Newark post. (Newark, Del.) 1910-1969, 1921-07-20
Mary Antin
Addresses
Summer School
Interprets America in Theory
and Practice

introduced the speaker and announced |
the change of the subject from "Jew-
isb Life in the Pale" to Immigrant
Problem.
Miss Autin addressed herself parti-
cularly to teachers in the hopes that
bv so doing her message might reach
MANY different communities into
which the teacher goes. "Long before
Roosevelt invented the phrase 'hy-
phenated Americans" said Miss Au-
tin, "some had already spotted the
species in the economic and social
strata of our country. Few Ameri-
can leaders have realization of our
country as a whole. Every commun-
itv works for itself and few for the
country as a whole, the fruit growers
Of California, grain growers of the
West, politicians, each works for the
passing of laws that will benefit their
own special interests.
I'VE look to the teacher to cultivate
states of mind" Miss Autin urged
that the teachers bring the problem
Of the immigrant to the rural dis
tlicts.
Il am the immigrant" said Miss
Autn. 81 know the picture in your
mind when we speak of the immigrant
-lowly in state, hard working, SLOW
emily in appearance. We don't think
of the bold and splendid mind, the
touch of audacity, and spirit of high
adventure that bring the immigrant
here. In statistics, the immigrant is
timid, pushed about, wretched, but
the immigrant of statistics is not as
YOU know him in life.
"The question is not how the im.
migrant got here, bat what shall we
do with him now that he is here. The
sudden putting into effect of the new
immigration Law stated the Com
missioner of New York, caused un-
told hardships to shiploads of immi-
grants who set forth ignorant of any
such law The statement of a four
teen year old child, 1T serves them
right; we don't want them here, IS
Indicative of the hostile attitude of
the country as a whole. l am not
going to touch on the practically OF
the new immigrant law, but more
important than that, on what shall be
our attitude, political, social and in
dustrial to those immigrants that do
get here.
Miss Autin cited numerous local in
dustrial booms in Colorado, Oregon,
Massachusetts, and elsewhere where
immigrants were needed for labor.
Owing to the huge exodus of foreign
labor, we have a shortage of labor,
and industries in the towns where
local boom is going on advertise for
foreign labor.
"The immigrant comes for two rea-
sons, at the call of the job, and to
follow the gleam.' He comes IN
search of the Holy Grail of high
ideals. What becomes of him once he
is here? He becomes slum dweller
and where conditions are worst, there
the immigrant is thickest. why
doesn't he go to the country? Miss
Autin answered this question by say
ing that the same things which draw
the American people to cities, keep
the immigrant there also, the oppor-
tunities to hear good music, get an
education, to enjoy culture, to have
conveniences in the home. These rea-
sons draw Americans into apartment
houses which are only polished Sums,
tenements.
Some immigrants do come over
here with love of land, and make des-
perate efforts to get to the country
What is the result? They are I'M
posed upon by a bogus land shark VINO
sells them an impossible piece OF land
that no one could think of making a
living on" Miss AUTH told OF sew
eral instances where the immigrant
had worked hard to remain IN the
country; said one, you can't make
living in the city without showing the
other fellow away. In the country
your interests, your neighbors are
identical; you want the same thing
that your brother wants
Miss Autin in the city slums de-
scribed the condition of the Immigrant
noisy, dirty, nasty little back yards
unspeakable plumbing. No deceh'
human being would want to live there
But" said Miss Autin, "when the
immigrant does move out to an Amer
lean suburb, what happens! lh'
Smiths, Jones, Robinsons move away
you send your sons and daughters