Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-02-10

,,bsd by the Macmillan company
october. 1920, has been receiv-
Nv the Salem public library
~ sad is on its shelves. Mr.. Panun-
10 10 is professor of social science at
Trillsmette university. Citizens of
s.lom although they may have
soolized that in their midst was a
n.n Of more than ordinary inter-
a.t of wide experience and a
.rmnathetic understanding of
hotb American and foreigner, fit
,ing him as a first class professor
y social science and fascinating
,ecturer, they have not realized
tbat he is also the author OF a
hook which is a literary master
niece and the revelation of the
,oul of an immigrant. The immi-
Grant of the story is himself.
In talking of his book, Mr.. Pa
nunzio told his purpose in putting
the story into print: my pur-
mise was to interpret the strug-
Gle of the immigrant in this coun-
try the final objective being to
create a sympathy on the part of
the American people toward the
immigrant"
1t is remarkable to see the crit
icisms by the hundred that have
come streaming in to Mr.. Panun-
zio. written by critics all over the
limited States and published in
leading periodicals and newspa-
5ers of the land. They praise the
work highly and Macmillan COM
many values it above Jacob Riis'
"The Making of an American" 1t
Is a triumph in itself that the
book has been reviewed by the
American Library association,
which reviews only the best
hooks to recommend them to small
libraries throughout the country.
The association says:
"'The Soul Of an Immigrant is
an absorbing story of the adven-
lures of an Italian boy in a for
eign country, exploited by street
contractors, in lumber camps, and
on New England farm, his strug
gle for an education and rise to
the professorship of social science
in an American university. AS a
complete presentation of the pos
sible transformation of our future
citizens, when given the opportu-
nifty and right environment, it is
most Illuminating. Very well writ
ten with a shining sincerity"
The Boston Transcript says:
"This is perhaps the most i'm
portant sketch of the immigrants S
relations with and adjustment to
America since the days of Mary
Antin. 1t is certainly the most in
teresting. AS a narrative it is of
great interest and as an essay it
bristles with matter of great pith
and moment. 1t is a book that
even hardened reviewer is loath
to lay aside"
Mr., Panunzio begins his book
with the story of his boyhood in
Molfetta, in the south of Italy.
This is told with such sympathy
and love that it inspires in the
reader feeling resembling home
sickness. Unusual advantages sur
rounded the boy Constantine, for
his father was a university grad
uate, teacher and an attorney
he bore the title Don" The boy
was given the name of the family
hero, his grandfather, Don Co.
stantino, who had died an un-
flinching martyr for taking a
Leading part in the revolutionary
movement that finally won Ital-
Ian freedom. Mr.. Panunzio's mid
die name is Maria" after his
grandmother.
Young Constantine longed for
the sea and did not care for books,
and finally, with the blessings of
MS family, he was permitted to
enroll as cabin boy ON a coasting
schooner. While he was at sea,
DOTH his parents and his grand
mother were stricken and died and
the bereavement turned his eyes
more than ever toward distant
lands. At last he sailed on a ship
ior America. On the voyage he
was mistreated and would not re-
turn to Italy with the ship. One
misfortune after another detain-
Gu MN in this country.
In his foreword, the author
sums up the book thus: "The
story is a simple one; it is that OF
sailor lad who nineteen years
ago today left his native country
ana through a series of strange
incidents came to the United
otates and through another series
VI strange circumstances came
eeuhltely and consciously to adopt
america as his country. What
happened during that period; how
ne found his way into the immi
eiant community, how he secured
ms first Job how he was ensnar'
Gu into peOnage, how he was rob.
Ueu and then dragged into a pris
W. now he was led into unlawful
seS' how he freed himself from
,He grip Of unscrupulous peoples
nv" ne struggled to secure an ed
..estlon, to get naturalized and Il
AT into American life: these anC