The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-11-19
Welshmen Meet . Again After
 Forty Years
Dr. Roberts Gives Factory Foremen Principles of
 AmericaniZation,

c. A. at The 4Stratfield ballroom last n1ghs' thn Just as Rev Peter ter Roberss sobe was about to enter the auditorium his glance fell on G. J. Jenkins, a foreman in the American Chain Co., Born within 40 miles of each other in Wales, they first !" met in the little mining town. of Olyphant, Pa., where pr. Roberts. was pastor of the local Congregational : church. and Mr. Jenkins was one of his flock, and the Americans 2by choice who came to this country at an early age speaking a foreign tongue Sat a gathering where the subject: for@ discussion was ''The Foreman and the Foreign Born Workman" was their first since they parted in Olyphant years ago.
 Dr. Roberts, who is member of the International Committee of the Y. M. c. A, devoting his entire time to Americanization work, was intro duced by George NJ Kirk, secretary of the Industrial department of the Y. M; c. A, after brief program of songs led by Alvan w. Bearce, as- sociated with MT. Kirk and in charge of recreation and athletics.
 -J In his formal address Dr. Roberts said: Z, <
 "Our program is to tell the foreign speaking brothers if he wants to stay in this country he ought to learn it, write and talk it. Oftentimes you say these chaps are, stupid. How many of you have learned a foreign tongue? Suppose you lived under the same handicap, would you be more bright.
 Dr. Roberts then related an incl dent of two Buick salesmen in Ma. drid who, after several intellectual at temptSa to make the waiter under stand they wanted a steak, drew picture of a COW and pointed to the proper place and made motions Of cutting. The waiter smiled and nIy x,yitt, tiaIyn nfc to hn hlIE fight. Dr., Roberts said that probably the waiter was voluble in his con- demnation of the stupidity of ''these dumb Yankees when the situation the moral that we should be as sym pathetic with the struggles of foreign workmen to master our language as we expect Europeans to be with our people of means.
 Continuing, Dr. Roberts said: ''The second thing in our program is naturalization. large number of foreigners want to be naturalized but they don't know how. I believe the Americanization committee here in Bridgeport should not let year go by without making the resolution that every alien in Bridgeport will have somebody sympathetically come up to him and say John, why are you not a citizen I will help you You will find obstacles which seem trivial to us have been insurmounta- ble to them until sympathetic help does away with them.
 ''The third point is that the for efgner should know something about America, its aims and the opportuni- ities it presents. You men have a wonderful opportunity in that re-. spect. .It. - '"rhe fourth point I would empha- size is that the foreigner should be given a chance for entertainment He has his folk songs and his national dances. Let him exhibit them, frn Tr11 n~nIr oI,; Speak to him of his national heroes and show him that you understand the history Of his old country and you have laid the foundation for America.
 ''The next item is recreationa1 ac- tivities for the boys of foreigners. Discipline in America among the boys of 's foreign-born parents is breaking down. There is too much of the spirit shown by the boy who had been punished by, his father an Immigrant, and when brought before the judge after he had ruin away, as a result of the disciplining said, in re- sponse to the judges question, Don't you know your father has a judge, but hate to have a foreigner lick an American The discipline of the home breaks down because the boy doesn't understand our civiliza- tion. Ihope you men in Bridgeport will find men who are willing to give leadership to these boys and disabuse them of, these false ideas.''
 My final point is the advisory council, body of men to give hon est advice to the foreigner.
 '"There is no body of men in Bridgeport exploited as much as the foreigner is by cunning scamps of his own nationality, who trade on his ig norance, his innocence and his inex- perience. We want a body of advisors to whom these men in difficulty may T F-I, 1rr 1r-ir
 Following the address, Dr. Roberts called for questions, and the ball was started rolling by Secretary Fred Hill of the Manufacturers Association who asked Dr. Roberts attitude on increased restriction of immigration pr. Roberts reply was that there were were AZ grounds of rejection in the present laws, and he belivd were rigidly enforced ample protec- ton would be afforded. sf 4.%5,
 In answer to another question pr Roberts expressed the opinion that was no objection to foreigners teach, ing the home language to their chil- dren in their homes. He also ex pressed approval of the Massachu, setts law compelling minors above school age to learn English at night schools, but believed moral suasior rather than compulsion was the proper method of getting adults tc learn English, { As to religion, he ex- pressed the opinion that the foreignel should be encouraged to live up te the religion of his fathers.
 In response to a question from Secretary Kirk, pr. Roberts gave brief exposition of the system fol teaching English to foreigners. o which lie is the inventor. Dr. Rob ertss stated that his principle was tn same as that used by mother teach ing an infant. He takes a famiIia Object, at the same time describin; 1t by some such phrase as 'tI talk / a cigar" and repeats the phrase unti he gets the foreigner to say it afte' to him, and goes through the proces of obtaining a match, lighting tn cigar and smoking it, at the sam time repeating the words describing his action. pr. Roberts describes thi process as taking the foreigners ex perience and clothing it with thu garment of language, saying 9Th knows great thin 2