The united American : a magazine of good citizenchip., January 01, 1925, Page 14, Image 14

Page Fourteen
THE UNITED AMERICAN
EDITORIAL
FOR THE BENEFIT OF COMPLAINING ALIENS
'T'HOSE ALIENS who are complaining so bitterly
over the limitations of personal liberty in Amer­
ica, who are ‘so loud in their praise of the liberty they
enjoyed in the old country, the country each of them
didn’t like any better than, to leave it behind, just a
few short years ago, might be interested in the induce­
ments to return to the old homeland which are now
being offered by most of the Atlantic steamship com­
panies who are announcing a cut-rate Third Class
privilege to many European ports and return for
$175.00. That means $87.50 Each way, from New
York to Europe, or visa versa.
The “cure” for many of those who complain so
bitterly lies in a trip to the old country. Too bad that
it is a necessary expense for many immigrants to
■incur in order to convince themselves of the existence
of some preferable conditions in America. But then,
it helps the steamship agents and the steamship
companies who would not make so much profit from
tourist travel were it not for the disgruntled elements
here, there and everywhere.
The American government is issuing re-entry
permits even to those aliens who are not satisfied,
and openly say so, giving them the chance of return­
ing without going to Ellis Island, except in special
cases.
Uncle Sam has always been fair. Again he is
demonstrating his fairness even to those who enjoy
his hospitality without any signs of reciprocation.
The proud sons of the old country, whatever its name,
who have so little regard for American citizenship and
membership in the great American family that re­
gulates its own affairs without consulting its
itinerants of the “I’ll-stay-if-I-like-it” kind, should
make haste to depart now that the exit-price is
reasonably low and help to make room for the many
anxious and worthy would-be emigrants on the other
side who have been on the quota list a long time
waiting for an opportunity to emigrate to America.
SAMUEL GOMPERS
NE OF THE most illustrious, names attached to
the modem era of America’s progress is that
of this humble immigrant boy who became one of
the foremost citizens of the country of his adoption.
Samuel Gompers, diminutive of physical stature
but a giant of spiritual power and intellectual
greatness, rose from the humble position of a cigar­
maker to an acknowledged position of leadership of
which there probably is no parallel.
American labor is more than indebted to Samuel
Gompers; it owes him a debt that can never be
measured in a material sense. Although his physical
body for some time showed unmistakable signs that,
he was losing out in the uneven struggle with the
advancing years, he remained at his post as the high
commander, the preceptor of the higher ideals in the
American Federation of Labor, until he closed his
eyes in eternal sleep. One may quote from a thousand
JANUARY, 1925
of Gompers’ speeches on American labor and its aims,
but the purpose for which he had dedicated his life
might be best understood by quoting the following
language from one of his sayings:
Our policy, our work, our method, our ideals, áre to build
to construct, to grow, to help in the development of the highest
and best in the human family; to make today a better day
•than yesterday, to make tomorrow a better day than today,
to make tomorrow and tomorrow’s tomorrow each a better
day than the one that has gone before. This evolutionary
process of progress and improvement is the basis for the op­
portunity for freedom, justice, and democracy.
This is the creed of a statesman, and the passing
of the man who uttered and professed it, and strove
with honest conviction for its fulfillment, is a matter
for sincere regret among all the people of our land.
PASSING OF AN HONORED CITIZEN OF
FOREIGN BIRTH
A CONSPICUOUS figure in the national Congress
passed away at his home in San Francisco on
December eighteenth. This man of high attainments
was Julius Kahn, for more than twenty years a mem­
ber of Congress from the Fourth California Congres­
sional District, which is the city of San Francisco.
He was Chairman of the House Committee on Military
Affairs, and held that position during the World War.
This brought him into great prominence and put much
labor and responsibility upon him, which he bore with
marked fidelity. Throughout his long career ini
public service the congressman from California was
held in the highest esteem for his unflinching loyalty
to the country of his choice and the fidelity he bore]
to his fellow citizens and. his constituents, who valued
his qualities in citizenship sufficiently to retain him
at his post for more than two score years.
A CENTENNIAL OF IMMIGRATION
OP HE CENTENNIAL of the coming of the firstj
1 emigrant ship “Restaurationen” from Norway!
will be celebrated this year in America on the initia­
tive of Norwegian immigrants and their descendants.!
Representation to the Postmaster General at Wash-1
ington, D. C., by Congressman Quale of Minnesota,]
to have the American government print an issue of]
Centennial postage stamps bearing an imprint of the]
little Norwegian emigrant ship is said to have met!
favorable consideration by that official. Minneapolis]
will be the headquarters for the contemplated celebra-g
tion Which is being generally supported by the]
Norwegian language newspapers, and the Norwegian]
societies in America.
This centennial should furnish the occasion fol
a candid review of past nationality practices ini
America, if anything constructive and worth-while is I
to remain when it is over.
There are two results that may be achieved!
through this celebration.
One may be beneficial to America and the Nori
wegian immigrant; the other may be detrimental to]
both.
If the celebration is aimed to remind America and]
the Norwegian immigrant in particular of the passing]
of a century, since the first immigrant body frol
Norway entered this country, for the purpose of tall
ing stock and checking up on whether or not the Nor-f