Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-12-03
FEDERAL AID
 TO EDUCATION SENATE BILL 49S7)
Proposed Educational Measure Car. ries an Appropriation of
 *1OO,OOO,OOO.
SENATE BILL 49S7

1.-Introductcn.---O October 10, 1918, Senator Hoke Smith of GeOr- gia, introduced into the United States Senate the most comprehensive and important educational measure that has ever been put before congress. The bill provides for an annual ap- pfopriaton of $100,000,000, provided that sums in equal amount be ap- prOpriated by the several states, for tho purpose of aiding the states to carry on mores successfully certain types of education which most vitally concern our national welfare. The main provisions of the bill (S 49S7) which will appear in daily install- ments in tine Graphic until oomplet- ct. are as follows:
 III The AmcricanizatiOn of Immi-
 grants.
 Our population has been made up largely of immigrants. In 1910, there were in the United States 13,515,8S6 persons of foreign birth out of a total population of 91,972 ,266; or, roughly slpeaking, every seventh person of the entire ropula tion was born in a foreign land The foreign born pop ulation in our Atlantic coast states and in our industrial states increasd rapidly from 1900 to 1910, large num- bcrs of which illiterates. Ill New York alone there were in 1910, 406,O20 foreign born illiterates-a number probably greatly increased before the outbreaK of the var. The total nuul- ! Der of foreign born illiterates, in 1910, was 1,650,361.
 If these immigrants are to te more i. than just so much productive power, they must become Americanized. The first step in this process is acquiring the ability to speak and read Eng fish. Those under ten years of age should 50 to tho public schools regu- lbrly. Other provisions musk be made for the adults.
 The bill now before congress pro- yides $7,500,OOO annually "to cooper ! ate with the states in the .Americani- zation of immigrants" The sum, matched by an equal amount by the states. Is to be used ito teach irl- migrants ten years of age and over ! to speak and read the English lang uage and the duties of citizenship, ! and to develop them an appreciation of and respect for the civic and social institutions of the United States. The money is to be allotted to the states on the foreiGnEorn population basis. If the congressional allotlrent ot 55 1-2 cents for each foreign-born person were increased by all equal i sum. there would Dc available in each state S1.1l for eah such person. Ii we consider only foreign torn il- 1 literates, 1,6o0,361, there would be 1 available little more than $9 for the An.ericanization of each foreign born illiterate. By entering, upon a i ten year program. each state could , probably Americaniza all Of it's lnl' migrant population.
 1 Arkansas has 17,046 immigrants ac- 1 cording to the census of 1910. Ihe congressional allotment would amount to s946o.53. The amount l available for Americanizaticn work Ill the state would be $1S,921 ,106 annual ly. '.
 The reacons why the nation shoult l cooperate with the states Ill ar ! Amcricanization program are: l 1.-Foraigners are admitted to the ] country under national law.
 1 2.-They are privileged to partlcl pate freely in democratic govern' {; ment.
 3.-Their contribution to national 1 welfare is in proportion to the tram ing in Americanization afforded them 4.-hc permancncy or a competent l democracy rests on the intelligence l and onatriotism of it's CitiZenry.