The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-03-16
Secretary Lane Asks Aid Of
Wilson in Hurrying Law
Before Congress.
WOULD START AT ONCE
Says Many Cannot Read or
Write, Causing Great
Inefficiency.

Washington, March lin prepa
ration for launcring campaign against
adult illiteraey among the American
people generally and against ignorance
of the English language among the
American born, Secretary Lane today
sought the aid OF President Wilson in
pre- ssing for the passage OF n pending
bill. which would provide funds to be
used for this purpose by the bureau
Of education.
II the bill is passed quickly the plan
Is to give special attention imnedi-
ately to teaching illiterate men OF
draft age, especially those in class a,
who may be called to the colors with
II, few months.
Secretary Lane addressed letters to
the president and to Senator Smith or
Georgia and Representative Sears of
Florida, chairmen Of the congressional
committees of education.
Time Has Come.
L 4 believe" he wrote. that the time
mas come when We should give serious
consideration to the education OF those
who can not read or write in the
United states. The war has brought
facts to our attention that are almost
unbelievable. and that are in them
serves accusatory. There are, in the
United states. Cor were when the
census was taken in 1870, 5.Sl6.163
persons over ten years of age, who
We're unable to read or write in any
language. There are now nearly 700,
600 men OF draft age In the United
states who are. presume. registered.
who cannot read or write in English
or In any other language. Over L..
$4,000 OF the illiterates In this coun-
try were 20 years OF age or more The
percentage OF illiterates varies in the
several states. from IL per cent in
Iowa, to 20 per cent in Louisiana. Half
Of the illiterates were between 20 and
20 years of age. over IS per cent are
white persons and Of these 1900, 900
are native born whites.
Great Economic Loss.
/ ] beg you to consider the economic
loss arising out OF this condition. II
| the productive labor value of an litter
ate Is less BY only SO cents day than
| that Of an educated man or woman,
the country In losing $s25.00o 600 a
year through illiteracy. The federal
government and the states spend mil :
lions of dollars In trying to give In
| formation to the people In rural dis
tJicts about farming and home max
Ing. Yet. 100000 or 10 per cent OF
our countryfolk, cannot read or write
word. A people who cannot have
means, Of access to the mediums OF
public opinion and to the. messages OF
the president and the acts OF con-
gress can hardly be expected to nn-
| derstand the full meaning OF this war,
to which they all must contribute. In
life or property or labor. :, 5,
1T would seem to be almost axio-
matte that an ilIlterate man cannot
make good soldier in modern war
fare. Until last April. the regular
army would not enlist illiterates, yet.
In tho first draft between 10000 and
10000 iiliteratcs were brought into the
army. and approximately as many
near iliterates. They cannot read
t-'eir orders posted daily on bulletin
boards in camp. They cannot read
| their manual Of arms. They cannot
read their letters or write home. They
cannot understand the signals or fol-
low the signal in time pf hattie