5
THE NORTHMAN
afterthought will show how difficult it
would be to prohibit the issuance of news
papers and periodicals in foreign lan
guages. It would then be necessary to
prohibit the importation of books and all
else that was not printed in English.
Many of the world’s greatest masterpieces
would be banished from our country. Men
of science and artists would become pro
vincial and isolated from the world. It is
idle to say that any such thing could
happen in America.”
Well wonder! We will see what will
happen to the law in Oregon, and the
other attacks on free speech and the liber
ty of the press, both in and out of Con
gress, in Washington.
Mr. Butler’s expression shows, at
least, understanding and sound logic. In
a matter pertaining to the immigrants,
these times, this is a rare phenomena.
Therefore he shall be mentioned. But
war’s aftermath—folly, ignorance, imbe
cility, selfishness, narrow vision and en
thusiastic perverted patriotism,—is con
tinuously and strongly felt.
H. SUNDBY-HANSEN.
It is inconceivable that the American
Red Cross is aware of the character of the
matter sent out under its auspices in its
information bulletins. It is also apparent
that censorship is not exercised by the
Government or by the Red Cross over this
‘information service,” for this is but one
of many of the same character. The at
tention of both is therefore specifically
directed to what appears to be a flagrant
abuse of confidence as well as of privilege.
This bulletin has been published in
practically all the Norwegian papers com
ing to The Northman’s exchange table,
and presumably in all the papers of that
language in the United States.
Does this point the way to national uni
fication ?
Does the inculcation of this lead to the
amalgamation of all the racial elements
making up this nation?
Is this the doctrine of true American
ism?
Does this interpret the national ideals ?
Does this show the proper respect for
things the true citizenship of this country
holds sacred?
Does this breathe the spirit of Washing
ton and Lincoln?
If so, then The Northman’s conception
is all wrong, and this Red Cross Informa
tion Service should be permitted to go on
sowing the seed and nurturing the plant
to fruition.
If not, there should be prompt correc
tive action.
The Northman will not critise, discuss
in detail or present its views of what it
believes to be in part, or wholly, wrong
in the above at this time, except to point
out the half-veiled scorn and contempt for
the popular conception of things Ameri
can, and to ask all wbo read, what con
clusions they draw from this teaching in
the guise of Government approbation.
Having done so, we ask all who consider
it a matter of sufficient importance, to
express their views in a letter to The
Northman for publication. It matters not
what your views may be, they will receive
consideration. What we are searching for
is the truth. A copy of this issue of The
Northman is sent to the President, cabinet
officers, all United States Senators and
members of the House pf Representatives
and to the governors of all the states in
the union, together with a letter calling
their attenion to the situation. How
ever, no matter what their views may be,
we want expressions from the rank and
file of citizenship, the foreign as well as
native born, and from those in the most
humble stations as well as those in the
most exalted,
The Americanization movement in its
relation to language is characterized by
the foreign language press as an attempt
to destroy all languages but the “English”
in America. Such is not the case. The
Northman believes that the knowledge of
foreign languages should be encouraged
for the general good, for their cultural
value and the broadened vision and advan
tages of such knowledge in the progress
of the nation. We contend that our lan
guage is not English and foreign, but
American and our own. We contend that
a fair working knowledge of it should be
required of every man and woman to whom
is granted the rights and privileges of
citizenship and that it should be a qualifi
cation required of every voter, male or
female, native or foreign-born. We
believe that such regulatory measures
should be adopted in relation to the
foreign language press as will enable it
to perform all the service and all the good
possible without working injury or hard
ship. We do not believe this to be a dif
ficult problem. But to permit the foreign
language press to go its own sweet way
inculcating the scorn, derision and con
tempt of Europe’s “cultured” class for all
things American is not to be tolerated.
| The Thoroughbred |
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SPIRIT OF AMERICA.
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(Editorial “Oregon Journal” May 8, 1920) |
I
XVHEN H. J. LANGOE, as a youth,
sailed from Norway to the
United States, the parting counsel of
his father was, “My son, be a good
citizen of the country to which you
are going to make your home.”
