The weekly Alaska citizen., 1918-08-12
PHI NE 262
SkIMMING THE METAL. POT


 material which the United States has taken gladly and has endeavored to turn into good American citizens. These aliens have been made welcome they have honorable employ ment open for them they are educated; their children receive the benefits of our public school system, which is not surpassed by any ill the world; they are allowed to choose their own path according to their ability and preference.
 Ths very process, together with the ad- vantages and opportunities thrown open to them, has been supposed to breed in them a feeling of loyalty and patriotism for the land of their adoption. Out of the melting pot of American methods and institutions is expect ed to come new American, heart and soul devoted to his chosen country.
 The pot has been violently agitated since the outbreak of hostilities, and this strenuous upheaval has resulted in the skum of hulnani- ty being thrown to the top, in the shape of spies and traitors and this newer form of spineless being, which for want of better expression we will call the neutral Hackers" Certainly they lack every attribute of man. hood and citizenship The time has come for the skimning of the melting pot, and throw ing out the refuse that rises to the top For the future good of our nation, this process must be stringent and thorough There must be none of the veness left to poison the pro- duct of the pot in the future.
 These Hackers" came to this country and were accepted in good faith. Even without becoming citizens they were free to enjoy the advantages and privileges that were unlleard of in the country from which they came They could live as they chose, own property if they paid for it, have schooling if they so desired, send their children to schools, have good food or poor, as they were able to earn and pay for it. Then if they became citizens they were privileged to have voice in the running of the government. Indeed, the fran chise is extended to them upon the taking out of their so-called first papers, simply by declaring their intention of becoming citizens
 When they become fully naturalized they may hold any office in the country with the exception of the Presidency. Everything is open to them and they are limited by their ability and ambition alone. But ths citizen ship carries with it some moral obligations, among others loyalty and love for the nation, and willingness to protect it when protec- tion Is needed. This is taken for granted, for it is little enough return for the advan- tages which they en joy But the readjust- ment that has come about because of the war and the passing and enactment of the draft law has brought about a revelation of the motivess and ideals of some of these people,
 The ruling was made that natives of neutral countries, who had declared their in tention of becoming citizens, would not be forced to fight, for there had been some ob- jections from this class of people, When these foreigners came to this country they repudiated by that act any claim which they might have upon their native land They de- clared that they desired to become citizens of the United States and by so doing they signihed that they adopted this country for their own. If they did not mean this, why did they not return to their native land? Why stay here if tey did not mean to make this country their own? Was it simply to fatten off the opportunities offered them here with the expectation of returning to the land of their birth later: Was their purpose merely to take advantage of higher wages and better living without assuming any of the responsibilities and obligations that came with them?
 Some such idea must have been theirs, or they would not act as they are now They are showing themselves up to be the white livered towards that they are They arel showing the presence of the yellowest sort of a yellow nature, when they prefer to relin- quish all their prospective rights as citizens of this land of the free rather than risk their skins in defense of it. They are absolutely without backbone, they lack all claim to being called men, They are the veriest traitors and are betrayers of the trust that has been given them. They are slackers and lackers and an abomination to the patriots and loyal citizens of this country.