The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-10-21
WHEN THE TIDE TURNS

Nearly q million and q quarter Immigrants came
to America in the year before the war. and ten
millions of immigrants came during the decade be-
fore the
the tide win turn again to shores. and yet
millions win come for refuge.
There more Irish In the United States than in
Ireland and fifteen times many Jews New
York in Palestine We have 5000, 900
migrants from Great Britain. and 100000 from
Germany. Our Italians would fill a city five times
as large Rome. We twice many Greeks
as Athens. Poles than Warsaw and
Scandinavians than Stockholm.
There IN today In this country seventy
seven languages and dialects.
This Is not Americanisni
As long ago 1894. Theodore Roosevelt said:
Where immigrants the Of immigrants, do
not heartily and in good faith throw in their lot
with u.s. but cling to the speech. the customs the
ways of life and the habits OF Old World which
they have left. they thereby harm both themselves
and us. If they remain alien clements, unassiri-
lated. and with interests separate from ours they
are mere distractions to the Of national
life. and. moreover, get good from It them
selves"
Of immigrants with psrfod Of residence of five to
nine years has as yet naturalized much as ten
per cent Of it's number.
This is not Americanisn!
Whose Is the blame?
At least half, and more than half is our own
What then, must do, absolve America of
tne charse tnat the men and women who come to
her from foreign countries do receive from us
what they should receive?
To begin with. assimilation works both WAYS
we must take the Immigrant out of the slums. The
worst part of every city given to the foreign
element. and ut is to his racial group that the
newcomer Is Inevitably drawn. We must put them
where they can have decent surroundings and
where, above all, they mix with Americans:
where they can see the advantages Of their new
country and where their own interest will make
them learn the language and the Of
people by whom they surrounded.
Second. the budding together of racial groups
must be discouraged city should have a Little
Italy, or Ghetto. This last necessary as the
first If there is to be assimilation. must be
contact; there must be sympathy instead indif-
ference. In the strenuous Life" Roosevelt said,
Fellow feeling sympathy In the broadcast sense
Is the most important factor In producing healthy
political and social life. Neither national nor
our local civic life be what It
It Is marked by the fel1owfeeling the
ness. the mutual respect, the Of common du-
ties and common interests which arise when
take the trouble to understand another. and to
associate together for common object"
No more than Theodore Roosevelt was gifted
with this FELLOW feeling that makes wondrous
kind" What the Immigrant needs from us, and
what we owe to him, Roosevelt preached.
The nationwide campaign of the Roosevelt Me-
Amertcanism. and for memorials that will perpe-
trnte the ideals Roosevelt stood for will I'LL the week
Of October 2o-27 This very campaign 10 In the
ture Of things plea for the American Immigrant.
And those OF as who revere the memory Of great
man serve that memory better than by bear
ing In mind the needs Of those who seek refuge
our shores. and our obligations to them