The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-03-18
ALIENS
COODClIlZENS
SAYSA. GIDEON
NEW YORK MEMBER or NATION.
Al WAR COUNCIL SPEAKS Ar
NAVAL AIR STATION.

Al WAR COUNCIL ePEAKs At
NAVAL AIR STATION.
What would you say 10 the chief
duty OF an American citizen?' asked
DR.. Abram Gideon, Of Now York. In
an address last night to the mon sta
toned at the Naval Air Station Of the
local navy yard. The speaker II q
member Of the educational staff Of the
National War Work Council Of the Y.
NJ. c. A.. who has been lecturing to
the men In tho various camps Of PEN
sacola during the past few days.
ITO my notion" replied DR.. Gideon.
"the chief duty Of every American 10
| to Justify the faith In democracy that
lies at the very root Of our republic.
Faith in the rule Of the people prompt
ed our forefathers to establish In the
new world an experiment In popuNr
government on q grandsr scale th>cn
men had ever known before.
This faith in democracy expresses
itself mainly in three ways: In assum-
ing the burden and performing the
duties OF citizenship. not only in en-
5oying its rights and privileges; in the
use OF common language, English.
as the language OF this country; in
the adoption Of the American STAN
dard Of living by all elements Of our
population"
What part IS the U. 8. government
taking In spreading this gospel among
the people?" inquired our representa-
tive.
Want Better Citizens.
"A great Americanization move
ment is now being carried on all over
the United States, under the guidance
Of the Department Of the Interior,
through the Bureau Of Education at
Washington. The movement originate
ed with the National Americanization
committee. which carried on an ac-
tive campaign, even before the United
States was forced into the European
war;
"The Americanization campaign
faces in two directions" continued DIR.
Gideon. TT looks toward the new
Americans usually called aliens or
foreigners. but it also has an impor-
tant bearing upon native Americans.
The duty Of citizenship rests upon our
immigrants. but the native American
has the distinct obligation to make
the immigrants absorption into citi-
zenship possible.
THE resident from q foreign coun-
try, after sufficient time has passed
should take out his naturalization pa
pers and act as a citizen, or else be
required to shove off, Civics should
be taught in the public schools to the
children Of both immigrants and
Americans. Night school instruction
and other educational devices must be
provided for the adult foreigner.
mi order to thoroughly American.
ize our population, we must have a
common standard Of living. based
upon q minimum wage which allows
every citizen to live in a decent man.
ner. as becomes a member OF q SOW
ereign people. But we have a right
to expect that the foreign districts
found in many cities. the Little Italy,
Little Hungary Little Jerusalem.
Little Poland or any other exclu-
sively foreign section should get rid
Of the walls that surround them and
shut out American influences"
Urges Language Study.
''He endorsed the plan now In OPP
GRAFTON IN many C1I1e0 OK tS&Culu8 inc
men employed In the large Industrial
plants English and several elementary
subjects by teachers from the public
schools who come to the plants and
instruct the classes on company time.
The question Of ifiteracy among
voters, DR.. Gideon pointed out IL a
most serious problem. He commend
ed the editorial in Saturdays issue Of
The Journal, that called attention to
the alien menace and the crying need
Of instruction to nliterates. In one
county In a state removed from Flor
ida only by the Gull and one other
state. he reported that 81 per cent OF
the voters were found to be unable to
read and write English. and this per-
centage included native Americans.
DR.. Gideon warmly advocated the
policy Of u. 8. Commissioner OF Edu-
cation p. p. Claxton. formerly profess
sor at Vanderbilt University. NASH
VILE, Tenn. who does not favor COM
pulsory instruction in the principles
OF American citizenship. saying that
he believed the most effective means
OF Americanizing those who came here
from foreign lands is by peaceful and
patient, though none the less deter
mined. education.