Evening journal., 1919-07-14


to make record drives in all fields Of
human activity. Perhaps the greatest
post bellum drive in this country VIII
be the Americanlzalion Of "ihe stranger
within our gales" Already Federal and
state authorities. colleges and univer-
stiles. civic and philanllropic bodies
are focusing their attention on this ap-
parently new national problem. Amer
icanization orators are enthusing
crowds with their rhetoric and the
alien. the object OF their concern, Is
awaiting patiently his transformation.
He has not as yet expressed his mind.
II is generally assumed that his
psychology does not comprise attri-
butes such as will, pride and person
aliiy: he is studied as the astronomer
studies constellation through a tele-
scope.
American Civilization All Sufficient.
The motto, "ex pluribus unum," had
been coined long before the present
Americanizaiion drive. and the Amer
lean language has been the medium
for expressing thought in this country
for many a generation. The prcnom-
enon Of the Balcans with its gray
areas Of different nati0naltes sus-
pecting each other, hating each other
and scriminating against each 9TH
er, has been only passing meteor, a
transitOry condition. SOciOlOgic and
biologic laws have imperceptibly fused
and hOmogenized the American people
A parallel melting process oc-
CURED In Italy when the Roman En-
plre. corroded by her vices, was un-
dergoing gradual dsintegration. The
Vlsigoihs, Ostrogoths and countless
barbarians from north and east poured
into the Transalpne Peninsula. But
Roman and Christian civilization
changed the cOnqueror into van
pushed subject. America, the young
vigorous, all-sufiicient giant. with her
high ethical culture, inierminaDle
wealth. has nothing TO fear from the
myriads Of aliens seeking refuge IN
this country. II Rome in decadence
conquered and mastered, America mas
triumphed The hysterical cry ulat
America will be "fOreignized,' lose her
typical traditional American character
because Of peaceful incursions by I'M
migrants. is silly. America is great be-
cause. Of this very infusion and trans
q fusion Of blood. South America and
Australia. with all their tremendous
natural resources, will never become
as great as the dear United states un-
til they undergo the same process Of
immigration and assimilation.
Definition of AmercanizatiOn.
The broad basic principles radiatins
from the primitive settlers OF Amer
lea and incorporated in the Constitu-
ton Of the United states are now part
and parcel OF the psychological consti-
tuition OF every American. "A reVer-
sion TO type" is only the anomalous
fear Of the alarmist.
American .zation is not an artificial
process OF modern times; II IS several
centuries old: il resulted from adap-
iation TO a new environment; the
fusion Of the original stock was fac.li-
tsicd and accelerated by racial and re-
lirious similarity. and once the ANAL
-camation process began II kept up TO
thc present day. ericanzatlOn, there
fore. is q natural and gradual fusing
process. depending upon the laws oi
adaptaiiOn and evolution and not upon
artificial interference.
Tho Human Material in AmerioaniLa-
ton.
The present Americanizatlon drive
commcndable for its high purpose. TAX
ING cvcryih ng and everybody Ia ITS
sweep. mimics the German drive To-
,,ard Paris-that tremendous. sys-
temaiic efficient drive in the early
phase of the worlds conflict did not
take INTO consideration the human
material in its war machine. and the
outcome was the Marine debacle.
The "human material" that the
Americanization movement proposes
no homogenibe has sensibiIties and
memories and is imperfectly known
by the protagonists Of the drive The
ideals preached by the Americanization
teacher do not coincide with the atti-
tude Of the gang boss, the native un-
ion man, the fellow workingman. who
although compelled economically to
work with the alien. would not volun-
tarily have him as a neighbor Theory
and practice are not synonymous.
Americanization conceived by the iOl
per cent. American. whether a college
professor or a dreaming social work
er. Is devoid OF practicability; II Is
more apt TO destroy than 10 construct
II is not always possible for an
alien, with a few years residence in
this country. to understand the
"psyche" Of the American. because OF
his restricted social contact and
knowledge OF the American language
The descriptions he reads in the for