Evening star., 1925-10-12
BOOK SEEKS SOUL
OF SWEDISH IN j. S.
"En Amerikabok," by Anna
SoderbIom, Pictures Rise
of Immigrants.
By f. A. MACKENZIE.

Correspondence Of The star and the Chicago
Daily News.
STOCKHOLM. Sweden, September
1S.-The first Swedish settlers in the
american Middle West four genera
lions ago went there possessed Of little
but their religion, their culture and
heir love OF freedom. They were fol-
lowed in the mid-S0s by large numbers
who fed from the tremendous eco
nomiC distress which had brought
Them to q diet Of potatoes and salt.
They were not the most easy people
10 assimilate. They had n strong ma
tional tradition; they kept together;
in many cases they formed settle
nlents Of their own, and. like Scots
iuen, did not always parade their in
ner thoughts to every chance stran-
ger.
What has happened since then TO
bring the Swedish americans to the
high place they now hold in Mid
western life? I'm Amerikabok," by
Anna Soderblom, published in Stock
holm, may help TO answer the Ques-
lion. Some time ago Archbishop
Soderblom, Sweden's famous preiate.
visited America to lecture i'll uniyer-
stiles. Mrs. Soderblom went with
him, charged with another task-to
discover the soul of Swedish America.
The result of her studies is en-
bodied in her charming, kindly and
sympathetic volume.
Mrs. Soderblom found the distinc-
tive note III the character Of the
Swedish people In their
seriousness OF purpose and sober and
we'll balanced lives, in the environ
rnent of concentrated work and ear
neStness.
Religion and Great Industry.
One of the first things the early
Swedish settlers did after their ar
rival in America was to establish
their church organization, the Au-
gustana Synod. The descendants of
the men who formed the Augustana
Synod are -eckoned today as SWed-
iah Americas aristocracy
These early American Swedes, harsh
~ criticized by Swedish writer's as mar
row, Self-sufficient and naive, proved
that they had great and enduring
qualities Their religion gave them
foundation on which they built. Their
passion for education opened the pro-
fessions to their sons. The first Swede
settlers We're mainly farmers, laborers
and servants. Today one finds them
in every profession and calling. In
hicago, Mrs. Soderblom was told, 80
per cent Of the residences We're built
by SwedeS and so per cent Of Chicago's
per cent can be relied upon" people
assured her.
Our countrymen in America Of tho
third and fourth generation are attain
ing level of higher education writes
Mrs. Soderblom. They are no longer
immigrants and strangers. They are
Americans, speaking the language Of
America, thinking in an American
way and educated on an American
model That tS In thu
measure of every ones character, tai.
ents and knowledge they are getting
10 assume leading positions as educa-
tors, statesmen. employers and artists
1t Is surprising how eminent they are
IN all these respects"
Make Good Americans.
Mrs. Soderblom found that the poor
Immigrants of two or three genera
tions ago have established high
schools, colleges, Seminaries. universi-
ties and libraries. She found many of
their descendants in high positions as
lawyers, judges. statesmen. physicians
nd directors of great Industries.
Good Americans as they are, they
retain their pride of ancestry. When
asked, from where did your IA
theirs Gomez" they are always proud
70 reply Prom Sweden
Some things surprised Mrs. Solder
oiOm, DOt nothing perhaps so much
as when attending a reception at
Augustana College she saw male stu.
dents washing the dishes at a recep-
ton by woman students. This would
be impossible in Sweden. She noticed
With regret how the Swetlish-Ameri-
can girls were bobbing their hair,
but, truth to tell, she may find the
same thing today in Stockholm or in
almost any part Of Sweden.
1t was, one inagineS, a grief to
her to notice that the delightful
Swedish custom of young girls curt
seying to their elders was not main
tanned in the West. This is nice
custom she declares, and adds in
speaking TO the Swedish Anerican
girl. II do not like your bobbed hair.
but like you. 1 like the young girls
themselves. Frank, natural, hard
working, deliberate young people,
that is how they strike me-"
It came as q surprise TO Mrs.
Soderblom that Swedish clergymen in
America spoke purer Swedish than
do the clergy in Sweden. Educated
american Swedes do not mix Ian
gauges nor do they use the innu-
Inerable authorizations SO common in
Stockholm. They say. for example,
hade, SADIE, gingo och lingo, not di
"a or dom fick. She protests, how
ever. against the A,nericanization Of
Swedish names.
Even il Americans cannot be ex-
nectAd TO pronounce these names