Evening star., 1919-04-20
LAWRENCE S|FTS
NEbRASKA'S VIEWS
Laws, Aliens, League, Poll
tics and Future Are
Discussed.
FINDS HALO Is DlMMED
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

that, while the war ended six months
ago, some of the lessons taught by
the war have not been forgotten or
ignored. but, on the contrary, have
been written into law. When the
United States decided on hostilities
Nebraska, like other states and COM
mupites. began to inspect her popu-
lation to discover the main sources
of sympathy with Germany. Out OF
a population of 1.S00,0e more than
5000 were Germans and large
percentage born in central Europe.
Every man out of seventeen was an
alien enemy. Also it was discovered
that schools We're in existence where
English was never taught. German
was the language spoken in many OF
them, but other schools as we'll were
conducted in Danish. Swedish and Bo-
hemian. Most of these were parochial
schools, maintained either by Luther
ans or Catholics.
Passed Two Laws.
Now two laws have been passed of
such far-reaching Importance to the
Americanization of America that 9TH
er states surely will be interested in
them. First, there is the foreign Ian
guage Seman law, and. second, the
pafochial and private schools act.
These prokibi. the teaching of any
foreign language in either public or
private schools in this state below the
seventh grade.
required to maintain eo,US" equlVn-
lent to that of the public Schov.s. In
spectors in all schools must be CERT
fed Religious instruction in any
foreign language is forbidden except
on Saturday ard Sunday. Any re-
in, no iSh
language on any day Of the week IN
private or parochial but not in the
public schools.
All schools are under the jurisdic-
ton of the state superintendent OF
education.
No foreign language can be used in
public gatherings except in lodges
and churches.
Blow at Spellbinder.
This eliminates the foreign -tongued
spellbinder and is as effective blow
as has been struck anywhere in
America against the Russian agitators
and bolshevists who have been work
ing in different parts of the country.
They can harangue all they like In
Omaha-they believe in free speech
out here and they have l. w. W.'s
and non-partisan leaguers and what
not-but it must be in English Ian
guage.
These laws were enacted by a re-
publican legislature, which simply met
the demand of the Americans in the
state that the children of those who
make their residence here shall not be
permitted to grow up without being
taught the English language Or Amer
lean institutions.
The legislature is considered radical
in many respects, but in this it has
met the wishes of all parties OF
course. the private schools of both
Protestant and Catholic denominations
did not want to be under control Of
the state. but there was no discrimi-
nation in favor of either. All were
in the same boat. so no religious issue
has come out of the new legislation.
A "Pacific" Community.
Nebraska is a pacific community
and did not want to be involved in
the war. but is second to none in what
was done in support of the war when
once declared. The league of nations
is very popular. Folks did not stop
to anaIyze the first draft of the cove
-nant. They did not pick it to pieces.
They simply thought its object and
purpose were good and were for it
the eastern seaboard reached here. No
real opposition ever existed to the
covenant and it is a safe statement.
which will hardly be contradicted,
that the people in Nebraska would
have voted for the first covenant as
against no covenant at all. Senators
Hitchcock and Norris knew whereof
they spoke.