Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-11-22
MARY ANT|N MAKES PLEA
IN IMMIGRANTS BEHALF
Distinguished Author Has Plan for
Federal Department to Aid
Foreigners.
ASKS HELP OF soUTmERNERs
In Lecture Before Womcn'S Club She
Outlines Scheme Making Easy
Way for Those Who Would En-
bruce American Citizenship.

! Tor training immigrants in citizenship
| was strongly recommended last niaht
! In lecture before the Womcn's CLUB
/ 10y Mary Antin. distinguished author
anu social service worker. who, to-
Scihcr with Immigration agencies and
others Interested in the welfare OF tho
/ newcomer I" American shores. viii
shortly lay before President Wilson
/ plans for making easier The way ur
/ him who would cmbGac" citizenship Il,
/ this country.
tn" greatest stumbling bloci I'm tho
! path of the immigrant. said the speaker.
! VINO herself came, to America twenty.
/ TWO years ago refugee from prosccu.
! ton accorded tho Jewish race In Rus
/ STA. is the neglect he receives In thiE
country. the failure OF tho native horn
/ symaathetically 30 study his rroblen.
/ the scarcity Of schools In which ha may
learn the rudimon;s OF American citi-
z"nShip. and thc multiplicity OF hnstn.
stat" and municipal laws which he Is
! forced to encounter.
WOULD CREATE DEPARTMENT
no AID MEM CITIZENS
comm. 10 America in response TO
: IN" industrial Invitation OF II great
country and because OF tho liberty and
freedom offered under The liberal gov.
eminent OF republic. tho Immigrant
according 1" Miss Antiu, gains access
. n
! Grafton of Federal laws but when he
S""s out In search Of work he comes
( ace 70 face with ;h" greater problem
/ IF conforming TO statutes with which
/ the central government has nothing IA
40 To correct this condition and 10
/ mako tho Federal government. In q
sense. the guardian Of tho man ii has
"ncrch a home. she proposes TO create
/ Il department the special duty OF which
VIII ne not only TO give 81 helping hand
10 tho Immigrant rs n" steps ashore.
"", 10 FOLLOW him ia his quest OF bread
/ anu citizenship.
IA" broadening % American indus-
I Try ana tho expansion OF American
bnHinoss interests" said the sneaker
depend largely, II not altogether. unon
INC ability Of American Industries 10
secure labor. Whether Nc vyill ar pn
thcSc men must come TO us from, Sor,.
Mncic out OF tho East Their dcaIra
b'ltE ~ citizens Viii not always H.
determined by their condition nm
reaching our shores. IN, by tho chance
'htN got after lHndin-; ia Amcric, n,
lou "' inc south. this Is perhaps. not
" ihrR" or a pressing Question hut 1,
.n' great Industrial cer:crs OF IN.
N,rthoa"t IL in - very real ISSUE. Your
interest must hc ciiCitcd h.".use or 1.-Two
Hu"s'ioi's national scope. and. i'm yicu
81 fr"sid"n, Wilson's nrarncss TO ,,,,
am counting largely on tho south fo,.
-
grant '"''''
There are Hd,;,nc "a many rnason,
WY ilnMierhtlou TO the United States
should hc cut down. Tho mos, ,er
SN''h' are iilitcra"y. civio iuicxreri.
"hr". "rimnoloEy ana tho general mn.
"csIrahiii'y uf the aNerntc imu,,cr,u.
VINO say some, IL almost ~ vnv. a ron
,tS"Htatlf" OF the scum OF Europo The
i"S'c OF these reasons generally calls
"o"h when We cxan'ue statistics
i"MiGRhNVS ARE ALI.
PRETTY MItH the SAME
Aiicr all, Immigrants arc pr~.,,
mnch tn" same. The Pilgrim Fathers.
OF New England. anu the English coy.
ll"Ts. who found an abiding place I'm
virginia and 10 tho south. often were
h"pci"Ssly at sea, il We uay believe
inc records. when ii came TO questions
o! state. statistics shows that four
htths OF the crime charger 10 foreign
'ofH people In this country il con
STUFFED by tho breaking. OF such STA
( tutcS as N" law against p.ddinc with
/ out license. Ana the Dccnlocuc saws
nothing about such a thing being "a
crime. The immigrant. without school
IN which TO learn either the language
| or IN" laws Of the country, must do
something to earn living. Why not
reddlof AZ 10 the general undesirable
about that until you have given them
som" opportunity TO prove their worth.
And that they often do not have The
4 i!iitcracy charge is untrue. There il
a higher percentage of literacy among
/ children Of the foreign born in this
I country than among those Of native
born. Statistics viii bear me- out IN
! that assertion.
america draws her Immigrants here
/ The quest OF the loaf often is re-
| sponsiblc for his coming, but more Of
ton the ycarnng after Il crumh Of lib
! crty. The oppressed OF every land
| hunger for II better tomorrow. and
/ America offers 81 living and liberty and
! freedom To make il easier for them
+ To get it. and, at the same time to
make of them desirable citizens is now
[ Americas problem"
Miss .tntin was introduced by DR..
/ Edward y. Calisch. OF Seth Ahabah
{ Temple.