Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-24

OF these Germany has the largest nu-
merical share. One-fourth of all Uncle
S m
More Germans Here folk of
Than From Any Nation. 1ore Ign
from Germany. There are $3.50. 600 of
them altogether. Next to that nation,
Ireland has furnished the greatest
number of American residents who are
not more than a generation from the
land of their fathers. There are $780,
600 people in America who came, or
whose parents came, from Ireland
Russia and Finland together con-
tribute nearly 100000. Italy is crowd
Ing the 100000 mark. Norway, Swe-
den and Denmark have sent us 5000, 900
Scandtnavians. England has yielded
100000. while France is represented
by but 100000, and stands on a par
with Switzerland and Holland Aus
tria-Hungary Is an important factor,
being the origin of 100000 people liv-
ing here. Greece and Rumania have
contributed most from the Balkan
countries, which have, all together, sent
100000 Of their sons and daughters to
America.
With this horde of Europeans among
its population, the United States offers
. field for race study that is without an
equal. The government has been clos
ly watching these people as they enter
the melting pot to determine just how
fast they fuse into the whole and be-
come Americans. 1t has been attempt
ing to determine where the hyphen dis
appears.
While there Is no official pronounce
ment on the subject. there is much ex-
pert evidence to show that the Irish
man loses his hyphen at Ellis Island
There Is no such thing as an Irish
American. If the hyphen implies a di-
vision of allegiance. Englishmen,
Scotchmen and Canadians likewise alb
sorb rapidly, because they speak our
language. although they are likely to
use 1t for a time in celebrating the
glories Of the British empire.
Aside from English speaking peoples,
the palm for rapidly acquiring all the
alifi-
Scandinavians Quickly atoms
Acquire American Ideas. U :, una =
Americanism goes to the Scandina-
VANS. This is due primarily to the fact
that they usually settle on farms and
are thereby scattered among Ameri-
cans. The children of Swedish immi-
grants to Minnesota are not hypen-
ated.
1t is under entirely different circum-
stances that the Jew hastens into COM
plete Americanism. The immigrant He
brew is likely to live in dense set
Element of his kind, under which con-
ditions many races remain for gen
erations untouched by American in
fuence. There are many thousands of
born Americans In New York who
have grown to maturity without learn
ing to speak English and who are con-
sequently still under the influence of
their original language and literature.
But not SO the Jew. He. of all the
citizens of the United States, takes
most unfailing advantage of the pub
lie school. In this way the son of for
eign-born parents becomes thoroughly
American. This Is made easy for the
Jew, of course, by the fact that he is
bound to no other country by the ties
Of race.
The Germans are assimilated more
slowly than any of these. Deeply de-
voted to the social customs of their
fatherland, they are apt to form COM
munities, clubs and other organiza-
tions for the purpose of preserving
these intact. AS a natural result the
children often learn German in the
home before they learn English in
school. 1t is inevitable that where the
customs and language of a country
are In use the feeling of allegiance to
It will be kept alive.