Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1918-07-25
LANGUAGE
SHOULD Sc STUDIED
War Needs Today and Recon-
struction Period Later Will
Require Use of That Tongue.

WashingtoR.-"Why not learn Rus.
sian? 1t isn't nearly so difficult as is
popularity supposed, and America needs
for the war today and the commercial
reconstruction after the war a large
number of intelligent citizens who can
use the language"
Question, suggestion, and patriotic
reasoning are made on the RESPONSE
education. on the staff of which DR..
Glen Levin Swiggett has been con
Quoting expert investigation into the
possibility of e%quipptng larger NUM-
berB of Americans with languages and
information that will fit them to sus-
national relationship in the future.
DR.. Swiggett says that all the as
sumption of difficulty comes because
inquirers are normally confronted with
the Russian alphabet and it's Greek
letters, the Russian grammer and its
of scholastic lore. He intimates that
the absorption of this has been alto
gether too difficult for the Russians
themselves, because he cites the fact
that hardly four per cent of the Rus
sian millions ever got to the point of
language. They can all talk it,
though.
A proper method of acquiring the
language as DR.. Swiggett outlines it,
involves only the simple process Of
learning a few of the simpler words
course and thereafter absorbing some
more. BY din of practice and a sound
memory. which he considers no more
difficult of exercise than is the Ameri-
can ear for the latest popular song, a
modest Russian vocabulary can be &C.
L 01l1rad VNhnn IL If {c f1lci~01 <1.A
books can be consulted and an m
bilious young American can do more
with h langu, ge than many Rus
slams. Afterward he would have a
career.
Yet in spite of this east, DIR. Swiggett
finds that only 10 educational institu-
lions in h United States attempt to
teach Russian. and ony three of those
nave courses that are designed to
qualify students in the spoken lam
guage.
How different the story reads for
England" he says. of 12 universities
reported, nine teach Russian. OF Al
schools of the type of Elton, Rugby and
Harrow, 10 offer it, and of is city
school systems, all maintain classes.
y have no wish to make a brief for
the study of Russian for any purpose
other than the establishment of ways
and means whereby our nation may
come to know modern Russia better. to
create q way for the coming exchange
OF ideas, n wares that must be NUT
ually helpful. That way lies through
commerce, exercised on a higher plane
than the mere barter of products, for
immediate and therefore selfish gain.
II wish to call attention to Russia's
great need for engineers. Our tech
meal schools should have their eyes
on the man market of that country.
While related only indirectly to COM
merce. constructive engineering work
is yet a great commercial asset for a
nation. and we should endeavor to do
u a in meeting Russia's need in
this respect.
Let us now urge the immediate
study of Russian for commercial pur-
poses. Our nation has a peculiar mes
sage for Russia, and possesses thereby
a distinct advantage. This message
a be delivered best by u COM
mercial representatives. We shall need
In consequence, a large number of men,
prepared Immediately to trade with
Russia on the unselfish basis of fair
exchange, and the spirit of a real con.
Quistador of commerce."