The Era-leader., 1919-12-25
SYSTEM is RECOMMENDED FOR
PREVENTION OF RADICALISM
m THE SOUTH.
AMERICANIzE FOREIGNERS
Teaching Them English and Ideals Of
United States and Christianity Is
Part of Program Of IS Nil.
lion Campaign.

Southern Baptists have no sympathy
for the I. W, VS., Bolshevists and
bomb throwers, and while radicals OF
that type are not numerous in this Sec
ton Of the country as yet, It is the
nope of the Baptist Is Million Cam
paign to make the spread of such de-
structiye propaganda here impossible
by so pervading with the gospel all
centers where radicalism might expect
TO obtain a foothold as to make it i'm.
| possible for the professional agitators
to receive a sympathetic hearing, In
other words, it is the hope Of the cam.
| paign to so extend the work of Amer.
icanizing and Ohristianizing the for
eigners living within the territory OF
the Southern Baptist Convention that
they will measure up to the highest
standards of patriotism and religion.
There are 100000 persons Of for.
eign birth and children of foreigners
living within the territory of the South
ern Baptist Convention, and while con.
| siderable work has been done already
along the line of teaching Americanism
and the Christian religion to these
people this work will be greatly en-.
larged as a result Of this campaign.
In the Southwestern states there
IRE 100000 Mexicans, 100000 living
in Texas, 100000 in New Mexico, $4,000
In Louisiana and large number In
Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri Be-
cause of the growing Importance of
the Mexican work the campaign has
appropriated $575,00O to it alone for
the next five years.
But the Americanization and evan.
seilzatlon of the foreigners is not ron.
fined to Mexicans. This work is car.
'ieo on also among the newly-arrived
immigrants at the various Southern
ports, among those Of foreign birth in
Ihe mining districts Of Alabama Okla.
hoiha and Illinois and among other
groups OF people of foreign birth in
Florida, Louisiana, Texas MARYLAND
and Virginia. Some of the state or.
CARNATIONS carry on work of their own
among these people, while in manv
places the program is carried ont 90.
operatively between the state mission
boards and the Home Mission Board
IN many Instances a large work ia
done by the latter agency alone.
Believing that both Amercapjzation 1.
Ina eVangelization can be accomplished
most effectively by first reaching the
children, Baptist agencies have estah.
llshed schools where the English Ian.
guage is taught along with American
and Christian ideals. Such schools
are already being conducted with grea<
success among the Italian and Cuban
children at Tampa, Fla. for French.
speaking children at Church Point
La, for Mexican children at Ell Paso
and other Texas points, while commun.
lty center work is carried on exten.
slvely at many of these points and At
numerous towns and mining centers
where people of foreign birth make IN
large percentage of the population
the social work Of this character being |
conducted by Baptist women.
Large results are expected to fo,1ov
the work Of the Baptist Bible fnstituta |
at New Orleans, where instruction is
given in English, French, Italian and |
Spanish. All foreign.speaking people |
are required to take some Erclisb |
work and the Bible is taught in certain |
practical subjects to them in their own
languages, thus facilitating their grasn !
OF 1t. Practical Christian activities aro
also required of all the students, some |
of whom are training for foreign mis-.
sion work and others for service amono
the peoples OF foreign birth in this |
country Patriotism and high ideals of |
Christian civilization are given emnha.
sis throughout the institution and it is |
the belief of those familiar with its
work that 1t will prove a potent factor |
in the Americanization and Christian. |
ization OF the peoples Of foreign birth |
In this country,