Page Eighteen
showed that $935,434,706 was lopped off the debt. The
reduction in the calendar year 1923 was $1,072,-
250,610.
A reduction of $234,422,256 was made in the debt
in the December fiscal operations alone, and a further
reduction is expected when the Treasury completes
its March financing.
The American people paid $1,773,509,732 in taxes
on their incomes and profits in 1924, or about $21,000,-
000 less than in 1923.
In the first six months of 1924 the receipts from
income and profits taxes were $783,585,050, while in
the last half of the year they aggregated $989,924,682.
For comparison, it was shown that income and profits
taxes yielded $819,387,973 in the first six months of
1923 and $974,686,563 in the last half of the same
year. Customs revenues were $504,912,472 in the last
twelve months, compared with $565,030,008 in the
calendar year 1923, which, according to government
officials, is said accurately to reflect the trend of the
world’s trade with the United States.
Efficiency in government is basically attached to
economic management of the financial affairs of the
nation. Public confidence rises and falls in propor
tion to the display of efficient or deficient adminis
tration.
The present administration is not only pledged
to economy, but the success which has already been
attained in effecting reductions in cost of goernment
plus the re-payments made against our staggering
public war debt has produced an effect upon the
country at large that perhaps is best seen in the
steadiness of America’s financial market. The con
fidence that is generated at home is in turn reflected
abroad where stability and confidence are essential
to the return of pre-war financial and industrial
relations and more than all else — peace.
Be proud of America. Boast of America. Every
citizen of foreign birth should feel an especial urge
to back his adopted country with every ounce of good
will and by every word spoken. He should challenge
every disgruntled knocking and kicking individual
whether he is native or foreign-born.
AN
COURSE IN CITIZENSHIP
TRAINING •
HTHE EXTENSION course in citizenship instruction
for the particular benefit of the adult immigrant
people of Astoria and vicinity, which will be given
during 1925 through the columns of the United
American and will appear in a series of articles or
letters written by A. C. Strange, Superintendent of
Public Education at Astoria, commences in this issue,
and the first letter, under the heading “Becoming
an American”, appears on page nine.
Backing this course — and backing The United
American as a potent influence in the construc
tion and formation of good citizenship among the
foreign-born as well as being a reliable source for
Americanization interpretation— stand the Astoria
Americanization Council, the Astoria Chamber of
Commerce and allied patriotic forces and more than
two thousand adult immigrant people of Astoria.
With all the letters of endorsement from public
EXTENSION
JANUARY, 1925
officials and prominent educators from all over Amer
ica who have seen in The United American the force
for Americanization that is needed in a publication
devoted to this cause, it remained for Astoria to be the
first city in the country to incorporate The United
American in its local work of adult immigrant educa
tion and Americanization.
In connection with the course, Judge Buchanan of
Astoria and the Editor of The United American will
conduct a question and answer forum for general in
formation in matters of citizenship.
The immigrant problem in Astoria is not in any
particular sense different from that of any other
urban center where immigrant people live and labor
in a considerable number. Astoria only differs in
regard to public interest. What Astoria is doing
today a few other cities are already doing, and many
more will eventually be doing the same thing when
local bickering and differences of opinion as well as
the present indifference and ignorance have been
superseded by a thoroughly Americanized community
spirit.
There is still too much of a tendency to treat the
Americanization element of thought in a relative sense
with Einstein’s theories, psychic analysis, bridge, five-
hundred and common or uncommon club discussions.
Those who venture beyond this point of interest do so
largely to become known as patrons and patronesses
of some activity having for its purpose to “■stage”
something on rare occasions with a few foreign-born
people adding color to the performance.
The job of Americanization is a continuous one so
long as immigrants are coming through our gates, and
due to the sad fact that we had never done anything
in this field of thought, until after the recent war, there
is an enormous job on our hands, to remedy the mis
takes of the past and help to assimilate and intelli
gently Americanize the millions already here who are
living spiritually isolated from that America of which
they are geographically a part.
More than two thousand immigrant people of
Astoria and vicinity are taking this course as indi
viduals and in groups. Into these many homes, in
this section alone, this instrumentality for better citi
zenship will find its way during 1925 and, to the large
percentage, continuously for years to come.
To other Centers in Oregon where adult immi
grants live who are untrained in citizenship, this
course and The United American are available. The
simple gospel of true Americanism, a gospel of
tolerance and good will, that runs through its
columns, is the most direct antidote available against
racial and religious intolerance and, radicalism of this
or that foreign brand.
With The United American a new influence for
good will enters among the people of Astoria and
vicinity, and the result there, as elsewhere where
The United American has gained ground, will be a
better and finer standard of citizenship and less noise
from the camps of the misguided and agitated aliens
who are more to be pittied than reviled for their
erroneous ideas, thoughts and speech — the net
returns in every field where there is no constructive
Americanization work.
THE UNITED AMERICAN