The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-04-30

An old saving points out that there
are other ways Of killing a cat IMAM ny
shooting him with butter. BY tne Sa'ne
tnSen here are other ways of making
xmer,cans than by sticking the ilas
down the prospective citizens throat.
There Is no question that the popular
demand for Americanization Is az ~
belief in the existence OF very grave
conditions can account Tor II. 49,,
There Is. however great a ucsel"n
whether the motives ana PURPOSES
which prompt this dema harm ean or
even reconciled. We are much given W
ths amployment of slogans. ana we are
ever willing to dismiss them atter lney
have served as the inspiration LOT I"
particular political triumph. ubetber
Standardization shall be temporary
noliticaI slogan or a permanent nailonaI
prorram. II promises to be t1e la.lei
however politicians, captains OF lmu -,
try or labor leaders may 'h hnnn G hrewins
hefore the war have been accentuaIeu
nv the experiences OF the war. IN one
sT.y or another the demand TOT lns
meaning and for the realLae'o.
and to be met. .os r.,,b
Long before the war We toyed WIN
the problem. 1t Is perfectly true tnae
even then many were moEeu of
closer convictions that the saiVatIoh VI
our institutions depends upTm of all
our people. But It Is equally true Ina'
our chief attention was given 10 he
ures. calculated to discharge or 10 en-
courage immigration. ,, Of tho
This situation was Largely AZ tmt
marcy Of those WHO read the prospect
for low or for high wages IN tne coT n
mon rule OF supply and demand: III. IN
other words we scarcely get oeEoho lhe
most superficial material tests.
Ettness FOR citizenship was a second
ary consideration. Il remote contihsene.
70 be ever written by naturallLa'to, n
napers TO be iss6ed Just IN time l1t
some momentous political decision o ie
we, was that we admitted healthy members
~ an immigrant family because ineS
could work, and turned away unnea'.nS
members OF the same family-often oe.
nendent minors-because thelr prese"'e
meant danger ana expense e n =" ad-
yantsre We never saw that those
Who were admitted under SUCH conni-
lions az they had sef-repsct W ~,
spire them) must enter our u'u a,,a1
h.tr.d for A government that could I'M
nosa and enforce so hard policy;
The question is not 80 much Wnetne.
n strict or a liberal policy IL aaopte q
for Immigration en- masS"' III" a.,
tS.t whatever the general policy tne
law must be applied TO the Individual III
such fashion that tho everlasting rules
~ Justice and humanity ana decen'y
NAV be exemplified. The head on
FAMILY who Ia told that the dismcm prr :
ment OF his family Is necessary TOT inc
reservation Of a free institution may
have TO admit that ne cannot READ Eng
iisb hut ne will insist that he can III
t.rnret the Statue Of Liberty: ana nc
will know that the lofty promises OF
thar monument cannot be reconciiH'l
With the monumental cruditics or Ellis
Island decisions. superinduced oy s'atu-
tory mandate. .,.. wh,t
has all this to do with "AmericanlIa.
tion?' The answer Is that 1t lies AT
the very threshold OF the Kind or Amer
icanixatIon which its chief advocates
now have in mind. and when Is 10 ten
the newcomer how to be good.
Assume for arguments sake that Tor
= time immigration may entirely cease
Gas for some years IT virtually mad
owinE to the war;. Assume that the
Ststutory policy and the administra ton
Of the law may be radically hunanized.
Nevertheless our conduct In the past
must affect profoundly any measures
for AmericaniIation that we may adopt
6ecausS that conduct has served 10 de-
fine the attitude Of the newcomer with
whom we now have to deal.
Important as this consideration may
ba. AZ n even more important that we In
the future abandon our attitude Of gu