc investigation Is by no means COM
plete and moreover, considering the
Importance of the subject, II should
clearly be conducted on larger
scale and in different surroundings in
various parts of the country, and per-
haps also be checked up by certain
investigation made upon the same
races elsewhere"
CHANGE IN HEAD FORM
Among other results noted. it is
shown that the American-born chill
dren of the longheaded Sicilians and
those of the roundheaded cast Euro
pean Hebrews have very nearly the
same intermediate head form. The
children OF the longheaded Sicilians
are more roundheaded than their par
ents: the children of the roundheaded
Hebrews are more longheaded. Similar
changes are traced In the develop
ment of the faces of these types.
The amalgamation is most rapid
during the period Immediately follow
ing the arrivals of the immigrants.
The difference In type between par
ents and children manifests Itself al
most Immediately after their arrival
here. Among individuals, born a long
time after the arrival of the parents
in America, the difference Is increas-
ed. but only slightly as compared 10
the great difference that develops at
once.
Up to this time the Investigations
have not been carried so far as TO
determine what happens in the sec
ond generation OF Immigrants. but IL
seems likely that the influences al
work among the first generation born
In America viii be still further ac-
scntuated
IMPORTANT DISCOVERY.
The commission has also made the
discovery that as a rule there Is q
falling off in the size of families after
their arrival in the United States and
coincident with this discovery mas
come the moro important revelation
that as the number of children de-
crcases, the size of the Individual IN
crcases This fact is discoverablt
among the children OF the wcll-to-d'
as we'll as those OF the poor.
Another result of the investigation
Is the development OF the fact tina
while removal from Europe to New
York has had a beneficial effect upoi
the physiuue OF eastern European
Hebrews the result has been just tn
opposite on the Sicilians. the conclu
sion being that. bad as they are. IN
surroundings in New York are bette
In fhair CftN hOrn q