Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1919-04-24
EVERY CITIZEN AN AMERICAN
Women's Foreign Language Division
Of Victory Liberty Loan Committee
Has Active Organization.

Every citizen an American. Every
American a government stakeholder
Bolshevik doctrines will not flourish in
the D'tnds and hearts of those who
have a proprietary interest in their
government"
That is the threefold object of the
newly organized wOman's foreign-lan-
guage division of the Victory Liberty
loan, according to Mrs. Edward Bemis,
director for the Seventh federal re-
serve district.
In reply to a question, Mrs Bemis
said: "Our foreign-born women have
often had reason in the past to think
we cared little for them, but now since
their sons and brothers and husbands
have fought side by side with ours the
differences have fallen away. We are
all women of one country, working to
one end-a united America"
Mrs. Bemis believes there need be
no lack of cooperation between the
native and foreign-born inhabitants Of
America She is inclined to place a
large part of the responsibility for a
lack of united interest at the door Of
the countless native Americans who
stand in need of misunderstanding
War work has shown that much of the
renewed patriotism on the part Of de-
ScendantS of the older generations of
Americans may we'll be learned from
our patriotic foreign born.
The Council of Foreign-Language
Women has been presenting "Gifts of
the Nations" to the people of Chicago
since the Third Liberty loan campaign.
After a program attended by fifteen
nationalities, the majority being Amer
leans, one fOreign-born woman said:
"ThiS is the first time since | came to
America that | have been asked to do
anything with the American people,"
Said another woman: II always could
speak enough English TO get things at
the store, but never before did Ameri-
can ladies want to talk with me. Now
/ shall get books and learn to speak
English like the rest of them"
MANY do not realize that the her
itages of many of our foreign nation
alities may we'll be emulated by our
far newer civilization" said Mrs.
BemiS. There is an innate courtesy
in some of these older countries, and
they have patriotism engendered by
years of seeking the liberty found in
America.
1--WE want to know our foreign-lan.
guage neighbOrs for what they can
teach us as much as for the service
that we ourselves can render them.
Every member of each community
has an interest in supporting our gov
ernments financial program. We must
bring the boys home; we must estab-
liSh business for our returned SOL
diers and we must help this country
and Europe to stand free and for
peace. We women are as interested
in this as men can possibly be-"
The five states of the Seventh dis
trict, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Wis
conSin and Iowa, Will have a foreign
language chairman for women. Each
county where there are resident for
eign groups will have as county chair
man a woman who understands the To-
cal needs Of the various communities.
Group meetings are planned for each
nationality wherever it exists in con-
siderable numbers.
"Out of this work will come-if our
hearts are in it-that united interest
in the service Of our country which we
call AmericaniZs ton"