The Washington times., 1916-11-30
Mass Meeting'for Washington's
Alien Population To Be
Held Dec. 18.
DEPT. OF LABOR PROJECT
School Board Ready to CO.
operate by Extending
Night Sessions.

A mass meeting. which citizens OF
the District and every nationality rep
resented by Washington's foreign
born will be urged to attend, will be
held In the auditorium OF the new
Central High School at $3.50 o'clock
Sunday afternoon, December 10.
The purpose OF the mass meeting
will be to impress on washington's
$4,000 alien population the necessity
OF an education in American citizen
ship. The meeting will be one of q
series being held this winter in forty
cities and towns OF the United states
under the auspices OF the Bureau OF
Tentative plans and a rough pro-
gram OF tho mass meeting. were dts
cussed at a meeting held Tuesday
Crist, deputy commissioner OF the Bu.
reau OF Naturalization, Department OF
Labor, OF representatives OF several
nationalities ptedominating among
the foreign born of the District, BY q
representative OF the ID. A. ". and by
the head OF one OF the active citizens
associations.
Must Interest FopeiGners.
Mr.. Crist spoke OF the need for an
education In American citizenship In
Washington. THE only thing which
remains now" he said. 'is to have our
foreign born interested In the move
ment themselves. superintendent OF
Schools Thurston has told me he has
the appropriation for more night
schools for education OF washIngr
tons alien population. He further
told me when Il could be proved
there was need for more schools sim.
Al. lAA NJ nj
In the Jefferson and Thompson
schools. he would provide additiona'
ones
are attending the schools now. of
have taken courses In American cltl-
zenship. This ratio In the same We
md throughout the country, and We
think II IL because of the lack Of
interest on the part OF the foreigners"
students In Dead Earnest.
Speaking about the schools con-
Quoted at present In Washington. Mr..
CrIst told OF conditions ms he found
them. lie said the students. men
and women. were seated on high
stools with low desks In front OF
them. the kind provided for the pu-
pills In the elementary grades. The
men and women were taught to write
In "copy books" which usually take
a child in the fourth grade a year or
two to complete. wheress. the for
sieners themselves, trained In writing
lheir own language could master |
Them In one or two lessons.
Those students who are attend. 4,
Ing these schools are In dead earnest
saId Mr.. Crist.
Some Of them are mothers. While |
he mothers are busy at work with their !
BOOKS. their children play about on the
ioor OF the school room or entertain &
themselves scribbling on the blackboard.
children at home while they attend the !
Ines with them"
The mas, meetings which have been
rave been well attended and have |
great results.
Puts Pertinent Query.
q. =. James. president OF the Pet |
worth Citizens Association. In speaking :
u the contemplated mass meeting. said 3
he didn't want TO put n damper on :
ho meeting. but how IN the name OF
common sense can we expect TO Inn
,ress foreigners with the glory OF Amer I
can citizenship when we. here IN the
district. are not granted the rights OF
he American citiIen?"
In answering his question, Mr.. Crlst
howed how Congress had In the ma.
ority OF cases, given the Federation OF
'itizens' Associations what they asked
or. and Implied that IL would not he
ong before suffrage would also be
iranted.
Every person present nc the meeting
yesterday was strongly In favor OF the
mass meeting. Circulars In the language
Z the different nationalities will be dis
announcements will he made
rom the various pulpits In the city. and
4 W hA
iyen 10 the movement. Il
IL was decided to have. II possible. q
nember Of the Cabinet, Congress. Dis
rict government and the Supreme
'ourt 10 del iver addresses.
To Translate Speeches.
IL is hoped that Secretary OF the
iavy Daniels will allow a section OF
he Marine Band to furnish music. II
will be necessary to have inter
'reters TO translate the speeches into