Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-09-07
SENATOR CAPPER'S VIEWS
ON HOW AMERICA MAY
BE MADE A BETTER LAND
CONTINUED from Page one.o

We are interested as never before
in solving the problem of immigration
for the permanent well being of Amer
lea. To protect national unity and Sc
curity. no American community should
hereafter be permitted to substitute
any other language for good United
States as the basis Of common school
education, whether for conscious prop
uganda or otherwise.
No time should be lost in making
adequate. provision for teaching our
language to those adult immigrants
who are beyond the reach of the ele-
mentary school, and yet have cast
their lot with the people of the United
States. A knowledge of our language
and evidence of some real Understand
ing of the history and meaning of our
institutions should be required before
upon one who has grown up in an
other civilization than ours and under
another flag and comes to live under
the Stars and Stripes.
ANY program for a better American
that fails to take into account the new
element in the voting population-the
women-is bound to fall short OF the
mark. There is already an insistent
demand for the abolition of night work
for women and minors, for an eight
hour day for women, for the establish
ment of minimum wage commissions
in every state, with woman representa-
tives on the commissions. Equal pay
for equal work is principle already
recognized in many Of the trades, and
should be made a matter Of law. Bar
gaining collectively through their
chosen leaders and representation in
industry should be recognized as a
right possessed by male and female
workers alike.
* ~
Let me add, too, that I am in full
sympathy with the public demand for
speedy action in disposing of the peace
treaty. The public should not be un-,
fair in its attitude toward the Senate
in this matter. There has not as yet
has had the treaty for consideration
not so many weeks as the peacemalers
in Paris took months in it's prepara-
ton. While it should not take the
Senate committee nearly SO long to
familiarize itself with the details as
it did the peace ENJOYS to negotiate
them, yet the issues involved are too
tremendous for hasty consideration. I
believe that we shall see a speedy
adoption of such reservations as =
majority of the senators consider nee
essary to adequately safeguard Amer
lean rights, and a prompt ratification
of the amended treaty and league Of
COVeuant.
The men at the helm in Washington
must see clearly. They must act
broadly, and with decision in no
stinted manner. In this politics and
party support must be forgotten.
We are about to take a great leap
forward and must gather ourselves for
it. We must all unite to win the right
conditions in peace times just as we
united to win the war; then this great
national readjustment will, be accom-
plished without hardship. and the ma
ton will not feel the strain, which
otherwise will be heavy. possibly to
the breaking point. American initia-
tive and American inventive genius
and true American statesmanshfp
should be backed up as never before.
1t is new birth that the nation
will undergo; it is a new America that
we will create in the next decade. And
woe betide us If, through timid fear.
through -incompetency, through selfish
partisanship, we fail to meet the is
sues in a. way that BELTS America and
her destiny. The American people are
ready to make this vision real How
nearly they shall attain it depends
upon the courage and the wisdom Of
the men to whom the people have In
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