El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-12-12
ALIENSABS0RBED
BY MET R0P0LI5
Record of Americanization
In New York Is IN
belieVable.

W asllnGL ons u e Dec New
York. just now being criticized as a
hotbed OF alien agitation, is cited By
a bulletin Of the National Geographic
society for its tremendous. service in
absorbing our immigrant citizens.
II the general concern about the
alien menace leads 10 broader na-
tionaI sympathy for those places
which have borne the brunt Of 8 ma
tional burden. it viii not have been
in vain, says the bulletin, which
quotes from communication by VIII
liam Joseph ShoWalter concerning
New Hork's immigration problem as
Study New York.
Let those who have been pessi-
misic about our immigration study
New York II seems unbelievable.
but If every resident whose parents
were born in America were to leave
the city its standing as the second
most populOus center in the world
would not be affected. In other
words, the number Of immigrants and
their children resident in New York
is almost equal TO the combined popu-
-ations OF Paris and Philadelphia and
greater than the combined popula-
tons Of Chicago and Berlin.
Three people out OF every four IN
the great metropolis were born IN
der alien flags or are the children Of
the foreign born.
The story OF how the one-fourth
OF the ctty's population that is Of
native ancestry has Americanized the
three-fourths that is foreign in birth
or parentage is revealed in the
schools.
He who studies at first hand the
processes Of Americanization and
citizenship finds work being done
which would stir the heart OF the
most Unconditional observer Along
with other cities, New York long
since learned that a vast majority
OF the children who attend public
schools do not 50 10 college after
ward.
Education Works Wonders.
From that suggestion developed
the idea OF vocational education,
which is now accomplishing wonders
agency. il IS helping TO transform IN
heart and action the alien life OF the
metropolis into part and parcel Of
our body polite.
Of every nine children Of school age
IN New York are Of immigrant parent
age, situation is disclosed that
might be termed startling especially
when Il is remembered that tie
scnoo4 army OF greater Gotham is so
large that II marched ten abreast IN
close formation the front rank would
be boarding a North river ferryboat
Mnen the rear guard was crossing
the Schuylkill out Of Philadelphia
1t is q staggering task which con-
fronts the city in Americanizing such
huge numbers Of youthful foreigners
Indeed did It not happen that New
York Is so rich-With assessed values
greater than those OF the next seven
cities in America combined-it might
Weu call upon the national govern
ment for aid. But with such wealth
il Is bearing the burden alone and
is doing il admirably.
one might write at length about
striking features Of the New York
public schools, which stand first
among all the agencies for American
izing the immigrants children How
these schools take seventy odd
tongues and substitute good English: I
how they not only labor to fit boys
and girls for intelligent and useful I
places in the country's great indus [
trial system, but also through en-
Dloyment bureaus bring the trained I
pupil and the open job together: how I
they provide every year for the chill /
cren OF an added population equal to /
that Of Memphis, Tennessee=are I
and problems worthy I
OF consideration by Americans every l
where"