The united American : a magazine of good citizenchip., February 01, 1923, Page 9, Image 9

February, 1923
THE WESTERN AMERICAN
9
Uncle Sam Is Checking Up On Some Disturbing Elements Within
J' EADERS of foreign language organizations and
groups in America, unable from time to time to
stem the tide of Americanization inroads have of re­
cent years found it necessary to call upon their native
countries for assistance and this “call from Mace­
donia” to “come over and help us,” it is safe to say,
never goes unheeded in the land of their nativity.
Hence, the constant stream of orators, of greater and
lesser lights, mostly of the lesser, from the old world
who at regular intervals make the nationality group
circuits, “drumming up” fatherland interests among
their nationals, painting pictures designed to awaken
a feeling of “home-sickness” not particularly condu­
cive to contentment with the new homeland or to
create any real determination to make ideal American
citizenship the main objective.
Whether it is the fascinating picture of moonlit
nights along the romantic Adriatic, the Mediterranian
or the Aegean Sea shores, where the swains as
of yore are singing their amorous songs of love to
the maiden’s fair of sunny Italy or Greece, or it is
the glory of a northern land bathed in the glowing
light of the midnight sun spreading its magic carpet
of red and golden rays across the bosom of the mighty
ocean from its orb in the northern horizon to the
shore lines of the rugged coast dotted with beautiful
islands and inlets with peaceful little homes, the ef­
fect is the same, it quickens the pulse, it creates a
longing, a bitter longing, a greater determination than
I ever to “keep the faith,” to preserve a heart allegiance
to this land of childhood, the land, however, for most
of them, never to be. This innocent agitation has a
I tendency to develop resentment among the foreign
born, resentment against every happy being of this
new homeland in which they are but strangers, be­
cause they permit themselves to be blinded against its
wonderous beauty, because they refuse to go beyond
the group confine in search of true understanding, be­
cause they never try to learn the language properly
and to interpret the music in the laughter of happy
I carefree children at play, or the smiles and kindly
greeting of American acquaintances.
*
*
*
i The “Nordmandsforbundet,” an association of Nor­
wegians throughout the world, with headquarters at
Christiania, has, according to Norwegian newspapers,
engaged the Norwegian author, Johan Bojer, to go to
[the United States to lecture to the Norwegians in
America. He will lecture in this country, under the
auspices of the Nordmandsforbundet, in conjunction
with the nationwide organization in America, the
“Sons of Norway.” It is said that his lectures, which
will be in Norwegian, will deal with the Norse legends
and the fishing districts of Lofoten.
*
*
*
It is not very long ago since this organization sent
one of its official heads, Dr. Gade from Christiania to
[lecture to Norwegians in the colony centers in
America, under the same auspices. The announce­
ments of his coming revealed as little as the an­
nouncement of Bojer’s coming, that he was to make
any suggestions to the Norwegians, about to be as­
similated as Americans, to keep their “nationality
lamps bright and burning,” above all else. Yet, that
was Dr. Gade’s suggestion—we prefer to call it propa­
ganda—in his lecture (?) to the Norwegians of Port­
land. In his speech of Norway he stressed Norwegian
nationalism to a point of distraction, kindling the con­
sciousness of that nationality to the best of his ability.
Dr. Gade, a very astute little gentleman, trained in
the art of diplomatic propaganda, made caustic ref­
erences to our acclaimed “one hundred per cent Amer­
icans” whom he had encountered while in America.
He had “even run across” Norwegians who “preferred
to be called Americans.” In order to sufficently ridi­
cule those “Americanized” Norwegians he stated in
his Portland lecture that he asked them this question:
“When you stand alongside of a Pole, a Russian, an
Italian and a Greek, claiming as much, how do you
feel then about being a hundred per cent American ?”
“Concluding his address the doctor did condescend
that it might be perfectly all right for Norwegians to
become citizens of America, while he appealingly ad­
monished them “not to forget to be Norwegians first.”
*
♦
♦
The Nordmandsforbundet was not organized for the
purpose of instilling disaffection in the hearts of
Norwegians who have become citizens of other coun­
tries. On the contrary, it was founded for the pur­
pose of instilling greater efforts to achieve honorable
success, in the countries to which they had emigrated,
by making the magazine of the association a messen­
ger between Norwegian-born citizens of every land.
In this way the association hoped to be of world-wide
benefit to the present generation of the Norse people
of whom a larger number than ever before have gone
out in the world seeking greater oportunities than
the land of their birth had to offer.
♦
♦
♦
While we at the time did not publicly take issue
with Dr. Gade, we feel, in view of the fact that an­
other emissary of the “Forbundet’s” cause is coming
to America, that the “Nordmandsforbundet” should
censor Mr. Bojer’s speech before he leaves Norway
and see to that he “sticks” to his subject as announced
and admonish him not to inject any of the Dr. Gade
brand of “Norwegian first of all” gospel as an anti­
dote to the Americanization of his countrymen who
have come here and made America their home.
Generous to a fault, Uncle Sam has patiently lis­
tened to these lurid tales of foreign emissaries and
interpreters within, robbing these children who have
sought him for opportunity and protection of the
happiness and contentment they are entitled to as
members of his family, a family too heterogeneous as
a result of outside interference.
Gradually the light is dawning. Uncle Sam is do­
ing a lot of thinking these days. The propagandist at
home and from abroad should be able to read a new
determination in the countenance of Uncle Sam. A
house cleaning is due most any day, for Uncle Sam is
not only peeved, he is getting sore, mighty sore.