Norwich bulletin., 1920-02-19
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Safety Eirst.

MT. Editor, So much was said be- forehand as to the surprises that awaited us in the post -prandial ad- dresses of the late banquet that we had prepared ourselves to hear some thing extremely practical-commerci if you please-instead of the somewhat metaphysical and psychological ad- dresses that were given us. Judging from the published report, only one at most two-of the speakers who spoke on the question of Norwich housing gave a seed thought for an editorial, and it was not stated that either Of these two were accorded the prolonged applause which favored the other addresses above noted
 One speaker in his Creed of Con- nectfcut gave some points of national importance, especially when he said of Connecticut: She believes that Uncle Sam's portals should swing both ways in for those who come to make America their home and adopted country, but out for all those that preach anarchy. We endorse this heartily. Per contra, the following speaker said: We are fools if we think to banish ideals by deporting certain
 men It is our duty to know what these ideals are, and what produced them. before we act.
 We demur to this obligation and task for while we would be diagnosing the disease and ascertaining it's source
 the patient would be spreading the lscontagion. Hence we say Safety first. Let the district, if necessary, be quar- antiTed and the patient hurried to the
 2, Stkouse. There will be time later for diagnosing the mNady. and this is thu function of the specialist and the philosopher. The courts duty is to p1 onounce sentence on the acts of the eulprit and to see that it is executed by law. of course.
 This government has passed the ex- perimental stage. At least every true American should assume that it has. We are not looking for better ideals in the direction from which our immi- grants are coming. Least of all the ki'iG of ideals they are bringing with them. What we may learn from them is something to be summed surely. During the anniversary of the founding of our town-1909-ex-P x-Presi- dent Taft, speaking from the grand stand on the plain. used the following: We give his words from memory. but we quote the substance. In speaking i of the founders of Norwich he said: Now these people, before they came to l these shores, were prepared for self l government by previous processes of 1 thought and education, but all peoples
 are not so prepared.
 The high and noble privileges of American citizenship. is not a thing
 to be thoughtlessly bestowed on every
 t;'ing that lands on these shores today. h RCme's palmy days citizenship had 1 to come by birth, or with a great price l obtained by one not so born. Is American citizenship of less value or 1 less consideration than was Rome's in 1 her hest days? We think not, nor l that it should be allowed to deteriorate by being cheaply offered or regarded by people not prepared to appreciate i or understand it's pre- eminent qua1i-
 ties. One of the charges against l George III was that he restricted i'm l migration. and so hindered the growth 1 of the American colonies. What was l deemed an injury in his day would be | a blessing to us in these days. for the | nation has reached it's manhood, and
 has now within it's borders more aliens than it can regenerate in a life 1 time.
 If more are to be welcomed 'tfey
 should he tutored helpers who art prepared for self-government and whT | will appreciate it's benefits and honoi
 it's ideals.
 | SAFETY FIRST. I Norwich, Feb. IS. 1920.