The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-04-08
THE STRANGER WITHIN OUR GATES
Sixth MESSAGE From Security League Committee Pa
triotsm Through Education
Bv ARTHUR NJ WOLFSON
PRINCIPAL of the High School of Commerce. New York City

others. have come TO escape political.
social and economic oppression. but I'M
like the immigrants Of an earlier gen.
Grafton they have not as yet arrived at
an understanding Of what the institu-
lions of this country mean. They live
hardcd together in the tenemcnts OF our
Industrial communities. They arc rest
less because they find insufficient sym
pathy with their struggle for existence.
They need help; they need education;
they need sympathy. 1t is our duty to
give of these freely. Otherwise through
our Impotence we shall destroy one OF
the very foundations upon which this
republic was built If this war Is TO
engage their energies, We must make
plain to them that we are fighting in tho
same cause as their brothers in Russia
only In n way that is much moro likely
to succeed.
This is the only country in the
world" said President Wilson, which
experiences a constant and repeated re-
birth. This country Is cons family
drinking strength out Of now sources
by volunteer association with 1t OF great
bodies of strong mon and forward look
ing women" The true American who
remembers these words Of the president
will endeavor to understand and to SYM
pathize with the newer elements OF our
population. He will rid himself Of his
prejudices and his scorn for these out
landish" people. He will do his best to
hasten their understanding Of Aneri-
can ideals He will remember the Chi
nose proverb: Among truly educated
people there arc no distinctions Oh
race"
The persistence Of racial characteds-
tics and of European antagonisms Is to-
day the greatest menace to our unity or
purpose For generations we success
fully assimilated thousands OF inmi-
grants because we offered them equal
economic opportunity and full rights as
American citizens. II to-day our expert
ment Is threatened with failure. it is be-
cause we have neglected our obligations
to the strangers within our gates. the
fault lies in our lack Of adequate pro-
visions for their education, Race antag-
omsms have persisted for centuries IN
Europe because autocra,ic governments
have regularly attempted to suppress
all the racial and national aspirations
of weaker and subject peoples instead
O.: building upon them newer and broad
or federal ideals. In this country in the
past We succeeded in assinilating our
Immigrants because men landed In this
country resolved 10 become American
citizens as soon rs possible. To-day
the mower elements in our population
are left to themselves in colonies and
communities in the heart of our great
cities. We have our Ehottos. our Little
Italics and our Little Hungaries in
which immigrants are abandoned 10
their own devices. When they ask US
for explanations of the meaning OF our
democracy they are often met with ex-
pressions Of impatience; the honesty OF
their motives Is doubted: their sons are
branded as sackcrs because they have
no understanding OF the cause for which
we are fighting and therefore nave no
desire to enlist
Our duty is plain IL we will sec It.
We have invited the opprest and down
troddcn Of all countries 10 come to TINS
country; VIC have used their strength TO
assist US in developing our economic re-
sources, but we have forgotten our OBJ
LEGATION to arouse In them faith. trust
and hope in our American ideals.
America Is still the land OF oppor-
tunfty. There is still room in this.
country for the men and women VINO
shall come to Us from Europe by the
millions. bringing with them their Ideals
and their hopes for the future. but tho
upon our building UP it's structure upon
American rather than European ideals.
Each new wave of immigration must he
assimiiatcd; each must be speedily cdu-
Gated so that men. women ana chliorcH
will become true Americans.
For generations We have been trying
an experimcnt in internationalism with
In our own borders. We have succeed
ED in breaking down the race antagon-
tsns which interfered with interna-
tionalism in Europe. We have given 10
men whose ancestors for centuries were
bound down by the marrow conception
Of race loyalty a vision as broad rs inc
Inns OF humanity. If in the future VIC
arc TO become leaders in WORLDWIDE
intcrnationalism based upon a strong
democratic nationalism. we must not
abandon the ideals OF our fathers; VIC
must carry on our experiment in inter
nationalism through immigration win
increasing success.-The Independent.