Decorah-posten og ved arnen., 1922-03-07
The Foreign
Language Paper,

Much OF the commonly-held fear of
the foreign-language press in America
is due wholly to ignorance of its
function and its contents. Just as a
child fears the dark not for itself, but
for what may be hiding in it, so do
his elders often assume that the in
comprehensive mass at characters
which mis- Hebrew, Italian or Polish
street-car neighbor peruses with APP
parent understanding aid interest
must hold some message of such
terrible import that no II would
dare present it in honest English.
The publisher Of a foreign-language
newspaper is. of course. in that bust
ness for the same reason that his
American-born publishing brother is
in the newspaper business - primarily
as a means of livelihood. Coupled
with this is the desire to be of distinct
service to the community. The only
difference is that the American-born
newspaper proprietor seeks to reach
the whole community, while the
foreign-born publisher limits his ac-
Invites to a special section, which,
ever though it wanted to, could not
read the newspaper printed in English.
The foreign-language newspaper
should not be regarded as a handicap
TO AUGMENTATION, but as a useful
and important field for its develop
ment. Many foreign-language papers
now contain parallel columns of the
same matter in English and another
language, thus providing the best
English lesson possible. Most of
them publish questions and answers
about the American form of govern
ment; all of them are ready to answer
questions designed TO aid the puzzled
newcomer who is trying hard to adapt
himself TO American ways. Some Of
these newspapers perform such a
practical service in this matter that it
is a pity they canno be translated
and thus made more available.
The foreign-language newspaper
will survive as long as there are men
and women in America who are more
at ease in another language than in
English. With the second generation
of immigrants already more proficient
i'll English than in the paternal
tongue, with the first generation on
WINGED soon after its arrival that it
must learn English unless it wishes
to remain under a tremendous handi-
cap, with schools and special agencies
available to hasten the foreigners
comprehension of the language which
he must adopt i'll adopting the new
country, the day is approaching when,
If intelligent restrictions are placed
upon II immigration. the foreign
language newspaper will find its field
limited. And as the limitation ex-
tends, the newspaper itself, its original
function fulfilled, will eventually join
the ranks of English publications. 1t
will all be an orderly process of
evolution. And any ill-advised attempt
TO hasten or retard that process will
inevitably defeat its aim.
The American Legion Weekly.
The foregoing editorial from the
official organ of the American Legion
is additional proof of the fact referred
to in a recent article in these columns
that we are fast approaching normally
with regard to the foreign language
issue. 1t is significant in more than
one sense that this clear-cut and un-
biased statement of the usefulness of
the foreign language papers emanates
from the American Legion, because
OF its unequivocal stand for Ameri-
canism in its nos undiluted form.
The editor of the Legion Weekly has
set a worthy example for his fanatical
comrade editors still occupied in
slandering and abusing the foreign
language press, due" as the A. l..
Weekly generously grants, wholly to
ignorance of its function and its con-
tents"