The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-06-14
AMERICA HELPED
10 MAKE RUSSIAN
WORKERS RADICAL
So Declares W. W. sibray in
Address at Presbyterian
Church.
WORLD IS NOT RIGHT
Many Things Must be Done
to Improve Conditions
Of Labor.

"Most people think the term Amer
licanization' should be applied only to
foreigners said W. W. Sibray, chief
| OF the U. S. immigration Bureau OF
the Pittsburgh district last night at
the First Presbyterian church. This
| is not true. The term applies equal
" 10 all. 1t makes no difference
whether your ancestors came over IN
the Mayflower or in the last inmi-
grant ship. Unless you measure up
10 certain specifications you are no
true American. The Christian Amer
lean walks in the sight Of God, must
be ready 10 lay down his life IN the
defense Of his country. must do his
utmost to serve the people and must
realize tina. the Golden Rule Is made
for him and not for the other tel-
DIV" incidentally, it may be, men
toned that Mr.. Sibray traces bis an
cestry to the Mayflower, although ne
made no mention Of that distinction
last night.
Keeping a written speech on the
subject christian Americanization
in his pocket, the speaker gave an
account Of the workings IT the In
migration Bureau, with regard 10 the
welfare Of the foreigner. touching al
so upon the causes OF the present.
industrial unrest.
The great Homestead steel strike
in 1892, he declared, marked the be-
ginning Of our present troubles MOST
Of the strikers he said, were Aneri-
cans, English. Germans and Scanaa-
nsyians. The great captains Of IN
dustry then realized that the pest
thing to do would be TO import q dlt.
ierent class Of workers which marked
The beginning Of the great influx Of
Russians, Austro- Hungarians and ltal-
fans. From that time, immigration
from the three former countries be-
Fan to 70 down, while there was a
Corresponding increase in the mum.
her from the three latter nations. IN
1914. be said, approximately three
quarters Of a million immigrants
came from England, Germany ana
Scandinavia. In 1918 and 1914, S5O,-
0Ol Russians came to America. These
immigrants were no friends Of me
Car. he declared. and remained
here, while many Of other nationals
~. want hack 10 their respective
countries TO fight during the war.
The blockade Of Russian ports, ne
declared, was a great contributing
cause Of dissatisfaction among these
Russians, who had come here 70 PEI.
Ter their condition only to find that
thev could not communicate with
their friends and relatives. Many be-
came desperate, Joined organizations
whose prime function was o. q so,
cial nature but were afterwards used
by INSCRIPTIONS radicals to larsner
their own ends. The Union Of Rus,
sian Workers, he said, was COMPOSED
in the main Of harmless peasants.
with y, a few anarchists Of the worst
tyne at the head. Had We done our
mart and educated these men We
could have saved them to become
useful citizens, instead Of being COM
PEELED to resort to desperation, 10
solve the problem.
The economic condition Of me
world Is not what It should be, ne
said European countries Will oe
S SrrT. into competition with out
country. We must have labor. Forty
thousand men went back to Europe
last year.
We must do our part through me
church, school and social agencies
10 improve the condition OF me lot
eirner We must have better hous-
inc e conditions, better working con-
ditions and above all We must edu-
cate. those people to a point wnere
fhev NAV become useful citizens.
Naturalization Is but the first step.
The revised immigration aw OF
1917 he said, will improve the Qna!-
ity Of the immigrants, he said. un.
der this law, all between the ages Of
Is and As must be able to read anu
write. ~ ..,ro-
that all Americans be brought to
emulate the example Of Jesus Christ.
MIR. Sibray spoke under the aus
pices Of the Mems Bible class Of the
church.