At the close of a visit to the home-
land, the father repeated the admo-
nition, “My son, remember, always
be a good citizen of the land in which
you have made your home.”
The inspiration of the paternal ad-
vice appeared not long ago in Mr.
Langoe’s eloquent appeal for the
Americanization of the foreign lan-
guage press in this country.
It appears again in the very credit-
able first issue of The Northman,
printed in English and published in
Portland as a continuation and amal-
gamation of the Pacific Skandinaven
and the American Scandinavian. Of
this publication Mr. Langoe is manag-
ing editor. In reference to its prede-
cessors, the Northman says:
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Pioneer work has been done by the one,
and the other advances from the ranks of
the foreign language press to join hands and
take up the work in this field in which the
foreign language agencies have so conspicu-
ously failed, and endeavor to carry it for-
ward to success. Through the medium of
the common language it will direet its ef-
forts toward bringing the foreign and native
born into a better understanding of each
other and toward developing that better citi-
zenship which will come from a removal of
the barriers and obstructions raised by race
e prejudice.
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A worthy ideal this. It is the spirit
which in the beginning made Ameri-
canism and is no less potent now to
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Tllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllillllllllllllllllllkll7
HT HE FOLLOWING story is told by a
1 man well known to many, but whose
modesty will not admit of giving his
name. He tells it as a tribute to an im
pression upon character made by service
in the ranks:
A funeral procession moved slowly
along the street. I rode in the first car
riage, conversing quietly with some
friends about the amiable and lovable man
whom we were bearing to his final resting
place.
Looking ahead, we noticed coming
toward us on his wheel at a leisurely pace
a soldier of the regular army. He was a
stalwart, lithe, supple, well-formed young
fellow, and he sat his bicycle with the
grace of an athlete. He wore one of those
light brown canvas suits that have be
come so familiar to our eyes, and he looked
really graceful as well as cool and com
fortable in it on that genial summer after
noon. His sojourn had done him in brown
till he was as swart as an Indian. As he
drew near our first carriage his trained
military eye took in the situation. He
carefully slowed up, softly dismounted,
struck a soldierly attitude, lifted his soft
brown hat, and stood, hat in hand, erect
and trim, with downcast eyes, till that
entire line of sombre carriages passed
slowly by him.
The last vehicle gone by, he quietly
mounted and went his way, laying no
special stress upon what he had just done,
we suppose. It may have seemed but a
little thing to him, but, after all, was it a
little thing?
It made a profound and beautiful im
pression upon the sorrowing company in
that long line of carriages. It was such a
graceful and appropriate tribute to death
and sorrow that it very deeply touched the
hearts of all who witnessed it.
It seemed almost as if that plain,
bronzed soldier had known personally the
noble Christian man whose casket we were
accompanying, and he desired to render
him the full honor that he so richly
merited.
The tears gathered in the eyes of more
than one in our carriage. An elderly busi
ness man hastily brushed the gathering
mist from his eyes and impressively said:
“That’s no common fellow. He’s a genuine
thoroughbred, he is.” And we all inward
ly uttered a hearty Methodist amen to the
sentiment of our earnest friend.
Blood and training will tell everywhere.
That brave young soldier did not have to
make an effort to perform the delicate
action of that day. It was purely sponta
neous, and had the ease and grace of
nature. His home and military training
had entered into him and become a part of
him, a sort of second nature, as it were.
This little incident will go with me
through life. It impressed me so deeply.
Every time I see a girl honoring her
mother, or a manly boy courteous and
thoughtful in regard to the comfort of
his parents or his sisters, in memory I
shall again behold that respectful young
hero standing uncovered as our long line
of carriages moved by. •
A MERE CONSUMER
“And who are you ?” St. Peter cried,
As he the cringing stranger eyed.
The poor shade shrank against the wall;
“I’m a consumer, that it all.”