Decorah-posten og ved arnen., 1918-06-11

Its only effect so lar has been to
unnecessarily ~aggravate race contro-
versy in pcaceable communities. And
how will it hasten Amcricanization
Aside from the fact that American
~ization in Iowa has been going on as
rapidly as natural conditions will
warrant, it is certainly a great mis-
take to think that unity among our
people can be attained by official
edicts or compulsory measures. The
mere existence OF a foreign language,
moreover, does not prove that there
is a Discrimination to become Ameri-
canized. More often. we think, as in
the case OF the Scandinavian press in
this country, the use OF another Ian
guage, beside English, is greatly pro-
noting characterization. 1t is the
only means of the immigrant to
acquaint himself with American ideals
and institutions from the start. For
all practical purposes this press is
thoroughly American. Assertions TO
the contrary is based on ignorance OF
actual conditions.
As for the church, both languages
are generally used, with the English
getting a more and more prominent
place in the work from year TO year.
This IS the rule almost everywhere.
OF course, the older people, who built
the church and have maintained it
these many years, must be given due
consideration, for thousands and
thousands OF them can only pray to
their God in the tongue of their
mothers. And as the good Lord has
listened to their prayers and blessed
their labors in the past, so he is listen
ing ven now in spite of the proclama-
ton OF the Governor Of Iowa.
And we maintain that ever a strict
adherence to a foreign language in
church work, as is the custom for
instance among a goodly number of
II Danish people in this state, has
not proved an obstacle to American
~ization. Nobody will deny that these
same Danes are patriotic and pro-
gressivc American citizens in a
marked degree. To know and speak
more than II language cannot
possibly in itself be un-American
knowledge OF languages is generally
conceded TO be a highly useful
knowledge. The United State Com
missioner OF Education has even ad-
vised against dropping the study of
German in our schools, We may
need it, he thinks, in the future bust
ness OF our country. The same
attitude toward foreign languages is
taken by other branches of the federal
government, and it has made nc
attempt at suppressing them.
We believe the time will come, and
il may lot be SO very far distant,
when foreign languages will disappear
as a necessary means of carrying on
church, educational and American
ization work among the immigrant
population. Invariably English is the
language of the second generation,
as it should be. But as to the duration
of the lie of a foreign language in
this country, this is a question that
had better be left to its wv solution.
1t cannot be satisfactorily solved in
any other way. Suppression of Ian
guagcs among loyal, liberty-loving
people is entirely uncalled for and is
bad policy. 1t is a well recognized
fact, borne out by experience and
historical vents that the most ef-
fective means OF helping TO perpetuate
nationalistic spirit and languages OF
n%ationalistic groups is TO institute a
policy OF oppression against them.
Such is the experience OF the Ger
mans in Alsace, in the Polish pro-
vinces and in Schleswig, TO mention
only a few examples.
The contention OF the Governor
that while the immigrant is guaran-
teed constitutional right TO worship
his God in his own way, this right is
not guaranteed him in any other Ian
guagc than English, one cannot very
we'll take seriously, considering the
fact that If the immigrant was not
guaranteed this right in the only Ian
guage he knows he would have no
such right at all Some one might
grant us the privilege OF free worship
in the vernacular of the King OF Saba
rah, but it would do us no good.
We believe Governor Harding has
meant no harm with his proclamation
He IS manifestly a good patriot
anxious to serve the best interest Of
our state and the nation. We cannot
conceive that he has intended to i'm
pose undue hardShips on a large per-
centage OF our people. and we don't
even believe his proclamation was
issued for political reasons, as some
have intimated. for as a piece OF
politics it would be lamentably short
sighted, He has, we think, been
actuated by sincere motives with the
intention to do what is right as he
understands il. The trouble is, evi-
IDENTIFY, that he has rushed at the
matter hastily, and that he has failed
TO give the many delicate problems