The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-28
PLEADS CASE OF
THE IMMIGRANT
Treasurer Sol Levitan Tells
of Difficulties Met by
by Immigrants.
ASK FOR COOPERATION

Appleton, Wis 90 = Asserting
that it sis small wonder that immi-
grants to this country do not better
understand American ways and Amer
lean laws" Solomon Levitan, state
treasurer, told the members of the
Lions club, meeting in state conven-
tion her, Monday, that Americans
should extend helping hand to the
potential citizens.
IF the average American thinks of
the immigrant at ALL" Mr.. Levitan
said, at is probably only to consider
him a necessary evil. He holds him
off at arms length and looks on him
as nothing but the scum of the
EARTH Small wonder it is then that
our foreigners concentrate in groups
of their own, preserving their old
world customs and old world ideas"
Mr.. Levitan commended the work
which Lions clubs are doing in Amer
icanizing foreign groups within their
communities, expressing the hope that
the spirit of Lionism might serve as
a leaven working in the American
people toward better understanding
between the native born and the
strangers who have come from for
egin lands.
Immigrants Want To Learn. !.
"You, who through your Lions work
have been conducting citizenship
classes in your various communities,
know how eager those immigrants are
to learn, how grateful they are for
the helping hand you have given
them," Mr.. Levitan continued. "And
the few you have reached are but a
bare beginning of the hundreds of
thousands who would be just as
eager for such an opportunity.
at is all very well for the native
American to sit back and condemn our
foreigners as lawless and ignorant,
but he must not forget his own re-
sponsibility. He must not forget that
many times the foreigner who breaks
our prohibition law does so because
it is contrary to all that he has con-
sidered an essential part of his life
in the old country; and no one has
even taken the trouble to make him
understand the American viewpoint.
On the contrary, it is the American
himself who tries to buy booze from
him and encourages him in his law
breaking. Small wonder that he does
not respect laws which Americans
themselves are frequently guilty of
not keeping.
"Then, too;swe must not forget that
fundamental social fact if you make
a man social outcast, you make him
an enemy of the social system which
imposes that ostracism. We who
treat the foreigner as if he were the
very dregs of civilization, despise
him and look down upon him are our
selves responsible if he does not be-
come a law abiding citizen.
Have Pioneer Spirit.
"They are not the scum of the
earth. They may be lowly and poor,
but in their hearts is that same
pioneer spirit which brought your
forefathers to these shores in search
of new homes and better opportun-
ity for themselves and their children.
Today we idolize those brave spirits
who set out with OK team and prai-
RE schooner to win new homes in
western wilderness. That same spirit
is in the hearts of everyone Of those
foreigners who has come to US, and
given half an opportunity they will
more than make good with their thrift
and industry.
"And it has not been entirely mat
ter of one sided giving on the part of
America, for the immigrant has had a
large part in the building up of our
country. Always we have needed
laborers to do the hard, the physical
mental work. Now we have limited
the number of immigrants who can
come to US from a country in any one
year. / have no quarrel with these
immigration laws, but l do say that
the American people must welcome
the immigrants who do come to us in
the right spirit, try to understand
them and help them to become real
American citizens.
each of these peoples has a con-
tribution to make to the life and char
acter of America. To US they bring
their >old world heritage of centuries
of culture, principles and ideals.
Each people has it's own splendid
qualities to pour into the melting pot
of America, and given the right kind
of encouragement, we can call from
each one of these right kind of quail
ties that will make US greater and
better America tomorrow"