The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1915-04-15
The Cost Of the Alien.

When John Mokowskl, worn out IN
what he considered useless fight
against the ills Of life, went out and
hanged himself the other day, he pre-
sented an unusual picture to men who
have been accustomed to study condi-
tions in Kenosha. John Mokowski
was a Russian Pole, but John MokoW-
ski could not stand the ignominy OF
being charge upon other people. He
had worked hard in life and when the
time came that he could not contribute
his part to his own support ne took
what he believed to be the only path
open to him.
The case of Mokowski is interesting
because it is different. Experience of
Kenosha officials have not caused them
TO expect such a course from the alien
in distress. Aliens in distress usually
seem to feel that it is the duty of the
body polite to provide for them and
a study of the records Of the city
brings some very interesting facts in
regard to the cost of the aliens. Aliens
have of course contributed much to the
material advancement of Kenosha.
They have been the bearer of burdens
such as the native born would scorn to
bear, but the fact that they have borne
these burdens seems to have given
them the idea that they are particu-
,larly charge upon the public. This
bis Of course not true of all alien
sborn. The suicide Of John Mokowski
bias proved this point.
However, the records of the pauper
department, the blotter at the police
boffice and the calendars Of all the
eourts show that the great bill that
the city pays for delinquents and de-
pendents is nearly entirely expended
upon a people who have no claims of
gblood on the native born. The alien
Mas misunderstood the position in
(which the city stands. If in distress
Ethe alien seeks not to remove the cause
EUf the dislress but takes the course of
BEAST resistance and asks the city to
solve the problem for him. The alien
mistakes liberty for license and as a
result of this misunderstanding the
Ecaleudars of the courts are crowded
with cases in which the defendants to
IA great degree bear names which had
their birth in foreign countries. 1t
has become a habit Of these people to
lseek charity first. In the fat years
gthe alien sends his money to relatives
sor friends in some foreign land and
Rwhen the lean years come he feels that
Rthe country that has adopted him owes
Bhim his support. This idea is proving
scostly to many cities. Education has
mot been along the lines to remove the
false impression of just what the
Padopted country is supposed to do for
the alien and until this education is
promulgated the alien will probably
Icontinue to have these false ideas.
There is no gainsaying the fact that
many aliens are being brought into
useful citizenship, into active produc-
ers of the nation S wealth, but the one
drawback to these people is their lack
of appreciation of the fact that they
must be like the native born citizens
and help in bearing the burden of the
body politic-that they must make
sacrifices and curb their passions the
same as the native born
The cost of the alien is one Of the
biggest propositions to be met by the
city and county today. 1t is the prob
lem of maintenance of courts and po-
lice departments, pauper stores and
poor house and it can only be eliininat-
ed by bringing the alien himself to
learn the lesson of self control and
self support.