Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-04-03
AMER|CANRAT|ON
CAMPAIGN OPENS
Secretary Lane Tells States
Conferees of Nations Re-
sponsibi|ity as Melting Pot.
SAYS U. s. SPIRIT WILL WIN

America can become "a composite and
purposeful nation and impose no au-
thority other than the compelling in
fuence Of affection, sympathy, under
standing and education" Secretary Lane
Of the Interior Department declared to-
day in an address opening the Ameri-
canization conference of state governors
and .chairmen of state councils Of de-
Tense in session in the auditorium Of the
new Interior Department building.
A federal legislative program. which
calls for an appropriation to the bureau
of education is being considered at the
round table conference. and 1t is pro-
posed that Americanization be dealt
with as a war measure to counteract
the anti-American propaganda among
aliens.
"Out of this conference" continued
Secretary Lane. should come not a
determination to make more hard or
difficult the way of those who do not
speak or read our tongue. but de-
termination to deal In a catholic and
sympathetic spirit with those who can
be led to follow in the way of the ma
ton. and as to those others who can
not, other procedure must be applied.
The keynote OF this conference Is our
responsibility.
TO be an American, he said, was not
to be satisfied with things as they are
and to let things drift, but to realize
that America to be compact nation
must assimilate it's foreign born.
1--WE are trying a great experiment in
the United States" he asserted. Can
we gather together from the ends of
the earth people OF different races.
can be merged into one? II we cannot
do this we will fail. II we do this we
will produce the greatest of all ma
tions and a new race that will long hold
a compelling place in the world.
.It is well, therefore. that we come
together at such time of stress. and we
should have come together long since.
land put our heads to the problem as
to what are the initial steps in bring
country which will give 1t meaning,
purpose and cohesion. We should not
be moved to this by fear. There is
nothing to fea5 Our = wars have been
see their named every day in the list of
those who are dead on the battlefields
of France. There is no such thing as an
American race. excepting the Indian.
We are fashioning new people. In
Some "Discoveries."
Secretary Lane said the conference
might do well to consider several
things which had come up recently
which seemed to those who have not
been wise to be discoveries.
1.-THE first" he explained, "is that we
have a great body of our own people,
tive and a half million, who cannot
read or write the language of this
country.
are not all of foreign birth. A million
and a half are native born.
THE second is that we are drafting
into our Army men who cannot understand
| the orders that are given to them to
read.
'tThe third is that our man power Is
deficient because our education is de-
ficient.
failed to see America through the eyes
Of those who have come to us. We have
failed to realise why 1t was that they
came here and what they sought. We
have failed to understand their deflni-
tion of liberty.
Refers to crump1ing Russia.
In his plea for the education OF aliens
I - - american illiterates alike Secretarv
Lane alluded to the "crumpling Of Rus
| .sThe cause OF the Russian disaster"
! he said, twas ignorance Of the Russian
people. so per cent Of whom could not
read or write, none of whom practically
ever had participated In the afrairs Of
their own country. II America is not to
be- Russianized, and there Is no fear Of
that. we must put into our hearts truer
America to represent. and when we say
renreeent we imply that We are not the
exclusive possessors oS- Americanism. .
Touching upon the war and the military
situation in France, the Secretary quoted.