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About The Northman. (Portland, Or.) 1920-192? | View Entire Issue (April 29, 1920)
Entered as Second Class Matter, at Portland, Oregon, October 13, 1904, under the Act of Congress of March, 1879. Volume 1 I THE COPY 15c in Canada f Portland, Oregon, April 29,1920 . The Northman V. _______________________________ / “There is the moral of all human tales; ’tis but the same rehearsal of the past, First Freedom, and then Glory—when that fails, Wealth, vice, corruption—.barbarism at last, And History, with all her volumes vast, Hath but one page.” Thus wrote Lord Byron, Britain’s mad cap poet, a century ago after bidding fare well to his native land never to return, proceeding to Switzerland, Italy, and later, to Athens to join the Greeks in their desperate struggle to throw off the oppres sive yoke of the Turk. Is this the unalterable cycle of all nations—republics as well as monarchies? We of, and for America believe not— must believe not—if we are to have an ideal and a faith attached to that ideal. We believe that the progress of democ racy is irresistable; that today is the best day the world has seen for the greatest number of the children of the earth. Democracy has brought this day and it is the duty of democracy to make tomorrow a better one, thus moving onward toward the perfect day. For this faith the flower of our citizen ship crossed the seas to subdue the men ace that arose in Europe and for this faith we must work during periods of peace. This thought should be kept in view by the public prints of the country,—every newspaper, every magazine, no matter what may be its particular field of activity, for in this lies the spirit of Americanism which must be upheld first and foremost if our nation is to press forward and en dure. The Northman in its succession to a foreign language publication believes that it is placing the keystone in the arch of a bridge that will carry the alien and the citizen of alien speech and attitude of mind across into the atmosphere of American thought and that closer affilia tion necessary to true naturalization. There are children numbering into the millions in America, descendants of for eign born, who grievously lament the cir cumstances which rendered their parents unable to grasp the significance, the im portance and the advantages of the more perfect naturalization which should have been theirs as a heritage that would have been an ever-present aid all through their lives, constantly contributing to their suc cess and to their happiness- Their paths have been more thorny and their progress more difficult because of it. Shall this wrong be continued another generation ? The pioneers from the Northlands brought with them not only the rugged principles of good citizenship, but many shining strands of culture twined in the shimmering sparkle of crystal heights; many strong fibres spun from centuries witching glow of the midnight sun and of struggle for existence on the dreamy uplands and in the chimerical valleys swung between the scraggy rocks of austere heights, and many bright threads drawn from adventure and achievement in Neptune’s realm of the seven seas and the polar domain of Boreas. The foreign language agencies—press and pulpit and parochial school—have not only failed to weave this splendid cultural contribution into the fabric of Americanism, but failed to inculcate the lore of the Northlands in their children and their children’s children so that in going out to find their places in life and make their way through the industrial, social and political avenues of society they would be equipped to meet all with whom they might come in contact with the confidence, pride and dignity of bearing which comes from its possession, and further, be enabled to impress upon those with whom they came in contact something from that culture which would command respect and higher regard. Academic America appreciates this in a degree but the great mass of American citizenship does not. It is frankly admit ted by the heads of the Scandinavian church denominations but the greater part of the press is still blind because it will not see. The clergy has been brought to an understanding through the fact that after confirmation in a language they did not consider their own, the children, reaching the bounds of parental control, passed on out of the church and the reli gion of their fathers never to return. This fact has brought about a change in the once uncompromising attitude for the per petuation of the native tongue in America for it has dawned upon the church organi zations that they were committing slow but certain suicide. The Northman is an amalgamation and continuation of the Pacific Skandinaven and The American Scandinavian. Pioneer work has been done by the one and the other advances from the ranks of the for eign language press to join hands and take up the work in this field in which the foreign language agencies have so con- spiciously failed, and endeavor to carry it forward toward success. Through the medium of the common language it will direct its efforts toward bringing the for eign and native born into a better under standing of each other and toward de veloping that better citizenship which will come from a removal of the barriers and« obstructions raised by race prejudice. In this work The Northman is confi dent it will meet with the wholesouled and cordial co-operation of all fair-minded and red-blooded Americans regardless of ra cial origin and it earnestly invites a measure of support in keeping with the CO THE YEAR by Subscription Number 1 scope and importance of the undertaking. That there may be no misconception it may be stated that it will be non-partisan, non-sectarian, independent in all things and fair, liberal and temperate in all things. Representatives of all the races which have assembled beneath freedom’s banner will find something of interest in its contents, for the hope of the ages stirs the soul of Scandinavian, Saxon, Slav or Semitic alike. As Americans all must be one. To the end that we may keep the good we have gained and progress toward a higher and better civilization promoting the general welfare and happiness of the races transplanted in this Fair Land of Promise, and that it shall continue to be the refuge of the oppressed of the world so long as nations shall endure, but its banner never a shield for the unworthy from any land, The Northman is solemnly dedicated. BUILDING A BETTER CITIZENSHIP. A WORK of inestimable value is being inaugurated in some of the Eastern states through a night school department of the public schools. The pupils of the night schools are principally foreigners who have sought employment in the iron ranges, coal mining districts and other industrial communities employing for eigners on a large scale. Among the subjects discussed in the night schools are various ways of earning a livelihood, the laws of business, letter writing, politeness, the importance of neatness of dress and person are things taught as well as the English language, federal, state and city government, and the practical utility of all the various departments of civic affairs. This is practical work in the making of American citizens and should be advanced in every community having a foreign born element. It is important that the for eigner arrive at an early understanding of the governmental difference between the United States and the country from which he came, and that here he is expected to acquire the kingly qualifications of self- government- A kindly, helpful and thoughtful interest taken in the foreigner, no matter from what country he may come, instead of an attitude of antagonism, will go a long way toward making them desirable citizens, whereas the opposite attitude tends to force exclusion, ignor ance of our liberal institutions and a spirit of viciousness and antagonism to law and authority, exemplified in what we have come to call “red” or I. W. W.-ism. The simplest, best and most direct course in Americanism The Northman can recommend is a study of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.