Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-11-05
ONE-SEvENTH Of OUR
PEOPLE FOREIGN BORN


Approximately one-sevents of the
population of the United States is for
eogn born, with very large proper
ton ignorant of American ideals and
institutions, and, to that extent, loyal
t. the country of birth. Never in the
! history of the nation has undivided
support been SO sorely needed A know
ledge of American government and
!, hat it stands for can only be gained
by the aliens through education, but,
once understand loyal allegiance to
the country of their adoption newt
ably follows. 1t means welding the
heterogeneous masses into one patriot
ic holy.
With the be2inning of the school
year, the door of opportunity is again
opened wide to the adult foreign born.
Last year, the public school author
tiles of the United States, working IN
close cooperation with the Bureau of
/ Naturalization of the United States
Department of Labor, maintained
night school classes for the alien in
struction in approximately LOO cities,
towns and rural communities, located
in every state m the Union. The open
ing of this years classes is accopmpa-
MED by every assurance of increased
attendance and the material betterment
of the results already obtained throush
this stupendous educational campaign.
/ 1t is the confident belief of the Blu
reau of Naturalization that alien in
struction will gradually transform
this vast army of foreigners into an
army of Americans with common
ideals, common hopes, common senti-
ments and unadulterated loyalty
With the American nation defend
ing the cause of civilization and
humanity and taking her place on the
side of the righteousness in this wirid-
wide conflict, military preparedness,
so vital to the country's safety, cannot
be possible without citizenship pre-
paredness. No one should be per-
mitted to remain in ignorance of his
duty and responsibility as a resident
of the United States and this, of
course, applies particularly to the for
| eign born. 1t is certain that had
alien instruction been more universal
ly extended in the past, the question Of
divided allegiance would not have as
sumed such unpleasant prominence
after the war was declared.
The present volume of naturaliza-
| ton shows that over half million
lforeign born residents annually bring
themselves within the jurisdiction OF
| the Bureau of Naturalization. 1t is
the plan of the bureau through the
Incorporation Of the public schools
with its educational movement, to
change that portion of the alien Body
now in state of helpless dependence
or mere self-maintenance to a state
Of productive capacity
The activities Of the Bureau of
Naturalization show how a routine
government agency has been trans
formed into a great humanizing force.
This has been accomplished by link
ing together the federal and state
courts, the federal government and
the state public schools for the pur-
pose of extending aid to candidates
for citizenship. The work of this bu-
reau now stands for more than ma
turalization, as the term is generally
understood. 1t represents American
ization in it's truest sense. 1t cordial
| ly welcome and brings into the ma
tional family foreign friends fully
qualified, through public school in
struction, for the coveted title of cit
! izensbip