Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-16
HUGE MELTING POT
America Breaks Down Aliens
Race characteristics.
CONGRESS GETS REPORT
Data Compiled by immigration Com
mission.
MAY RESULT IN ONE TYPE
Children Of Sicilians and Hebrews
Born Here Differ From Parents.
Physically Larger.
LAY RESULT IN ONE TYPE

That the physical form as well as the
habits Of living and ways of thinking of
the descendants Of foreigners who i'm
migrate to America is different from
those Of their ancestors Is the conclusion
of the immigration commission, embodied
in the preliminary report Of that body,
which was presented to Congress today.
The discovery is regarded as of i'm
portance in anthropolcgioal science as in
dicating the development Of a distinct
American physical type in persons Of
European descent.
The investigation which has brought
this fact to the surface was undertaken
soon after the appointment OF the COM
mission, and it was conducted in a scien-
tiiic manner by the comparison OF meas
urements of the bodies OF such immi-
grants and their descendants, at different
ages and under differing circumstances.
Inquiry in New York.
The investigation was placed in the
hands of committee composed Of menl-
bers of the commission, and Prof. Franz
Boas of Columbia University was engaged
as expert. The inquiry was confined to
New York city. and 80 far as the present
report shows was restricted to Sicilians
and East European Hebrews. later re-
cation among BOhemians, Hungarians and
Scotch.
The report indicates that the descendant
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 immigrant parents
in America develop in such way that
they differ in type. essentially, from their
foreign-born parents. These differences
seem to develop during the earliest child
}ot
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, un-
dergoes considerable change.
Racial characteristics Changed.
In an official synopsis Of the commits
sion's report. attention is called to the
fact that even the most stable racial
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 eli
matte environment Of America. The adapt
ability of the various races coming to-
gether on our shores seems IL these indi-
cations shall be fully borne out in later
study. to be much greater than had been
anticipated. If the American environment
can bring about an assimilation of the
head forms in the first generation may
1t not be that other characteristics may
be as easily modified, and that there may
be rapid assimilation Of wtdely-varying
nationalities and races to something that
may be well called an American type?'
The commission feels that it Is too early
to pronounce absolutely upon this ques-
THE investigation is by no means COM
piete, and moreover, considering the i'm
portance of the subject, 1t should clear
~ be conducted on larger scale and in
different surroundings In various parts of
the country. and perhaps also be checked
up by certain Investigations made upon
the same races elsewhere
Children More Round Headed.
With other results noted, it is shown
that the American-born children Of the
long-headed Sicilians and those of the
round-headed East European Hebrews
have very nearly the same intermediate
head form. The children of the long
headed Scilians are more round-headed
and the childI Ell of the rOund-headed He
brews are more long-headed than their
parents. Similar changes are traced In
the development of the faces of these
types.
The amalgamation is most rapid during
the period Immediately following the ar
rival OF the immigrants. The difference
In type between parents and children
manifests itself ALMOST Immediately after
their arrival here. Among individuals
born a long time after the arrival of the
parents in America the difference is in
creased. but only slightly as compared
to 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 second generation
Of immigrants; but 1t seems likely that
the influences at work among the first
generation born in America will be still
further accentuated.
Size Of Families Falls OF.
The commission has also made the dlscov-
cry that as q rule there is a falling off
in the size Of families after their arrival
In the United States, and coincident with
this discovery has come the more i'm
portant revelation that as the number of
children decreases the size of the indi-
viduals increases. This fact is discov-
cradle among the children of the well to
do as we'll as those of the poor
Another result OF the investigation is
the development of the fact that while
removal from Europe to New York has
had a beneficial effect upon the physique
been just the opposite upon the Sicilians,
the conclusion being that bad as they
are the surroundings in New York are
better for the Jews than in their city
homes In the old world, while the cramp-
ed quarters which the Sicilians occupy in
New York city are not SO desirable as
their rural surroundings in southern