South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-11-02
loCaNeWS HAPPENINGS
liz in at7d about Town z azzSzz
AUTHOR IN PLEA
FOR IMMIGRANT
Mary Antin Speaks to $50 PEG
pie Under Auspices of
4 Dining Club.


IF you mean that something should
be done TO solve the immigrant prob
lem. begin at home 1t is MOI the
debates Of the gentlemen az Washing
ton that will solve the problem. only
YOU can do IL. II you solve IT here
II VIII be solved for the whole cOun-
try. But whatever you do L ask you
10 remember this one thing-please
Judge Us by our shining examples
This was the substance of the plea
for the immigrant delivered with
touching elCquence by Mary Antin in
her lecture, They Who Knock At
Our Gates" at the oliver hotel last
evening. The noted author and lee
turer was brought TO South Bend by
the Women's Dining club in celebra-
tiOn of the first anniversary of it's
organization and the entertainment,
which took place ip the tapestry room,
was attended by $50 people, men and
women. That the lecturer pleased
was evidenced by the close attention
she received and the bursts of ap-
plause which interrupted her talk from
time to time.
Realized Problem Recently.
1T is only recently" said the speak
er, that / realized that the imml-
grant was a problem which the ma
ton is trying TO solve. i realized 1t
only in 1872 when The Promised
Land appeared While L was writ
ing that book I frequently stopped
TO puzzle why L should. be spending
my time telling so commonplace a
story. But once il was published
began TO get letters, questions, re-
views, clippings. ! discovered that to
you ii was news that there were wom-
en- like my mother and men like my
father among you. When / realized
that L was part of the problem l be-
gan TO study i learned how many
years you have been puZzling over the
problem and that still you are no
nearer its solution.
What kind Of immigrant would
you like TO have? Some one answers
that the most acceptable type is eX-
emplified in those who came first TO
this coUntTy-the pilgrim If you will.
Perhaps il is with you as it was with
me- 1 was unable while studying his
tory 10 picture the pilgrims otherwise
than as alightng majestically on
Plymouth rock. But what did they
do? What is the test2 How did
they make out from Monday morn
ing till Saturday night. Use them,
if you will, as a model of what the
immigrant ought TO be
Discusses Saloon Complaint.
..For example" continued the
speaker, lit is a common complaint
that the immigrant brings the saloon.
1t is true that saloons are mum erOus
I'm the immigrant quarter. But read
the story Of the raising Of a meeting
house in New England in 1895, where,
IL is related, a part Of the service
was the disposition of a barrel OF rum,
IA. civ r. Of
beer. When you realize that the pop
ulation of a settlement in those days
was but a handful and that only the
men partook of refreshments, can you
picture the condition of those men as
they raised the roof of the new build
ing?
"Ycu say of the newcomer from
the east or from southern Italy that
he will be unable to understand our
laws. Il is related i'm history that
back in the heart Of New England the
pioneers wished TO erect a new meet
ing house or enlarge the old one.
They thrashed out the question at
meeting after meeting for Is years
before they decided 20 erect II and
then spent 50 days debating the ques-
ton OF where TO erect 1t, and In the
end drew lots TO decide That was
the superior intelligence o. the first
immigrants.
Judge by Poorest Traits.
How does il come that we have
exhaIted ideas of these people when
they were so human When they did
such naughty things now and them
Ii is. my friends. because we judge
them by their noblest types, while
the immigrant of today we too fire.
Quently Judge b.. his poorest traits.
You will judge us by our nobler traits
A "a p
ticipate a little? Won't you judge US
by our shining examples now? And
remember when you are judging that
there are hundreds of others just like
the shining examples who remain UNI
known to YOU just because-they nave
not the gift OF gao!"
Mary Antin is the author Of The
Promised Land" and those who have
read 10 are familiar with the delight
full style IF her expression and the
vividaess OF her descriptions. Roth
of these qualities made her lecture
last evening one long 10 be remem-
bered in South Bend.
Guest vt supper.
Following the lecture she was the
guest Of honor az "a supper given by
the club in the hotel dining room. The
table was beautifully arranged with
yellow and white Chrysanthemu ns
and black and white candles.
Preceding the lecture Miss Dora
Hershenow gave a delightful group OF
piano numbers and Mrs William
Swintz a pleasing group Of vocal num-
bers all OF which were chosen from
American composers in honor OF Miss
Antin's Americanism. Miss Eva Il.
Hotzenpiller. president OF the club,
introduced the speaker in a charm-
ing manner A f. Martin gave a
brief talk on the objects of coming
good will campaign.
The congregation OF Temple Beth
Fl viii give reception for Mary An
tin this afternoon from 1880 O'Clock
% $50 40 the home Of Mr. and Mrs.