Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1918-07-26

Having so long been accustomed to
think OF ourselves as the paragons
OF perfection and to wonder why
other nations are not more ready to
TALL down and worship us, it might
be we'll for us to take stock Of our
selves and consider whether we are
In every respect as perfect as we have
imagined. We need a broader patri-
otsm than that upon which we have
been reared, which has falsified our
history and inculcated hatred of the
English, from whom we have inner
tied our free institutions, which we
should now find it a hard task to de-
fend without the help of our allies
Slavery was abolished throughout the
British dominions decades before we
advanced to the same stage We
also need to develop a more kindly
and sympathetic spirit toward immi-
grants than that which has been
common hitherto, which has consist
ed largely in ridiculing them because
they did not, from the day they land
ed on our shores, in every respect
speak and dress and act as we do.
Measuring American loyalty by
speech and outward form and man
ner Is using narrow and inadequate
measure. 1t is not uniformity in
these things that we need, but unity
OF purpose, ideals, and sentiments,
and this we have, and are likely to
have. 1t is to be doubted whether
even country like Italy, with one
language and homogeneous people,
has greater unity of aim and ideals
in this war than we have, with our
heterogeneous and polyglot popula-
ton. There is loyalty and unanim-
ity of purpose throughout the poly
glOt dOminions of the British empire
not least in Dutch South Africa,
which was lately at war with Eng
land. 1t is only in English-speaking
Ireland that thdre lis disaffection.
The fact that many OF our immi~
grants do not learn to speak English
as we'll as we do is a matter of little
consequence. Their children are
sent to the public schools and are
trained exactly like the children of
the natives, and their Americaniza-
tion goes on rather too fast than too
slow. The demand of Mr.. Roosevelt
that INN igrants who have not
learned TO speak and write the Eng
fish language in five years should be
sent back to Europe is preposterous.
Adult immigrants who do hard
physical work every day, as most of
them do and have to do, cant be ex-
pected to get more than an imperfect
knowledge of our language. We
should be in the same predicament
if we were to emigrate to Mexico,
Brazil, or Russia. Let us be reason
able and try to apply the golden rule.
The all-important thing regarding
immigrant, as regarding ourselves,
is not how much book knowledge he
has, or whether he has any at all, or
belongs to one of the English-speai-
ing races, but whether he is moral,
honest, and Industrious. If he is,
everything else will take care of it
self In some of the older sections
of this country there are districts
where every family has a German
name, yet not a word of German is
understood, and many of the people
do not even know that they are of
German descent We need have no
fear of the thorough Americaniza-
ton of the people that come here to
live. Time and the public school will
take care of that matter, if only the
public school is of the right kind.
France is not forbdding the use of
the Celtic languages in Brittany.
England is not trying to suppress the
Welsh language in Wales or Gaelic
in Scotland II she did, she would
only increase her difficulties. Can
ada has been wise enough to leave
the French language alone in the
province of Quebec. Neither have
we been so foolish as to try to sup
press French in Louisiana, Spanish
in Porto Rico, or any of the native
languages in the Philippines. An at
tempt to do so would certainly not
increase the loyalty of the natives.
Why should we therefore now, in the
midst of war that demands all our
attention and strength, stir up dis
sension by attacking our loyal fell
low citizens for not always, especi-
ally when among themselves, talking
like the rest of us who are not able
to speak more than one language?
Let us not lose our heads because we
have a big task on our hands.
ALBERT e. EGGE.