Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-06-21
INSTRUMENTATION DAY PLANNED
Proposal to Make Fourth OF july csis-
hrations More Patriotic Enthuses.


New York, June 21.-Advices from
almost every quarter Of the country
indicate that widespread enthu-
siasm has been aroused among civic
leaders over the plan to make the
Fourth OF July this year an "Ameri-
canizaticn day." Mayors committees
| IN more than fifty cities. large and
small. have been appointed and have
agreed to carry out in part at least the
| ideas Of the National Americanization
| Day Committee, whose headquarters
are in this city.
The idea, as already set forth in
posters and in instructive literature
distributed in mills and factories,
schools and colleges and civic and
commercially organizations, is roughly.
| to round up a great proportion Of the
Is. 600 900 foreign born residents of
| America on independence day and.
aside from the time--worn patriotic ex-
ercises of the day, to Undue newly
naturalized citizens and aliens with
the fun sense of what America means
/, to them.
| In its preliminary work, the Ameri-
| canization day committee believes it
| has already stirred civic leaders, edu-
I -
parctiularly, to new sense of what
the foreign born population means to
America Letters from great num-
Der of prominent citizens have borne
expression to the effect that the re-
sponsibility Of the American towards
the alien should be more fully set.
The manner in which the Ameri-
canization day program will be car
will t,ar cnDnowhof in the
different cities, but a large number
of them will follow the suggestion OF
the general committee as to holding
reception to which the foreign born,
whether citizens or not, will be invited
TO meet their city officials and other
prominent citizens. Arrangements are
being made in a number Of cities for
the use Of auditoriums with large plat
forms, on which the most recently
added citizens viii have spec:a! seats
of honor. A special feature of the &C.
casion will be the recitation in unison
of the oath Of allegiance to the United
States, as the American flag is IN
furled. Pageants and patriotic motion
pictures will be a part OF the program
in some cities.
The United States commission Of
education, o. P. Claxton, who has is
sued an official circular endorsing the
movement, says that among the things
which the speakers on Americanization
day should emphasize are: That
every foreign speaking person in
America should learn English by at
tending the public schools, because the
English language il the master key to
American opportunities and life. and
the first step to real citizenship; that
every iliiterate immigrant should learn
to read and write 90 that ne Can read
American newspapers and attend per-
sonally to his business matters, and
that adults and children, native and
foreiRn-born be given civic training in
both evening and day schools. so that
eyeryone III our country si;iSaee: :
stand the functions Of our government
thu principles of democracy and for
what American STANDS.
During the Flag day exercises on
June IA, the schools Of the country
largely furthered tho movement for
Americanization day and the commit
tee believes that the outpouring on
July 4th will be 10 inspiring that the
idea. which II given nationwide con-
sidera ton this year for the first time.
Mi be carried to stu further success
with each succeeding year.
In addition to the organised celebra-
tons in the cities, neighbofhood meet
tnxs of the foreiSn-born are planned
ia the smaller communities. at which
American employers Or nsighbors will
be hosts.
The Organization Of the National
American Day Conam,ttee Includes
more than nifty prominent men and
women in every waik Of life. AMONG
] thsm are: Nichoaas Murray Bulss,