SiebenbuÌˆrgisch-Amerikanisches Volksblatt. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1917-1971, 1942-05-07
COMMON COUNCIL FOR AMERICAN
UNITY IS PROTESTING

quit SO largely by immigration,
there are still several millions of
our people whose English is a
very imperfect instrument. Many
of them will be found wherever
the hard work of the nation is be-
ing done - on our farms, in the
mines, the oil fields, the steel mills
and the heavy industries through
out the country. Their spare time
is limited. They learn under diff
ficulties. But they d o learn. Mil
lions of them have already be-
come citizens. The foreign langu-
age press has been an importan,
influence in their adjustment and
naturalization.
A large portion of these Anne
ricans - and they resent being
termed anything else - still
cling to their native language
newspapers even after they have
become bilingual. For those who
know the scant attention paid to
the cultural, educational, social
and religious activities of the for
eign born by the English langu-
age press. the reason is not far
to seek. An analogy may be found
in the devotion given his home
town. weekly by a Westerner
tr%ansplanted to New York City.
For many a newcomer the news
paper written in his native langu-
age is his only means of under
standing was goes on around
him. AS a medium of mass edu-
cation, among our foreign born
population, the foreign language
press is invaluable and fireplace
able.
The government itself has con-
tinually recognized foreign laneu-
age newspapers as an effective
medium through which to explain
and spread the American way of
life. to reach groups and regions
where no other means or angen-
cies can gain access. Now that
we are at war such cooperation
is more important than ever if
every part of our population is to
understand our war aims and con-
tribute its full part to the
measures necessary to achieve
victory.
That the foreign language press
is giving generous cooperation
toward that goal, the Common
Council can testify. AS a part of
its educational work it is sending
every week releases translated
into q languages, to some 1000
foreign language newspapers in
the United States - releases dis
cussing what we are fighting for,
selective service, defense bonds
and savings, measures of cioilian
defense, new laws and conditions
resulting from the war, citizen
ship and American backgrounds.
These releases, and many others
on similar themes, are reprinted
hundreds of times. In no langu-
age is it more important to keep
up a continual flow of such ma
terial than German, Italian and
japanese - the very languages
in which it is suggested that all
publications be suppressed.
The very idea of suppression is
so un-American, would give such
aid and comfort to the enemy,
and it is SO contrary to the prin-
ciples the administration has stood
for, that it is hardly to be taken
seriously. It reminded one foreign
language editor of an experience
in the last World War. He tells
of a military police chief who sent
a young lieutenant to search for
subversive literature supposed
to be c~onsealed in an office locat-
ed in a large building. After three
hours the lieutenant returned to
report that he made the search
and found nothing. But ito make
sure, he added, he had collected
all printed and written matter in
every Office in the building and
burned it in the middle of the
street! Suppression of the whole
foreign language press because of