## SCUM O' THE MELTING-POT

By Herbert Kaufman

Signed editorial feature, April 1920, issue
"McClure's Magazine."

### THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE,
The Constitution and the Gettysburg Address are descendants of the Magna Charta —supreme symbols of Anglo-Saxon souls striving for freedom, justice and humanity. Anglo-Saxons established this nation, wrote its code and sent their sons into the wilderness to gather fresh stars for the flag.

Anglo-Saxon purpose cowed the intervening wastes, discovered world granaries beneath the prairies, scaled the grim western hills and unmasked Eldorado, questioned sullen deserts until they answered with gardens, and finished on the Pacific the great adventure begun at Plymouth Rock.

Then, when the last taunting horizon had been met and vanquished, when axe and rifle had won an empire, when scattered settlements were beaded on threads of steel, and a safe highway through opportunity had been paved in their generous blood, the pioneers, the risk-takers, tossed their port-keys into the ocean and invited all creation to come at leisure and share a "sure thing."

The making of America is fundamentally an Anglo-Saxon achievement. Anglo-Saxon brains have guided the course of the republic. Our ideals are Anglo-Saxon, our social traditions, our standards of honor, our quality of imagination and our indomitability.

But Anglo-Saxon opinion is a fast diminishing force in national determinations. Strange shoddy has lately crept in the loom on which we weave our destiny; intermarriage is steadily diluting the foundation strain, and if we continue to hold gates and veins wide open, Anglo-Saxon conscience will soon cease to captain our genius.

It would slander a vast body of loyal citizens not to admit the devoted service of all who fought for us, wrought with us, valiantly supported the country in every crisis. Yet, a review of the past fifty years discloses that each successive tide of immigrants has displayed less and less sympathy with our institutions, is more confirmed in its racial solidarity, more resistant to environment and assimilation.

Ominous statistics proclaim the persistent development of a parasite mass within our domain—our political system is clogged with foreign bodies which stubbornly refuse to be absorbed, and means must be found to meet the menace. We have taken unto ourselves a Trojan horse crowded with ignorance, illiteracy and envy. We have Hessionized our essential enterprises until alien workers predominate the basic industries of the country and

hold further progress at their regardless
mercy.

Provocateurs of revenge and anarchy—opportunist and demagogues—are already forging their strength into a weapon that bodes democracy ill.

Reckless state laws admit them to local elections without process of naturalization, and inadequate naturalization tests put votes into their hands before we fairly get English into their heads.

The will of America is not calling land over
for strikes—the fist of America is not brand-
ishing I. W. W. bombs—the choice of America
is not sophisticating Congress and legislatures
with snide statesmanship.

Nay, the voice of America is being slowly
drowned in jargon voices crying hate between
labor and capital—hate between blindness and
vision—hate between culture and coarseness—
hate between law and license—even hate be-
tween the Anglo-Saxon peoples.

ON TO THE MELTING-POT AND CLEAN
IT O' THIS SCUM!