Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-05-03
INSTRUMENTATION.

In the enOft TO MT e Tor
American citizenship, and in the
application of tests Of fitness, there
are certain facts which must be borne
in mind il we do not become begged
down in a mozass.
America is, and God send that she
may remain; the land Of political
freedom and economic opportunity.
But it. does not follow hat all who
have come to her shores have come
to escape from either political or
economic oppression. We have mill
lions Of immigrants who. IL they had
not political freedom in their own
lands, did not realize it, and who
were very for from being starved into
emigration. They came, az many
others came from New England to
Ohio, and from Indiana to North Da-
kota, in response to the spirit Of ad-
venture. the call of the unknown, the
invitation which a. new and unde-
veloped land always extends to the
youthful and enterprising. Perhaps
without any definitely formulated
plans as to how that would proceed
in h new country, they came with
the full purpose to bear their share
IN Its work, to assume their full share
OF its obligations, and the desire to
participate in the prosperity which
they should help to create. w.
When there was an identity of Ian
guage between the recent immigrant
n the resident Of longer standing
there was a more rapid assimilation
OF the new material than when bar.
riers created by differences in Ian
guage and traditions had to be re,
moved In the latter cases the pro-
cess has been slow in something like
direct ratio to the closeness of con-
tact between the new arrival and his
predecessor. Where foreign-speakine
groups have been %colonized in large
numbers, whether in city or country,
there has been a very natural ten
dency to preserve the language and
the customs Of the old land, hence Wa
AVE In many of the large cities
groups which are almost as foreign
after several generations as they were
when first transplanted.
Inc assimilation of immigrants who
speak English presents too great a
problem. These people do not end
to coionize but are rather apt to dis
tribute themselves p~romiscuously
throughout the country, and thus
they are brought into close and con-
slant contact with the older elements
OF u population. There is also the
advantage Of the identity of essential
ideals among the various branches of
the Anglo-Saxon race.
A different problem is presented in
the presence of the foreign language
groups, and many of the tests of
citizenship applied in these cases are
wholly inadequate. The average adult
e not learn a foreign Language
readily. Through moderate applica-
ton he may learn to speak it so as to
make himself understood in he or
binary Affairs Of life, and similarly to
understand it when it is spoken. But
his thinking is in his mother tongue,
n MS power of expression in Eng
fish is exceedingly limited
Nevertheless we see the demand
from time to time that the applicant
for citizenship be subjected to tests
which call for a high degree OF
scholarship. For instance, the appli.
cant may be asked to give, in English.
ms Interpretation of certain features
OF the American constitution. He
a lived until maturity in an isolated
european village. He has never at
tended school. Before his long Jour
ney to this country he had never seen
a railroad. He had never come in
contact with any one of the multi.
tude of evidences Of progress with
which all of us are familiar. And
yet, after a few years residence, some
people expect him to be able to pre-
sent in a tongue only whose rudiment.
ne has mastered, an Interpretation of
a document on which u federa,
supreme court very frequently divides
on the basis of five to four.
The immigrant can be taught to re-
peat certain words and phrases me-
cnanlcaily, as a parrot repeats them,
But to make such repetition a test of
fitness for citizenship is a mockery.
The applicant for citizenship should
be required to show that he has made
reasonable effort to become familiar
with the language of the country. But
much more important is it that he
shall give convincing evidence of the
possession Of that character which
knows no differences of languages or
OF national boundaries. If he posseaz
that character he yill take care of
the language feature if given reason
able opportunity, and it is the duty Of
every American community to see
that he has the opportunity.