The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1919-07-24
A worth while Appropriation.

nv the common council, to the report
of the Industrial Board Of Education
on Monday night did not do any honor
Ia the official family. 1t was evident
that the objection to the suggested
budget Of the board was largely aimed
al the fact that it had suggested the
anpropriation Of $4,000 for "Ameri'
canization'' for the coming year. To
the average thinking man who has been
in any way a student OF big world
events and big national events SUCH
an appropriation from healthy Amer
lean city would be taken as a matter
Of course and the only comment tnat
would be likely was the fact that no
more money was asked for this pur-
pose from city whose biggest prob
lem was the tending Of the melting
pot"
Just before this suggested budget
was pushed away to a committee with
an order to "cut it,, the council
had voted without division to award
paving contracts totaling more than
$935.0O0. Now we do not object to
Improvement of the streets. We are
in favor Of such improvements even
to the extent Of such improvements
hut we do not believe that street inn
provement is the only kind Of improve
ment that city needs.
Beautiful streets are an asset to any
city, well paved and passable streets
are an economic necessity for any city
which wants to perform the functions
Of city but beautiful streets and we'll
improved streets are not the only
thing that a city needs. A city needs
citizens - real citizens, right thinking
citizens and this class Of citizenship
Is a greater asset to any town than all
the paved streets it could have Right
kind of citizens is the foundation on
which the growth of every city must De
based and the big movement for Amer
icanization is one that is directed d1-
rectly toward making better citizens.
Just why Kenosha officials have been
fighting shy Of this great national
meyemsnt is a little difficult to see.
Eesso @sn seem to believe that the
great movement for Americanization is
some fad proposed by some long haired
fanatic. They fail 10 apprs~aaete that
it is the really great Increment that has
come out of the experience of war.
They fail to realize that this big move
ment is directly affecting the lives OF
some City per cent or more of the peo-
ple of Kenosha. That ought to be
movement for which the city Of Ke-
nosha could appropriate $4,000 on #
there was use for it $4,000 even
though ii should be found necessary
to take this amount off the amount
that is to be spent for paving streets,
or hiring police officers or any other
thing that the city may consider its
most necessary expense.
Taere il nothing more necessary to
Kenosha and any other city than Che
making of citizens and the making OF
the right kind of citizens. Some of the
members Of the council may not like
some of the men urging the teaching
of this great movement for the Amer
termination of the alien born but on
that account these men have no right
to stand in the way of Kenosha s fu-
ture If with this appropriation the
Industrial Board Of Education can
keep this great movement for better
citizenship going and growing the coun-
Gil should not hesitate for q minute to
make the appropriation even if the city
hall must be mortgaged to provide the
funds. The education of the children
may well be considered the most i'm
portant duty of any city but right
next to it comes the education of its
alien born. These men have right to
demand this from the city. They have
given of their life blood for the honor
of Kenosba to keep Old Glory stain
less. The sons of the men who are to
be taught in this great movement have
marched shoulder to shoulder with your
sons and your brothers in the common
cause of making the world decent
place to live in and for the Common
Council to declare that such move
ment is unworthy of support is sad
commentary on the Americanism Of our
own common council. 1t is to be hop
ed that the sober second thought will
be called into service in this case and
that the members of the council will
see in this appropriation great good
TO great number of people and pro-
vide for it cheerfully and with view
that in making the provision it is
meeting one Of the urgent needs of
Kenosha.