The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1920-04-23

but Il fellOw-workman passed the message along
i'll Italian. Good supper, good music, good time"
those three phrases danced through his mind
all the afternoon. At the close of the days work
he made his way to the restaurant, designed by
engineers to serve IL million meals a year. Crowds
Of men were surging through the doors and he
pushed his way in and to Il seat, his black eyes
shining with expectation.
Yes; there was music to set Luigi's blood ting
linz, and his feet tapping the floor, for the band
was sending out its most spirited strains. And
as for the supper-not once since he had been on
American soil had Luigi SO enjoyed Il repast, He
glanced over at Casimir, his Polish ~neighbor,
whose face was lighted with smiles.
Then Il keen-eyed, pleasant-faced man mounted
a platform, and a whisper, followed by a hush.
ran about the assembly, for the speaker was Mr..
EmnOns. vice president and general manager Of
the company. He spoke with such goodwill that
Luigi caught the spirit Of his message, if not
the actual meaning. To his delight. Father Ney-
roz, Of Luigi's own nationality, stepped forward
with an Interpretation Of Mr.. Emmons' words in
Italian, and a Polish priest also interpreted like
wise. Luigi and Casimir listened eagerly and
joined in the applause and cheers.
=" 1--WE have invited you here tonight" explained
Mr.. Emmons, "to tell you about a new American
ization plan. We represent many nationalities
and races. Tonight I welcome you as Americans.
and hope that all of you who have not made this
country the land of your adoption, are thinking
of doing so. The company is glad to have you
as it's guests at this AmericanizatiOn supper, and
hopes that many of you will be interested in the
work to be undertaken, which will not only teach
you something of our language, but also teach
you our American standards of thought and life.
We have much to learn from the nations you rep.
resent. You are well able to teach us many
things.
"We wish. however, to teach you the language
in which all our shop work is done. Several
reasons make it important that you should talk
English. You will be safer in your work and less
liable TO accident if you understand all safety
instructions. You will progress faster in your
development If you understand better all that is
said from day to day. You will enjoy more Of
the shop life If you can share what other men
are talking about.
IF this country is now your home and the home
Of your children, you should know its language.
should possess its citizenship, should obey It's
laws, and follow the spirit Of its institutions.
81 want you 10 feel that the company for which
YOU work and the executive officers are interested
in helping you become Americans of the best kind,
not Forgetting the lands in which you were born
and their languages, but remembering that Amer
lea is now your home and the home of your chill
dren. Your sons fought in the American armies.
Many of them died for their country. We honor
them for the sacrifice. You may honor them also
by sharing the citizenship they fought and died
for.
II greet you as Americans Of the future, If not
of the present, and appreciate your interest in
the meeting"
The interpreters then told how an Americaniza-
ton secretary had been engaged by the company.
to devote all his time to the foreign-born workers.
First, there was to be instruction in English.
The shop was to be the classroom. Regular
classes were to be organized with sessions each
week. The classes were TO be graded SO that the
beginners might study together, and those more