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About The united American : a magazine of good citizenchip. (Portland, Or.) 1923-1927 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 1922)
October, 1922 THE WESTERN AMERICAN (lament the circumstances which rendered their par ents unable to grasp the significance and the ad vantages of the more perfect naturalization which should have been theirs. That the paths of these foreign born people have been more thorny and their (progress more difficult because of it, no one will deny. This wrong must be righted. I The early pioneers from the old world brought with ■them not only the rugged principles of good citizen- Iship, but many shining strands of culture, many strong fibres of character, coming from the latitudes of the midnight sun or the moonlit shores of the ■Mediterranean, where the struggle for existence ■moulded purposeful natures and strong wills. While ■these pioneers built these cultural characteristics into the new America, later immigrants have largely failed to follow in their footsteps. [ Through the medium of our common language, the language of America, The Western American will ■direct its efforts toward the development of the ■Americanization movement until true-hearted ■Americans, in every community and hamlet, have ■become enlisted in the cause. Through the common [language it will seek to bring the foreign bom and (the native born into a better understanding of each (other, thereby developing that better citizenship [which will come from a removal of the barriers and (obstructions raised by religious and racial preju dices. j Every agency of Americanization — the night schools; the home visitors, chiefly women and rep- resentatives of women’s organizations, who bring a little ray of America into the homes of the alien; the [court of domestic relations, where the crying needs fcf Americanization are revealed in the delinquency of the children of the foreign born; the schools and preparatory naturalization classes, and the courts of [naturalization — will be frankly and fairly dealt with in The Western American. Legislation, in congress and in state legislature, [affecting immigration; education of the alien, the [adults and the children; the development of the pro jected industrial schools of Americanization, etc., will be reviewed, encouraged or discouraged, accord ing as they represent or misrepresent the true spirit [of America. I In this work The Western American is confident it ■ will meet with the wholehearted and cordial co-opera- tion of all fair-mindd Americans, regardless of racial [origin, and it earnestly invites a measure of support in keeping with the scope and importance of this un- Kertaking. I That there may be no misconception it may be [stated that The Western American will follow the [policy established by its predecessor, and continue to be non-partisan, non-sectarian, independent and fair, liberal and temperate in all things. Represen tatives of all the races which have assembled be neath freedom’s banner will find something of inter est in its contents, for the hope of the ages stirs the soul of the Nordic, the Saxon, the Slav and the Semitic alike. I The Western American will endeavor to promote the welfare and happiness of the races transplanted in this Fair Land of Promise, so long as they are per- mitted to immigrate into America to make their homes and become a part of the American people, but if will ever be a foe against the unworthy from 1 every land who have sought shield and protection under the flag of the United States of America. To the end that we may keep the good we have gained and progress towards a higher and better standard of citizenship, interlocking every unit of our people and aid the American democracy in showing the world the way to peace and happiness, the West ern American is solemnly dedicated. WHAT AMERICA STANDS FOR By Rabbi David Levine T N A FIT of frenzied patriotism the Rev. Mr. Kra- A mer exclaims from his pulpit: “I am an Amer ican, a Fourth of July American. My creed is Amer ica for Americans.” Too soon have some forgotten how Mark Twain exposed the absurdity of this sentiment. Were not the very discoverers of America foreigners? Does not the composition of its citizenship justify the definition that an American is a foreigner who has sworn allegiance to the Stars and Stripes, or the de scendant of such a foreigner? “America for Americans!” is a creed well fitted to check our development and to thrust us into sui cidal isolation. A cry arose in the Orient—“China for the Chinese!” and lo, the great yellow giant writhed under the heels of his triumphant foes! A cry arose in the Occident—“Spain for the Span iards !”—and now none so poor to do her homage. Moreover, is not the Rev. Mr. Kramer’s American ism porcine in the superlative degree? Is he pre pared to maintain that the Jew of Nazareth would have countenanced such a doctrine? Since when, then, is it the function of the Christian ministry to distill into Christian ears and Christian hearts the deadly suppuration of selfishness? A man that is guilty of such an utterance as the Rev. Mr. Kramer’s would shut the door of America in the face of a John T. Sullivan and boycott the steamship company that brought him from Ireland. Let us who are born Americans and our fellow citizens from other shores ever remember that at the gateway of our beloved country stands the genius of America gazing o’er the seas, offering freedom and light to myriads groaning in the bondage of ill-re quited toil or groping in the valley of the shadow of death. Let us remember that America is the home of the brave and that “the bravest are the tenderest.” , Silenced be every cry that turns us from the golden path of America’s golden destiny! Let our death less slogan be—“America for humanity!” AN AMERICAN CREED By The Outlook I am an American. * . * * I believe in the dignity of labor, the sanctity of the home, and the high destiny of democracy. ♦ ♦ * Courage is my birthright, justice my ideal, and faith in humanity my guiding star. ♦ ♦ ♦ By the sacrifice of those who suffered that I might live, who died that America might endure, I pledge my life to my country and the liberation of mankind.