The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-01-03

found much more frequently mo the
people of the odd. immigration than
among those of the new" And yet,
in spite of all the drawbacks of over
crowding, keeping boarders. having
only one room they did not nave 10
sleep in, lacking prope equipment, and
the like, only ~one-seventh of the
Syrians had homes in which conditions
were bad, only one-fifth of the Sloven-
ians, only one-sixth of the Slovaks,
Poles and Hebrews, and only one-tenth
of the Magyars.
The foreigners of the new immigra-
ton are famous for their societies. 1t
is estimated that there are a hundred
national societies of n kind or an
other among the Italians of the coun-
try. There are estimated to be 1000
societies and clubs of all kinds among
the Poles Of the country, they nave
an aggregate membership of some $780,
900. Among the Slovenians there are
some 1900 clubs and societies, with a
total membership ap~proximating 1885,
900. Among the Slavic peoples in Eu-
rope there is a communal tendency.
The lands near the villages are cult
waited on a communal basis, and all
prosper, or starve, together. Their So
~cieties and clubs in the United States
are a reflection of this.
There are a large number of churc5
organizations. Some of these pay sick
and death benefits, and nearly all of
them are under the ultimate control of
the spiritual advisers of the people,
There are also nan secular %organiza-
tons looking to the protection of their
,,op,hcrS in aaSo IF SickraSS and death
The Italian government always has
taken a deep interest in the Italian inn
migrant, and has instituted a protective
society for Italian labor, which Is sup
ported partly by a government appro-
priation n partly by monthly pay
ments from it's members. Among the
Poles there are a large number of mill
tary societies. Usually there are one
or more such societies in every Polish
center, and the members are drilled
like soldiers. A Polish priest has es-
timated that there are 10000 Poles re-
ceiving some sort Of military training
in the United States, in anticipation
of the day when their beloved Poland
attempts to free itself from the grip
Of Russia.
The main body of the new" immi-
grafton is Catholic. Out of 1000, 900
immigrants arriving probably 100000
are Of Catholic affiliations. 1t is es-
timated that during the past 20 years
$1,000, 900 Catholics have come to
America. To shepherd these millions
of souls, speaking 80 different Ian
guages, to soothe race hatred and ma
tional prejudices, and do the many
other things that such a situation in
wolves, are problems the like Of which
no ecclesiastical body ever has had to
meet.
When the foreigner takes his recrea-
ton it is usually in a spirit of relaxa-
ton. They go at their games in a
leisurely, easy-going way that is not
calculated to quicken the pulse or ex-
cite the enthusiasm. They love their
holidays, however, and have as many
of them as the eXigencies of their en-
ployment will permit. Holy and festal
days and weddings and ch~ristenings
are happy times with them.
Largely banished by poverty to the
poorer parts of the cities, compelled
by circumstances to live among sur
rOundings that are often unWholesome,
in neighborhoods that frequently are
skirted by the worst elements of Jul
native life, treated with contempt by
the majority of the native population,
it is no wonder that the immigrant
often seems unresponsive to American
ideals and disposed to hold out against
a process Of assimilation Men and
women who patiently car bear the
things hat the average new" immi-
grant must bear, are, according to
those who know them best, men who
will leave after them a progeny worthy
of their adopted country.
Tomorrow immigration. XXVI.-
Some Unsolved PrOblemS.)