Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-02-19

DIFFERENTIATION

There ism any question that AUGMENTATION Is one OF the great
est issues before the people of the United States today. The war has
taught us a great many things; one is that this country is not the great
melting pot we had supposed it to be. While it is true vast numbers
Of immigrants have been absorbed into American life and are num-
bered among cure very best citizens, we are confronted with the start
ling fact that many millions of people in this country cannot even IN
derstand English let alone read or write that language. til impos-
sible for these people to comprehend the American form of govern
ment and surely they cannot have a part in the government as they
should have if they intend to make their permanent home here
Ours is the best government in the world, as Mayor Ole Hanson, of
Seattle, says, and we want those who come to us from foreign shores
to be a part of it. But first of all they must become Americanized'
They must be as enthusiastically an American as Mayor Hanson, a man
Of scandinavian blood, is; they must learn to stand up for American
laws and institutions as courageousy as Mayor Hanson did. But n
order to do this they must first of all learn to speak English and then
they must learn to read and write English.
The Americanization campaign is spreading throughout the coun-
try. tits time the matter was taken up seriously here in Perth Amboy.
We have the night schools and the Y. M. c. A. classes, but the move
ment is not broad enough. Besides, we understand that there is a
tendency to discourage the AUGMENTATION of the foreigner by some
who now WELD considerable influence over them fearing that that in
Buence will be lost once the immigrant learns English and is able to
grasp for himself the full meaning of the American form of govern
ment. Be this as it may, the effort to Americanze every man, woman
and child making their home here should be pushed with vigor. Those
who do not care to become Americans should return to their own
country as soon rs they can be sent there.
There is no country on earth where a man enjoys more privileges
or has greater opportunities than right here in America. This oppor-
tunty is open to everyone, but the laws, customs and conditions of the
American government must be adhered to and respected. A man re-
Gently arrived from one of the Balkan states remarked that the av-
erage American does not appreciate the government under which he
o lives because he has never lived under any other form, or has forgotten
what the other form was like. The peace, prosperity and happiness;
the contentment and mode of living of the average man here in Amer
lea is so far above the conditions under which men in similar circum-
stances live in Europe that this man from the Balkans marveled that
there was any dissatisfaction here at all
1t is true, however, that as superior as our form Of government
is and even though the laboring man here is living under far better
conditions than anywhere else in the world, there is still a vast room
for improvement. tits right and proper that we should strive to bring
about this improvement, but in so doing we must keep within the law
and carry our grievances to the ballot box where all matter pertaining
to the public welfare must be considered and adjusted.
A mill owner in a town where his industry was the leading source
Of employment for the people of tina. town refused to do anything in
the way of welfare work for his employees. He declared that if the
people. employed in his mill wanted public baths, community houses
with bowling alleys and pool rooms if they wanted public dances and
reading rooms they had it within their power to get them any time
they wanted them by electing a municipal government that would give
these things to them.
]. is doubtful if the average voter stops to realize what power
he possesses in the ballot box. OF course, IN man cannot get every
thing he wants The American government is not founded on that
principle. But if a majority of the citizens of a community want any
thing they can get it through the means furnished by the government
But in order to realize this and to have a part in the privileges thus
offered it IS necessary to first become m American and by that is meant
a man of the Ole Hanson type who honestly believes that ours is the
best form of government in the world and who is willing to stand by
that government through thick and thin no matter in what manner ii
is attacked.
Americanization is the duty of the hour III this country. What
are we here in Perth AmbOy doing to make real Americans out of our
large foreign populationf
WHY NOT THE COAST GUARD, TOO?
Secretary Daniels has seen fl to single out certain men connected