Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-12-10
AMERICANIZATION--A SAFETY MEASURE.
Mrs. FifI.tio!,I: TYSON.

lg me National buroati OF t:u,,rn-
.on. witn connli,tce OF .Uo. so -opc,.
.tins with the bureau Of in:uigrati.n
IS undertaking the Am eiicani1atto,, ~
the foreign population OF our coin, -
This great hunan task OF Amerlcahi.5:
the common ianSuaso OF our country
AEnsiish'. This American.aat!pn.
msnsnte tirSr Is strons ssty,y
movement In tho. America o. to-dav'
Statistics show tliat every thlrd nnE'
son In the United states is either To-.
eiSn born or born OF foreign pur.li,x.
3.v0n.Ooo cannot speak the Ent.lish IAN,
GuaSe AHA C,O0o.0GV cannot read II. One
sixth sixth, Of our poprlatioa le. therefore
eign conditions. II we would eXau,ins
New York City we would lind that the
absorption and assimilation OF tht
ing TO their vast nurubcrs prcrio,,s
habits. traditions. .crudencss In GRASP.
democracy have been very SLOW, AMI
become one of the problems confront.
ins our. coun'ry to-day, New York
only to Berlin. an Italian population
only less than Rome, q Polish popula.
lGn neaT Tcv tnat o pot Warsaw and is the
different languages are spoken by this
foreign population. Would you cali
New York . an american city? III New
York City are spots that are practically
>newspapers. ali foreign. Ds were Se"sen the
Americans standards of living are UNI.
known.
The foreign born workman does no,
share the civic life of the community.
MS; ignorance Of the English language
civic matter. in which every civic
agency is concerned. In Industry his
Ignorance OF English is menace. How
trial efficiency be maintained where
possibly the sign language is used
wholly or in part In numbers Of fac
tories should have workmen able to
speak English US 4 safety measure for
guarding against accidents. with
would better understand our Industrial
ideals. the laws under which he lives,
and his immigrant home would sooner
become en- American home.
This is n crucial period In the his
tory OF our country; new apprecia-
tion Of the problems Of national life,
meaning andaims OF democracy is be-
Ing impressed upon the minds OF the
people. Several OF our cities have, re-
ing in their history, and have taken
the Obvious rrst step toward Ameri-
canization.
try. teaching them tho history and
traditions OF our great republic. the
doctrines Of the Constitution, the laws
of the Union. SO they will be imbued
with their economic. civic. Industrial
and social value, qualified to MI the
role OF freemen and entitled to full
protection In the exercise and enjoy
ment of the so-called private rights.
The adult foreigner should not be left
,othe partisan and unprincipled poll
tician.
With tho Americanization of the for
cigncr must not be forgotten the edu-
cat'on OF the nattve.bor illiteyates.
nf ha
called TO the colors nearly per cent
were unable to read or write: in camp
could not read the military bulletin
boards, their manual or arms being to
them an unopened book. Many had
such = slight understanding of Eng
fish they were unable to comprehend
military orders. II Is self-evident that
the time. has come TO America to rec
ognize the unifyinE part language,
human history and the constructive
achievement of the world. and TO re-
aliZc the seriousness and magnitude or
the work before her.