The Denver Jewish news., 1920-11-17

of Education. September 1913 Board
of Commerce. as first step, sent let
ter to every industry employing over
100 men requesting cooperation iii
urging all non-English speaking work
men in Detroit to register ut the eve
Ming schools on given date. one
firm made night school attendance
compulsory for its non English speak
ing workmen. City Recreation Com
mission. libraries, health board, 80
rial agencies, clubs, magazines. NOV
ing pictures all cooperated with the
result that there was an increase oi
1870 in registration in night schools
an increased feeling of responsibility
on the part of employers. n reinforce
inent of industrial peace: II better
basis for industrial adjustment and
an invigorated understanding of the
whole question of American citizen
ship thruout the city and state.
$50 gradually the school. church ana
for many years-the child was getting
in touch with America and her insti
tutions thru the schools; the father
older brother and sister thru indus
trial contacts. Only comparatively
recently have we felt the Importance
of reachi.lg the mother in the home
SO that she might not only keep pace
with the family as unit but that
she might be fitted for her own citi-
zenslip. Special classes have been or
ganiZed for her. where necessary tho
classes taken into her nome.
"And now we consider the thing to-
ward which all the influence of school
church and factory and home have
tcnded-namely that of the state The
actual acquisition of citizenship should
crown all efforts to assimilate the
foreigner. The annual report of the
Commissioner of Naturalization for
year ending June Goth 1919. informs Us
That in 19OS 25.9G3 certificates of Nat
uraliZation We're granted and 1880 de
ried. as contrasted in 1919 with S9023
granted and 1910 denied woald tha.
the process of naturalization We're
what the term implies. Would thai
both the preparation for and the cere-
monial of naturalization We're more
impressive. more consrcrated Would
monial of the youth of Athens who
entered upon his citizenship with the
great Athenian oath! Would that 1t
were so sacred that economic and
political expediency We're secondary
to self-dedication to the nation!
There is much. very much. for us
still to be concerned about NatiIraliza-
tion of the foreign-born living here for
many years should be assiduously
urged-I almost used the word Com
pclled"-for if ! had any influence
with the legislative body. any man or
woman. he they Celt or Teuton, Cau-
ccsian or MongOlian. jew or Gentle.
who lived in this country for more
than five years. who accepted its op
portunities and enjoyed the advant
ages of its protecting institutions
without declaring intention of becom=
ing an American citizen would lie sent
lack to the country from whence they
came.
AmeficaniZatiOn never has been and
never can be a mechanical process. W.,
can not make finished product of
real Americanism by throwing sundry
and numerous nationalities into n
great melting pot and lifting them
out. mechanically swearing by the
Constitution or labor union. Nor
into the hand of the foreign.born. with
the mandate to wave it enthusiastic
ally, make n genuine American citizen.
Precept of course will do much-buI
an earnest desire for practical ideli-
tification of his interests with those
Of the nation and the people. that is
the most direct and the surest road to
assimilation. If we native-born Amer
leans ourselves show less than full
veneration for and devotion to orr
institutions: if we are careless in our
expressions of loyalty to our govern
ment as it is constituted if we ma
tive-bOrn are not Jealous of the herit-
hge that has come to us. can we eX-
rect more of the foreigner? Woodrow
Wilson made II forcefui argument
when hc said: so my interest in this
movement is as much an interest in
ourselves as in those whom we are
trying to Americanize. because if we
are genuine Americans they cannot
avoid the infection; whereas, ii we
be nothing to infect them with and
no amount of teaching, no amount of