The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1919-02-20

and one-four;h per cent Of the poop
Of the east south central States a
illiterate, but 1853 per cent of Il
people in Passaic, N. j., can no, rea
speak or write English. Sixteen D,
cent Of the people Of the south Atlant
States are illiterate and so are Is
per cent Of the people of Lawrenc
and Fall River, Mass.
These civic and economic Seconds
are beyond all help from printed war;
ings or advice in the English languag,
Their ignorance and inaccessibility I
public information are constant drag
upon progress
The Secretary of the Interior ha
graphically painted the situation b,
the nationally accusatory question h
has asked in his recent letter to tn
President:
What should be said of a
world-leading democracy wherein
10 per cent of the adult popula-
ton can not read the laws which
they are presumed to know?
What should be said of de-
mocracy which sends an army to
preach democracy wherein there
was drafted out of the first 2,000.-
900 men total of 100000 men
who could not read their orders or
understand them when delivered,
or read the letters sent them from
home?
What should be said of de-
mocracy which calls upon its citi-
zens to consider the wisdom Of
forming league of nations, of
passing judgment upon a code
which will insure the freedom of
the seas, or of sacrificing the daily
stint Of wheat or meat for the
benefit Of the Roumanians or the
Jugo-Slavs when 18 per cent of
the coming citizens of that democ-
racy do not go to school?
what should be said of a de-
mocracy which permits tens of
thousands of its native-born chill
dren to be taught American his
tory in foreign language--the
Declaration of Independence and
Lincoln's Gettysburg speech in
German and other tongues?
What should be said of a de-
mocracy which permits men and
women to work in masses where
they seldom or never hear word
of English spokeii?"
Senator Hoke Smith has just intro
lced in the Senate and Hon. William
Bankhead in the House, the Smith
ankhead Americanization Bill; SEN
,e Bill 5464, House Bill 15402.
This bill directs the Secretary of the
terror through the Bureau of Educa-
on to cooperate with the several
.ates in the education of the above
entioned peoples and in the prepar-
ion Of teachers for the work.
The appropriations begain at once
I'd end in 1926.
A State, to secure the money, acts
rough its chief school officer and
all not participate until it has re-.
ired the instruction of illiterate and
n-English speaking minors more
an 16 years of age, in the American
nguage, for at least 200 hours per
ar.
Federal money shall be used only
r salaries or training teachers and |,
Federal money shall be used for
ildings or equipment or for support
religious or private schools.
East State receives money in pro-
rtion to the number of her litter
IS and persons unable to speak Eng
h as compared to the total number ,
such persons in the United States.
The other provisions Of the act con-
n details of administration. 1
These $500, 900 when taught to read (
u be an immense new market for [
Try form of merchandise. They will [
an 8,500,000 new readers Of news |
pers, periodicals, farm journals, :
ks in general and advertisements Of q
nufactured products. At present /
" cant make use Of any product of 1
printers labor. They can't read '
N moving picture title or Vic '
y Loan poster. I
The elimination of illiteracy means i
elimination Of falsified merchan- I
e, and the reduction if cheating by il
and retailers who rely |,
IN illiterate groups for their main D
port. h,
Lane has said:
at takes a brave and a very
man TO lift himself out G
( such an environment Easily q
G becomes victim TO the shrewd. N
redatory padrone or boss. He g,
alls into debt and becomes mort