The Connecticut labor press., 1919-10-04
POLITICAL
CONNECTICUT PLANS
 IN AMERICANIZATION
Twenty-o one Cities Selected Where the Problem Is Considered
 to Be Greatest.

Under the new Connecticut Ameri Canization law appropriating $50,000 for two years work 21 cities of the state have been selected for the institution of the work under the direction of Rob- ert C. Deming.
 While the state is to be the limit of the work the initiation of the plans has been made in only 21 of the cities where the problem is believed to be the great est with the ptospect of soon increasing this number bH 50 and then extending the work to the entire state The first cities selected are: New London, Hart ford, Bridgeport, New Haven, Ansonia, Danbury, Manchester, Meriden, Middle bury, Torrington Norwa1k, Stamford, Windham, Bristol, Greenwich; Nauga- tuck, Wallingford and Plymouth.
 Letters have been sent to the boards of education in each of these towns, directing attention to the law and in viting cooperation in the carrying out of its purpose. The boards have also been asked to appoint a local director who will represent his town in the work, the appointment to be approved by the state board of education and the amount of compensation to be also fixed by the state. Out of the funds provided by the state law minimum of Is per cent. to a maximum of 25 per cent. of the salaries of the local dl- rector can be paid, the amount being contingent upon the number of towns who fail to appoint directors.
 MT. Deming gives some of the dis tinct aims in view:
 First, 1 shall endeavor to have every alien resident in the state eventually ,11 Is cfr f1- ization or society in his own town SO that he may mingle with other people and therebv gain new ideas other than the mere routine of~work, eating three meals a day, and going to bed at night This fraternization with his fellow men will develop the alien and prepare him for the highest type of American citizenship.
 Second I would give the alien ideals and ideas. This can be done through the medium of speakers to be sent to the various towns throughout the state, telling the alien peoples what quallflca- tiOns are needed to become useful and intelligent citizens of the United States. But this work of the speakers will be supplemented by propaganda, posters, and the lilkd distributed from time to time throughout the state, slow ly educating the alien i'll American prln- ciples and the political structure of the nation.
 Third, I shall insist that the men who are about to swear allegiance to the Stars and Stripes be physically fit in every sense of the word. They must learn what the word clean means"
 MT. Demirg also believes that one of the most important phases of this Americanization work in Connecticut will be the speakers bureau, which will consist of about 30 men who speak sev- era1 languages fuently. It will be their duty to go about from town to town in the state and speak in the factories, mills, and shops, telling the alien ele- ment what American citizenship means in the true sense of the word.
 The work of the speakers bureau will be supplemented by posters in various languages sent from the state board of education headouarters to the various centers where large alien populations abound These posters will tell the value of American citizenship and how such citizenship can be obtained. Little s1irs of paper will be printed i'll the alien languages to be put inside of pay en- ve1opes ill the many factories and shops of the state.
 Evening school will be the principal medium through which the state hopes to reach aliens in preparations for Amer ican citizens MT. Deming will make a complete survey of the state, covering the l68 towns therein. In a general way this has already been accomplished and 12O towns and cities are found to need Au4ericanizatiOn now.