Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-01
|PROBLEMSANDPROMISE
'OF AUGMENTATION
What the Word Means and What Is Neces-
sary to Be Done to Assure
Its Benefits.


need of millions for Americanizatiou|
and in the utter inadequacy of the
existing equipment for satisfyiug|
their need. / went to Franklin KI
Lane. Secretary Of the Interior Del
partment, and a guiding factor in|
the Americanization movement, and
asked my question. the question OF
what's to be done? The Secretary
said:
we need, first of all, the hand oil
friendship for the new American, the
voice OF friend who shall advise
unselhshly. guide in his new en-
Vironment. We need the school, the
night school. or. il not that, the shop
school, and with these the come
munity center-the gathering place
that represents all America.
Il am warranted in the assertion
that there is no great industry In the
land that will not. from it's own time,
oner opportunity for an elementary
education to every foreign-born man
or woman in its employ
Il am not so anxious to get MAJ
naturalized as to see them come To
an appreciation Of American ideals--e
thus automatically winning the prise.
We have formulated a plan to give to
all who need the fundamental tools
essential to Americanization.
IF the government will shape TIE
policy and undertake to make the
propaganda for the definite end OF
giving first insight into American
words, newspapers. politics and life,
that which has been regarded as the
work of generations can be far nd
vanced in very short time and men
put on their way toward real Citizen
ship"
Federal Backing Needed.
went to Richard K. Campbell, COM
missioner of the bureau of naturali-
cation, and asked him my question.
He said:
I'VE need, first of all. education of
the head and heart for newcomers
and for those native born who are at
al institutions. Primarily a state
problem, the proposition is one which
undoubtedly needs federal backing n
it is to be solved. Much has been ac-
complished. but the accomplishment
seems small when the needs of the
case are estimated. think those who
have violated their oaths of allegianee
to this country should be deported..
I On Capitol Hill was told this by
Representative Albert johnson. chair.
man of the House committee on Inn
migration and naturalization:
'The time has come to declare that
this is government of the Ameri-
can people. by the American people.
for the American people. The time
has come to make the incoming allen
prove his desirability. rather than
continue the plan that the United
States must prove his undesirability
The time has come to clean our house
of those who have proven themselves
undesirable. That would be long
step toward Americanization."
I talked to many others-too many
to quote. But always their answers
proclaimed the need, and always they
urged, wholly or in part, sympathy.
education and elimination as the So
luton.
Concern of Every Citizen.
Sympathy and helping hand toward
the newcomers-that means you and
me. Legislation toward placing edu.-
cational opportunity in the hands Of
those now lacking it means the gen.
tlemen on Capitol Hill and in the
state legislatures. Exclusion and elm
ination furnish further activities for
the lawmakers and require vigilance
and justice raised to the ultimate de-
gree on the part of the agents charged
with the adjudication of such cases.
Theory confuses me; I sought the
practical. 1 found that the need for
federal assistance in education is met
by the SmIth-Bankhead bill, lost in
the rush of business at the last ses,.
sion of Congress, after favorable re-
port, and to be reintroduced in the
near future. This bill provides for
substantial federal cooperation with
the states in the education Of all who
need it in the English language, the
fundamental principles of govern
ment and citizenship. the elements of
knowledge pertaining to self-support
and home making, and in such other
work as will assist in preparing IL
literates and foreign born for sue
cessful living and intelligent Amer
lean citizenship.
Superabundance of Agencies.
1 found that there exist almost
of bureaus in va,
rious government departments car
rying on today, with the limited
means at their disposal, the practi-
cal work Of Americanization-th
the machinery for the task-more
than is wise for efficiency
results, is already in place.
I found eight gentlemen on Capitol
Hill who have before the Senate or
the House of Representatives bills
for the regulating of immigration
or deportation Of undesirables-
practical evidence Of a lively appre-
citation of the needs of the country
for Americanization along those
lines.
And found that all that was need
ed to awaken an appreciation of my
in the matter of the
friendly hand was knowledge of
as they exist and a vision .