s®
JANUARY, 1925
THE UNITED AMERICAN
Page Three
Bureaucracy
t
s
'THE people of America have
during the last decade or
two, in some states more than
in others, drifted so far in the
direction of bureaucracy, that
the effects are plainly discernible
in many respects, but particular­
ly in the constant accumulation
of governmental! grief, and the
people are finding it more and
more difficult to place the res­
ponsibility for misconduct and
maladministiation on the part
of their bureaucratic officials.
Oregon is one of many states
that are encumbered with too
many Bureaus and Commissions
— too many, even if our inhabit­
ants numbered more than ten
million people, let alone that
we have not yet reached the
million mark in population. This
system has produced a veritable
flood of “leaners” — people who
live at the public pie-counter
and feed on the taxpayers
through Bureau or Commis­
sion appropriations,
The po-
tentialities for political scheming
in nearly every Board and Com­
mission are beyond comprehen­
sion. The purposes of these com­
missions are nearly always of
secondary consideration by those
who hold positions as commis­
sioners, managers and directors
of activities. That ils at least the
impression gained by the outsider
whose public interest causes him
to make a survey.
The legislative body now in
session should not deter action.
Pruning of Bureaus and Com­
missions should commence with­
out delay. To begin with, many
independently acting institutions
of this sort should be consoli­
dated and their power greatly
reduced. Their appropriations
should be cut to the core and
in many instances denied.
Public Service must get a new
interpretation and Public Office
must no longer be considered as
a “compensation for political
services rendered” but as an in­
stitution for public good.
No one should be appointed to
a public office unless he is quali­
fied for the service and ap­
preciates that PUBLIC service
does not differ from any other
service in point of personal
value and performance.
r.terehv Muriseli Color Services Lab
AMERICAN
A Magazine of Good Citizenship
The Recognized Americanization Journal For Oregon
Pacific Northwest
Published Monthly By
The Northman Publishing Company
(Incorporated)
Officers
H. J. Langoe, President
B. G. Skulason, Sec-Treasurer
Phone Broadway 6600
Offices and Publishing House
Labbe Building, 227% Washington Street, Portland, Oregon
H. J. LANGOE, Editor
Q
V UI. O
Continuous O1
Volume
"1
January, 1925
Number 4
CONTENTS
EDITORIAL SUBJECTS—
For the Benefit of Complaining Aliens; Samuel Gompers;
Passing of an Honored Citizen of Foreign Birth; A
Centennial of Immigration; In the Interest of the Law-
breakers; Opportunities in Oregon; China’s Internal Di­
lemma; The State Legislature; Reducing America’s Public
Indebtedness; An Extension Course in Citizenship Training.. .14-18
IMMIGRANT TRAINING .SHOULD BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF
PUBLIC EDUCATION..................................................... .
BUREAUCRACY ................................................... .........
AMERICANIZATION AS PUBLIC EDUCATION ..................... ..
BECOMING AN AMERICAN.............................
-..
By A. C. Strange, Superintendent of City Schools of Astoria.
NEW YORK’S LITERACY TEST OF VOTERS IS PRONOUNCED
A SUCCESS..............................................................................
By W. J. O’Shea, Superintendent New York’s Public Schools.
QUESTION AND ANSWER PAGE FOR FOREIGN-BORN......... ..
19-20
ON THE BORDERLAND OF TRUTH AND FALSEHOOD
21-22
POINTED LESSONS IN AMERICANIZATION...............
22
THE LIONS’ SHARE IN AMERICANIZATION ...............
23-24
A PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF SOUND GOSPEL.........
By George M. Rommel in “The Country Gentleman.”
THE FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAW, ITS APPLICATION AND
ADMINISTRATION ..............................................................
25-26
CONGRESS EXPECTED TO MAKE MANY CHANGES IN
NATURALIZATION LAW......................................................
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Instructions for change of address should be sent two weeks in ad­
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Entered as Second Class Mail Matter in the Post Office at Portland,
Oregon, under the Act of Congress of March Third, 1879.