New Britain herald., 1918-06-27

or AnercanlZatlOn to households Of the immigrant and newly-made citizens
 "The work of such a. celebration cannot be OVerestimated for it insti1ls in the mind Of the newly-made citizen the idea that he is an active member of this great and mighty democracy : of tho world.
 ITO complete the process of Ameri- canlzation there is another phase to
 be onsidered,-namely, that of social izing the immigrant, to make him . understand and accept the most sani-
 tary and social standards of living. The native American has been con- i tent to let the foreigner live in the most filthy and unsanitary tenements ina ginable. The native American thinks of the immigrant tenant as an inferior human being, used to some thing quite different, and almost uD- consciously brings the American stand ard down to his own conception of the Immigrants capacities. It is generally stated that the immigrant lowers the standards of living but in the final analysis it is America that lowers the immigrants own standard of living. 1 It is the .\meri can who owns his ! house. and who fails to provide sani- tary conditions chiefly because it would not yield him a large enough
 income. Improper working conditions . and low wages are forced upon the , foreigner by an American boss. The average Am morican housewife does not think of the immigrant and her future when she needs a servant but wonders what nationality will suit her best The average Am erican officer regards the immigrant as a blemaker; but how many cities compile their laws intelligently in a language the immigrant can read so that he may not become a law-breaker. Is the foreigner responsible for these condi- tions which are forced upon him, or is it the fault of the indifferent money seeker. the native American?
 i ''Thc army and navy of this country have always been the great melting pot of the nation. X man is accepted and judged by his ability to do things ; and not by his social position in the
 world. Our national army is one of the worlds best examples of the melt ] ing pot. Millionaire and pauper factory official and laborer, all stand 1 in line, shoulder to shoulder all with ! the common idea, freedom of the l world.
 ! Tt is here and in humility, as be- i fore high heaven, that Am ericaniza- i ton. as regards assimilation, must be 1 approached With clean hands and pure i heart. Women's clubs can undertake i the reform work pertaining to the ; sanitation of building. oppression of i women in factories; they can also assist health boards in educating ! tenement dwellers in hygicnic and 1 sanitary living
 The men of the community can al- 1 so help in this great task by promoting centerS where immi grants can come 1 together and have meetings. Promi- | nent men address the foreigners on , vital topics concerning their welfare i Moving pictures are helpful in illus l trating lectures under discussion. The ! program includes also a prominent 1 speaker on American problems.
 'This plan is being successfully ! worked out in Pawtucket. R. l.. where 1 they have built Civic Theater for 1 this purpose and it is a decided suc- l cess according to President Faunce of
 Brown University, who said we
 have positively proved that there is 1 a common meeting ground in our American life for all classes and all 1 creeds and all nationalities Another ! thing that is beautifully obvious in 1 connection with our work is that it ! has opened up a common sense vital l avenue, whereby many of our truly l sincere and capable men and women
 find natural opportunity to express I the deep desires of their hearts to l help their less favored citizens both l by contribution and through their de- ! sire to be present and share the 1 friendship Of those in whose midst i they sit during the evening. It has
 already broken down the barriers 1 such as exist in too many communi- 1 ties, between the native born Ameri-
 can and the so-callcd foreigner
 Tt is not impossible for any city to
 accomplish the same result Pawtuck- 1 ct has, but it means the co o-operation
 Of all mon and women. It means ] personal sacrifice in order that others
 may be up1ifted from their unbear- 1 able positions in life. The problem
 of specializing the alien can be met 1 only by the combined influences of
 men and women who are not merely interested, but who are willing to all
 leviate actual conditions, This work cannot be accomplished by 1egisla- tion but in the hands of the native 1 American lies the great problem of
 winning the immi grant for Am ercan
 When the native American real
 ies this situation and meets 1t fairly and honestly then will America begin to thrive The day of the political
 machine would pass, for a generation of voters-men and women-would be in possession of the field armed 1 with Americanisn. Americanism would be then no mere word-~it | would be a prayer such as no body
 polite has ever known. The question