Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-10-23
PLANTS MAKE ALIEN
CENSUS FOR STATE
DEFENSE COUNCIL
Employees Realize Great Benefit to
be Derived From Americani-
zation Plans.
BASIS FOR LEGISLATION

Industries of this city and State, are
this week taking an alien industrial
census. in accordance with the wishes
of the State Defense Council.
|, The following plants have either begun
or completed the census. in order to
furnish an accurate basis for the State
program Iiarlan's. Puscy 4 Jones,
American Car 4 Foundry Co,
Trump Rrothers, +. Hlunenthal Co,
Iobdel Car Wheel Co, New Castle
Leather Co, The State Council is
presenting the census 10 - employers,
and the census in each plant will be
started as rapidly rs each plant can he
seen.
In full realization of the direct mn
portancc Of the alien census, as basis
for . later work in the State ].
h. Weaver, Of the Harlan plant
put the census into operation through
out the plant, within one hour after the
proposal had been made to him by the
State Defense Council
Finn lianncvig. vicr-Prcsident ana
General Manager Of the PuFey 4 Jones
plant, in giving orders To have the state
Defense Councils request for an alien
census. put through the plant today,
said "An AmeFicanization policy for
the State and for the industries of the
State is of immediate practical importance
This is lust the time for II. Those who
feel that il is irrelavent at this time do
not understand either the practical
nature Of the program or the practical
results involved Amcrlcanization makes
thc alien workman . better workman
and n better citizen Both Of these are
practical business matters and not IN.
cidcntal welfare matters. Both are of
first Importance III war time This
plant will cooperate in the State program.
In taking this attitude Delaware
employers are in line with industrial
leaders all over the country,
PROBLEM LARGE oNr.
The State Defense Council believes.
that in the AmrricanizatIon program.
on a Statewide basis, with tho concerted
support of the employers Of immigrant
labor behind it, the State Of Delaware
viii bc the first to find itself with re-
ference e. the forciRn-born The problem
is large and has 10 he met IN large and
clear cut way The Defense Council
will make its recommendations to thr
Legislature. on the basis Of the sunmarIz-
ci returns from the census The rec
istratlon card filed out by every alien
workman. gives the following data
Utt{E.t. HEF, ibtf, tllilN dSttlEA~9- fItEii
Of time in America. place az birth, langu-
age spoken II also shows whether the
man has taken oft first or second citizen
ship papers. whether hc can speak or
read English whether he can read or
write his own language, whei her he has
ever had any instruction IN English or
citizenship. and whether he has r family
in this clty Or IN the old country This
l..st question. gives some Indication
rs "a whether he intends 70 stay and
work IN tins country or not.
CENSUS Is LIVE sovE.
The Defense Council makes It clear
that tins census is not mere enumera-
ton or a "qucstionnairc' 10 be buried
in the files after il has been filled out
at considerable expense of time and
labor hv employers II has been scre-
fullv dr wn NJ bv he Defense Council
- that II contains no unnecessary qles-
tions and SO that the summary OF the
rctt rms will furnish 3 scientific basis for
the proposals 10 be put up to the Leg
islature ana 10 the people Of the State.
- or PRACTICAL IMPORTANCE.
The response al the industries, in
cicatcs that. Delaware employers re-
cngnlze Amcricanization 10 be matter
oi practical industrial importance. both
HUN anu HitGl RtH hNl ahttliAAiE hAihA-
ever is put up to employers by the State
Defense Council. on welfare basis.
There arc two Immediate reasons
for putting through an Amerlcanizatlon
program III Delaware now.
First: to stabilize the unskIlled labor
supply. and attach il TO the community
and to the state, BY giving men some
real inducement for remaining here.
High wages alone are not sufficient
Second: 10 cooperate with the nation,
10 a campaign to wipe out adult llhteracy,
and TO produce an all-AmerICan citizen
ship This proposal has repeatedly been
definitely presented to the states by
Secretary Of the Interior Lane and by
President Wilson.
wARAND AFTER THE WAR MEASURE.
The practical benefits of an Ameri-
canization program TO Delaware as q
state are these Delaware will know
which Of its resident workmen arc as-
emiable. and which il wants 10 retain.
II will know what measures 10 take 10
asslmilate tht n and now to attract others
oi the same kind and discourage the
employment here of men that Will not
make good citizens or good permanent
H'orh men.
In the individual industry. the prac-
ticaI benefits Of AmericanlzatIon have
been often proved A knowledge OF
Engiish. and The possession Of American
citizenship, meon greater efficiency: 1t
means a reduction in industrial accidents
one plant alone reduced It's industrial
accidents 81 per cent by having the men
learn English II means a better spirit
in the plant. and better industrial re-
Iations. because when employers and
men speak the same language, they can
Qc, together II is pretty difficult il
they do not. and suspicion and resent