New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-25
RICH AND POOR
In ASTOR HOMIE
Hostess to Try Ameri-
CaniZatiOn Plan in
YOrkVille

Fifth Avenue and First Avenue met
over the tea cups yesterday at Mrs.
Vincent Astor's home, $40 Fifth Ave-
nue., and promised henceforth to live
together as real democratic and neigh
borly Americans.
Sixty-seven residents and social and
civic workers in the Yorkville district,
from Fifty-ninth to Seventy-sixth
Street and from Fifth. Avenue to the
East River, district in which there
are 10000 immigrants, representing
practically every nationality, were Mrs.
Astor's guests at luncheon, at which
the practical experiment of American
ization was set in motion.
eve are interested in this not as a
charity or philanthropy" said Mrs. AS
tor. "or as social welfare. We want
to get all the people of this neighbor-
hood together in spirit OF good citi-
zenship to see what practical things
we can do 10 make this typical Amer
lean neighborhood. In the Yorkville
section here we are a pretty good ay-
ample of a mixed neighborhood. We
want TO find out right here what Amer
icanism will have to mean in everyday
life If the ideals most of us agree upon
are to become practical realities. A
programme of AmericaniZation tina:
will work for Yorkville will probably
work for a good many other places.
Need Neighborhood Spirit
"We need here in this great city a
neighborhood spirit-the spirit which
will bring Fifth Avenue and First Ave-
nue. together, which will make ac-
quainted as neighbors and friends, not
as charity workers. First Avenue can
be Of Just as much inspiration and help
to Fifth Avenue as Madison Avenue can
be TO Second. We shall never. in my
Judgment. become an Americanized ma
ton until we can bring up our ranks
and make them as strong as their lead
ers, and until the message OF Ameri-
canism is taken to the least of our
neighbors aliens.
ave shall begin our little neighbor-
hood Americanization association with
the weakest spots frst-to make this
neighborhood the best in literacy, citi-
zenship and the use of the English Ian
guage by carrying on a campaign
against illiteracy and for naturalization
and the learning of English. We need
a greater use of the school as social
centre and playground where we can
all meet.
"Then we want 20 reduce the crime
in our neighborhood and the causes
of il. and to help everywhere to get the
fundamental OF an American standard
of living. Some people think this can
be obtained by high wages and good
housing alone. but it cannot. We must
carry to the 10000 or more immigrants
in our neighborhood, and especially 70
the mothers shut in their homes, the
principles Of American housekeeping,
which We believe are better than the
housekeeping customs so often import
ed and retained for years, because i'm
migrant women have no opportunity 70
learn our ways and standards.
Strive for Two Objects
ave are striving FOR two things
IN make service, not relief and char
itv. our watchword, and to have on
cali at all times residents who will
render personal service to others in
the neighborhood as it is needed. We
want 20 help our probation officer, and
we want her to help us into better
realization of citizenship obligations.
We want to get together and under
stand one another's point Of view and
10 know one another. and 10 like one
another. and to make our neighbor-
hood a place of courtesy and accessi-
bility. We don't want a lot OF COM
Continued on page 2. column