New Britain herald., 1918-12-17
CLASS FOR foreign
BORN At ARMY POST
LAMP HUMPHREYS Private Makes
AmeriCanization Experiment
Camp HUMPHREYS, Va, Dec. Il.

IN AmeriCanization has recently been
carried out in the Engineers Training
camp at Camp Humphreys. Virginia.
The man who conceived the Idea be-
hind the experiment was II private
soldier of Italian birth, Salvatore Gu
dia by name. On his own initiative
Private Cudia built up a system OF
education among the thousands or
Italians at Camp Humphreys which
has been in operation since early
summer.
Several years of experience in the
newspaper and theatrical world had
brought Private Cuda into close con-
tact with many individuals and he
knew especially the psychology of the
foreign born. Realizing that the best
way to attract his men was through
giving entertainm he began by
assembling and training a small or
chestra, the cost of which was de-
frayed out of his own earnings as
regimental tailor. The first musica
program which he offered to the men
was one calculated to attract them
and the Italian born soldiers at Camp j
Humphreys gathered in full force.
An Experience Meeting.
After the musical program Private
audience In solving the every day
problems which beset privates in the
army. knowing the sort Of stories he
was to hear, Cudia had primed HIM |
self with answers. One private at once |
arose and complained of the way in
which he believed the , government
was treating him. He had a wife and |
children in Italy; for months they
had received no money from the |
American government; for some rea- |
son the allotments had not been re-
ceived. The poor soldier, whose I'M
derstanding of the situation was any
thing but clear, thought he was be- |
ing cheated out of his pay. He even |
confessed that he felt no particular |
loyalty toward a country not his own, |
a country which he intended to leave |
us soon as he could, a country in |
whose army he was serving really |
against his will.
The frank statement of this fellows |
case aroused the keenest interest |
among the Italian born soldiers pres |
ent and Cudia was called upon to |
square the matter Having investf- |
gated a similar case in the past, Gu |
dia was ready with an answer. He |
Immediately sprang to his feet and |
asked the men whether they knew
English. Many of them admitted |
that they did not. He then told them |
that many of the draft boards and |
camp officials simply could not learn |
their names and that because many |
European bora people who had come |
to America to earn a livelihood had |
not been willing to learn the English |
language they had involved them
selves in great deal of trouble. The |
gOVernm ent was not SO much at fault |
he told them, as they themselves. He |
would be glad, of course, to help |
them straighten out their temporary
difficulties, but a step toward doing |
away with such difficulties in the fu- |
ture, he proposed that they should ali |
join classes in English which he |
would start for them
English Glasses Started.
These classes were started and per- |
mission was obtained from head
quarters allowing the Italians to hold |
daily meetings for the purpose of |
reading AID speaking English |
Throughout the summer and up to |
the present time, Private Cudia and |
his assistants have continued these |
classes. Through learning English /
the men have put themselves in bet
ter position to understand what this
But Cudias idea did not stop at the |
teaching of English to italian born |
soldiers. 1t was a much larger thing |
than that. His aim was to bring his |
people into closer relations with Am |
erica, the land of their ADOPTION He |
found that many of them had very
hazy ideas on the subject of natura.li- |
zation; the primary thought with a |
large number of them was to return |
to Italy as soon as the war was over |
Cudia, was much too wise to attem pt |
direct persuasion with these men; he |
endeavored rather to bring them into |
close touch with the American soldier |
and present, step by step, the advan- |
tages of American citizenship To
this end he organized dramatic clubs, |
reading circles, and vaudeviIles and
even published, at his own expense, +,
a booklet of information SO that when
he made an appeal the men should be
in a receptive mood.
Many Decided ON Naturalization.
whea he felt that the proper time I
had come, Cudia arranged a large
mass meeting at which the PROPOSE
ton Of becoming American citizens
was presented to the men. At this
first mass meeting over 100 Italians
pledged themselves to become citl-
zens of the United States. Up to date
over 700 such pledges have been Sc
cured
Private Cudia feels that his expert
ment has achieved a large measure or
success. One of the most battling
problems in the country has been tho
reconciliation of the various dissatis-
fed elements among the foreign born
and foreign-speaking soldiers In our
great draft army. Cudia Is of the
opinion that the surest way to de-
velop love and gratitude for America