Evening star., 1927-11-29
DAVIS OUTLINES
ALIEN PROBLEMS
Secretary, In Address, De-
scribes Work Involved in
Americanizing Immigrants.

Efforts being made to discourage
the present tendency of the alien to
congregate in centers of large foreign
born population and the work now be-
ing carried on by the Department of
Labor to weld the vast stream of inn
migrants entering the United States
every year into the body polite of the
Nation were explained by Secretary
OF Labor James j. Davis, who ad-
dressed a luncheon of the regular ses-
sion of the District Of Columbia Fed.
Grafton of Womens Clubs at the
Roosevelt Hotel yesterday.
Secretary Davis discussed the ex-
tremely highly complicated machinery
Of the Department of Labor which is
dealing with 100000 foreign-born
now in the country. which in 1927 was
increased by the influx Of 25S,295 per-
sons who filed declarations of intention
to become citizens and more than 240,-
900 who filed application for naturali-
zation, about 200. 900 of whom became
full-fedged American citizens during
the past year" the Secretary said. He
paid high tribute to the many agen-
cies which are cooperating in the
work to help digest the annual immi-
grant body which enters the United
States each year.
Cling to Old Customs.
"The tendency of the alien has been
to stick by himself" the Secretary
said. He and his family have settled
in neighborhoods where they find peo-
pie of the same origin as themselves.
The desire is to hang onto the Gus
toms and language of the land of
their birth. We are striving to get
them out into the great stream Of
American life"
The harmony and working relations
between State and Federal and munic-
lpal agencies. which are cooperating
In this work. were stressed by Secre-
tary Davis, who stated that their
work is far more than to qualify these
people for passing citizenship tests.
They are helping them to become
good workers and earners as well as
good citizens. They have opened all
educational institutions to them as
we'll as high schools. where they may
study the regular school subjects.
Legislation Program Explained.
Mrs. William E. Chamberlain, chair.
man of the committee on legislation,
made public the program which that
committee will indorse for the coming
year. 1t calls for: Legislation of flood
control. made necessary by the recent
deluges in the Southland and in the
New England States; certain changes
In the parlance OF the census report;
adequate and uniform" divorce laws,
and in regard 10 the District of CO.
lumbia calls for national representa-
ton in Congress and for the erection
OF sanatorium for tubercular chill
dren and the creation of a Palisade
Park
Mrs. Eva c. Chase, chairman Of the
memorial trees committee, announced
that 65 trees haveN been secured and
planted along the Bladensburg road,
which will be named in memory of
presidents of the federation and other
women of conspicuous service to hui
manity.
District Bird Approved.
The federation reapproved the Sc
lection OF the woodthrush as the bird
OF the District of Columbia and in
structed Mrs. A. Rogers Tracy, chair
man of the proper committee, to SUBJ
NIT the decision of the federation,
which bears the Endorsement of the
Audubon Society, to the Board Of Dis
trict Commissioners.
The educational program of the
AmericaniZation School was set forth
by Miss NJ. E. Alton, principal of the
school,
Mrs. Virginia White Speel, who pre-.
sided, introduced as honor guests
Mrs. John F. Sippel, Baltimore candi-
date for president of the national fed
Grafton. and Mrs. John Alcock, presi.
dent of the Maryland federation, both
OF whom spoke briefly.