Omaha daily bee., 1916-01-03
d5edSees2
.LeMSRoTG
Language

objections to Foreign Language
Laws.
OMAHA. Dec 3l.-To the Editor Of The
Bee: In the year 1918 bill Wis intro
duced in the state Legislature by Rep
resentative Mockett OF Lancaster county
which was fostered and lobbied through
by an organization Of foreign influln nee
and thus became q law. This law rs u
provide for and TO regu ate the teach
ing of European languages above the
Fourth grade in the public schools OF
Nebraska Another law that we have
in Nebraska is one compelling county
commissioners and county treasurers to
publish at public expense the proceedings
Of the board and the tax sale advertise
ment OF the treasurer in papers Of foreign
language in their respective counties II
such paper or papers have 1900 subscr.b-
ers or more.
Such laws as these would not be toll
Grated in a foreign country. No foreign
country would have laws giving our
American national language such an
equal right with their own. No one has
been able yet to offer any sound argu-
ment why we should have the foreign
language laws In America. The position
OF those favoring the foreign language
laws is so untenable that they can only
resort to abusive tactics which prove
nothing more than their insolent, de-
graded disposition. have been advised
by good. loyal American citizens of for
eign blood that there IL an organized at
tempt to ultimately gain foreign control
of this country by putting their foreign
language and teachers IN our schools and
also by using other means. In another
country the same thing is being accom-
plished by putting teachers in the
schools and officers in the army and
navy
These language laws are un-American,
they lead 10 olannishness of the for
eigner instead of to Americanization and
American sympathies; 1t leads the for
eigner in America to the news and SYM
pathies of foreign connection. Many per-
sons of foreign birth become good, loyal
American citizens. The children of for
eign blood, when permitted to get away
from foreign clannishness and foreign
language by attending American schools
where the English language alone has
been taught. have always developed into
loyal American citizens. Why throw the
language impediment In the way now
for them to stumble over? We are glad
TO give them every opportunity possible.
at public expense, to become worthy.
loyal citizens but 1t cannot be done by
teaching their foreign language In our
public schools. We should limit them to
our language at public expense until they
have passed through ten grades or more.
No person of foreign blood should be
permitted to take part in our govern
ment until after learning to read the
newspapers printed in our language. And
then his loyalty to the government should
be subject for challenge as much as
his vote is. / wish to suggest to our
many loyal citizens of foreign blood that
the leadership of their organizations
has largely fallen into the hands of
persons OF foreign influence and sympa-
thies. and those leaderships should be
renovated. Do you know what they are
doing with unsympathetic citizens In all
tho countries now at war? Who can say
we shall not have war with the same
conditions prevailing inside OF a year
from now? Z. Ia IRELAND.
2726 Pinkney street.