Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-16
What Do You Know
About Washington?
BY BERTRAM BENEDICT.

~~@~@N . ASAAAFA A@A<ANA%DAOA -
Do you know any people in Washing
ton who were born in Germany? You
are not likely to any more, for there
are now less than 5000 Of them here.
Out Of every 1000 people who walk or
drive the streets of washington today,
only about i've we're born in the father
land. Twice that ratio is true of the
United states as a whole.
The great German tide began to
swing most strongly toward the United
States around 184S. In that year q
series Of republican revolutions broke
out in Germany, only to be sternly put
down. Many Of the revolutionists, still
republican at heart, migrated to the
great Republic across the Atlantic,
where republican principles could not
only be breathed but could also be i'm
parted to their children at birth.
Helped to Win Civil War.
This German tide. beginning i'm ls4s,
overshadowed the Irish, which had had
the greatest racial now into the United
States from 1880. From 1S4S until 1870
more settlers came from Germany into
the United States than from any other
land. The date of the German war
with France was 1870, and after 1t
fewer Germans came to America. Per-
sWamped by the pride Of victory.
From 1900 TO 1910 more people came
to America from Austria Hungary, from
italy, from Russia and FsAand, and
even from England, than from Ger
many. In the year before the World
War only about $4,000 came from Ger
many Now Uncle Sam, who has put
the brakes on immigration. admits only
about $4,000 from Germany in any one
year. They are only Is per cent of all
admissible from Europe.
In the period Immediately preceding
the World War, almost 100000 per-
sons were coming into the United
States from Europe every year. Now
the number has been restricted to less
than $50, 900 annually.
The great German flood from 184S to
1850 was one of the factors which en-
abled Lincoln to preserve the Union.
It settled almost exclusively in the
North and helped to furnish the North
a much-needed superiority in man
power over the South.
Helped to Build Washington.
You are much more likely to know
people in Washington who had at least
one parent born in Germany than peo-
ple who we're born there themselves.
There are about 10000 of them here.
making up about two in every 100 peo-
streets, in Washington stores. at WASH
ington filing stations or within Wash
ington churches.
There are In washington more peo-
pie who were born in Ireland, italy or
Russia than people who were born in
Germany. On the other hand, there
are more people in washington who
at least one parent who was born there
than people who are the first or the
second generation in Washington from
airy other country except Ireland.
In the whole United States there are
more people of this German stock of
the first or second generation than Of
any other stock from another country.
There is almost twice as much Of this
German stock In the United States |
than of the Irish, which is second upon |
the list. Out of every 100 men, women |
and children who work, live and die in |
this country today, there are almost |
seven who were either born in Germany |
or had at least one parent who was |
born there.
Decline In Washington Seen.
Today people in Washington who |
were born in Germany are only about |
10 per cent of all the foreign born in |
the city. Thirty years ago they were
almost 80 per cent.
stock is today about Is per cent Of all !!
foreign-born stock Twenty years ago |
It was more than Is per cent.
Wisconsin has about twice as large !
q proportion of German born in its |
population as any other State. It is |
followed next in this respect by Ili- |
nois. New Jersey, New York and Iowa. |
Almost one-fourth of the population /
of Wisconsin was either born in Ger
many or had one parent born there.
Almost per cent of the population |
of Milwaukee was born In Germany. |
In Chicago it is per cent, and also in |
st. Louis. Almost IS per cent Of the i
population of Milwaukee was either |
born in Germany or had at least one |
parent born there. In Chicago and st. |
Louis 1t is about Is per cent
A larger proportion of German-born |
In the United States has become ma |
tionalized than of any other foreign !
born group except the Welsh.
(Copyrisht. 1901