The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-07-12
SATURDAY. JULY -. 1919.
lie MELTING Por

H~u ~ duudtci 4iOii tAlc OJiuluiiS iliSu
school at Barre had received an APP
pciniment to the naval academy at
Annapolis but had been rejected be-
cause Of defective eyeslght. A mum
Der of years ago an italian girl gradu-
ated at the head of a large class from
the same school. There is nothing
remarkable about these two happen
ings, but they throw a sidelight upon
one ef-the biggest problems confront
ing this country at the present time,
the amalgamation Of people of
foreign parentage into the best type
of American citizenship.
Statesmen and publicists have had
a whole lot to say in recent years
concerning the melting pot, the
great cauldron. bounded by two
oceans, the Canadian line and the
Mexican border, into which has been
cast much of the best and too much
of the worst of all the Caucasian
races and out OF which has been
poured people the like of whom
never before walked the face of the
earth. The big kettle has done its
work and it has done it well. 1t has
taken up the pure metal and it has
been able TO care for much that was
dross. but there are thinking men
who have reached tile conclusion that
the time has come to discriminate
and that some Of the base material
must be rejected Too many skim
mings are rising to the top of the
molten mass.
There would be less danger in the
present situation If the immigrants,
who for a century and more have
been fiocking to America from every
corner of Europe, could be distributed
over the agricultural sections and in
to the smaller communities OF the
country. The Scandinavians helped
to settle Michigan and Wisconsin ami
no one doubts that this exodus of a
hardy race has worked to the benefit
tof these two states. Years ago the
| Germans went into Kansas and Ne
braska and the stamp of their thrift
and industry remains indelibly fixed
upon these two commonwealth.
Many of the men who have helped to
build the mammoth fruit industry OF
the Pacific coast states planted their
first apple trees in faraway Dalmatia.
Not only in agriculture but in the
development of natural resources and
in manufacture have men from across
the sea been Of material assistance
land i'm some instances taken a leading
part Barre Is perhaps the most strik-
| ing instance in Vermont. II might al
most be said that in the building CT
the granite manufacturing center Of
| the country the Scots blazed the
way and the Italians smoothed and
beautlfed the road. One rugged race
overcame the obstacles and Il people
OF more artistic temperament came
after the leaders to add the finishing
touches to the work. Close associa-
ton education in the common schools
and to some extent inter-marriage
are creating citizenship in Barre
that in thirty years has transformed
a village into the third largest city of
tho state.
1t is probable that the case of Barre
in Vermont is only typical Of what
has taken place in other communities
throughout the country where men OF
foreign birth have had an opportunity
to absorb the principles OF rea
Americanism, where they have been
forced by circumstances to mingle in
close communion with the descend
, ants of the Anglo Saxon settlers Il
is in the big centers where the for
eigners flock by themselves, live by
themselves, work by themselves and
: trade with each other that the melt
ing pot finds the task too great and
fails to produce results. A wider dis
tribution, if it can be brought about
may eventually be the solution of the
difficulties which some alarmists fear
almost threaten our national eX
istence.