Evening star., 1924-12-22
EDUCATING ALIENS
BY RAD|OPLANNED
United States to Be Urged to
Rush Americanization Work
by BroadcastIng.
BY CARL III. BUTMAy.

Inc united states probably VIII soon
employ broadcasting in an effort to
Americanize its 5000, 900 adult aliens.
The cooperation of about 20 broad
casting stations will be sought by
either the Federal Council of Citizen
ship Training or the Bureau of Natu-
ralization, IL the suggestions of the
writer are taken as seriously as they
appeared to be when they were made.
Although radio broadcasting has
been found of inestimable value In
practically every walk OF life, from
politics to the search for lost persons,
ouriously enough, its adaptation to
the education and ultimate naturali-
zation of aliens seems never to have
occurred either to the broadcasters
nor the Government bureaus con-
cerned.
A trip through the East Side Of New
York will convince the skeptical that
the scene Is already set; that is, IA
cilities for the reception OF Ameri-
at least half of our alien population
exist. Nine out OF ten tenement
houses, where dwell foreigners of
every type and class. are bedecked
with dozens of aerials, and so are
many individual homes of alien fami-
lies, most of whom listen in each
night for whatever they may hear,
The physical makeup of many Of our
Immigrants includes a love for the
musical: II is inbred. and as aerial
music is free--at the price of a sini-
pie receiver-thousandso of them listen
In. This Is also true In cities which
are manufacturing centers, where the
newcomers settle down. Naturally
they hear little but English spoken
on the air, but nothing like instruc-
tion is available, or IL 1t is they do
not know II, nor are they informed
how to become citizens
425.54O Seek Cftf1enshfp.
The Bureau OF Naturalization Of the
LABOR Department, which in cooper
alton with State and county educa-
tional institutions makes strenuous
enorts to make known it's require
nents for naturalization, states that
asst year 425,540 adult aliens applied
for citizenship, filing first papers, and
that $4,000 were admitted to citi-
zenship. This number large as II
seems, scarcely scratches the surface.
as the tota' number of reside dent aliens
$ estimated at 100000. There are.
therefore, over 5,500,000 who are
either unadvised as to the procedure
in becoming citizens or have not the
proper incentive. 1t is to reach these
prospective citizens that radio
'enters where they dwell will be
asked to aid the Federal Council of
Citizenship Training, appointed by
the late President Harding. DR. J. J.
Ttgert of the Bureau of Education Is
chairman of this body, which is COM
posed of representatives of IL gov
ornamental bureaus. and which CO.
operates with committees in a large
number OF States.
t1N.
out that Informative matter broad
cast would aid the council materially
II worked out on a constructive pro-
ram. Such program should in
clude the instruction of the alien in
the national language and the ele-
mental principles of government. In
both of which subjects he must be
Schooled before he can become citi-
ZEN. Citizenship courses were begun
in 1915. AS there are more than g. 500
community schools where adults of
foreign birth are now being taught
local cooperation would readily be
furnished such stations as undertook
he oroadcasting Of citizen ship train
ing. If the scheme is established one
of the lectures broadcast would oover
the requirements of citizenship, ex-
aiming that five-year residence is
necessary and that two years prior
to admission an application known as
first paper or declaration must be
filed.
immigrants Reach Cabinet.
The very foundation of our future
welfare and unity depends to a large
extent upon the education and ANAL
gamation OF our adopted sons, who
are entitled to every privilege accord
ed citizen born, except eligibility as
President and Vice President De-
partment officials point out that two
Secretaries of Labor were once immi-
grants themselves; the first Secretary,
Wilson, was a Scotchman, while the
present Secretary, James Davis. was
born a Welshman.
Field Offices OF the Bureau of
Naturalization are located in practi-
cally every large city where aliens
are numerous and It Is believed that
would be beneficial. Among the prin-
cipai cities mentioned as promising
fields for radio education are New
York, Brooklyn, Newark, Boston,
Springfield, Philadelphia, Camden.
Baltimore, Washington. Buffalo.
Rochester. Cleveland. Detroit, Chi
cago, Cincinnati, st. Louis. Atlanta,
New Orleans. Dallas, Fort Worth,
Denver. Salt Lake City. Portland. San
Francisco, Oakland and Los Angeles,
although many more cities have large
foreign elements which might appre-
ciate free aerial instruction, as well
as advice regarding citizenship priv
ileges. School teachers report to the
Government that in no work under
taken have they secured the response
and results that they achieve in adult
instruction among foreigners. The
richest return to them, they say, Is
the deep appreciation Of their stu
dents who learn to speak English.
This field Is undoubtedly an oppor-
tunity no progressive broadcast sta
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