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About The united American : a magazine of good citizenchip. (Portland, Or.) 1923-1927 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 1927)
Page Six THE UNITED AMERICAN on the borderline between America and the foreign colony. We will more than gladly furnish evidence in support of our contentions, even from the utter ances of the very agencies that claim to speak as official interpreters of the foreign language press in America. A vast amount of money is now being collected annually by clever foreign preceptors who attempt, in the language of America, to make it appear that the foreign language press and the foreign colony “contrib ute” to the Americanization of the foreign born. So adroitly is this activity carried on that the main sup port of the interpreters is now collected from large and influential American concerns and even from the American public treasury of city and community. This work to square the foreign language press with American public opinion, through interpretations furnished by men who in verity are, by thought and careful training, part and parcel of the foreign lan guage press, is nothing short of being an achieve ment, for so well have they “put it over” that even the great national advertisers are now making liberal concessions to the foreign language newspaper so that even sheets with a slightly concealed, but, never theless, unmistakably radical leaning, receive re munerative patronage. The community merchant, who, for business rea sons, won’t express an opinion, who is always in favor of the views of his last customer, who is so spine less in his citizenship that he cannot conceal his dollar patriotism, has gradually swung around to the idea of seeking what benefits he can through trade develop ment with the foreign colony. Nevertheless he sel dom misses an opportunity to cuss out all the foreign colony institutions—when he is safe among his Amer ican friends where his foreign born customers have no card of admittance—and, to make certain that no one shall question his patriotism, he makes donations to the propaganda makers who send forth veritable streams of immigrant suspicion, with all its kindred hate and animosity. If these conditions are not ideal for the agitating Communist, we are looking through the wrong end of the American binocular. * * * The Banker who told us that the foreign colony community was an asset to the large community of which it was a part and claimed himself entirely dis interested in any effort to assimilate and Ameri canize the foreign born, is out of step with the all- American movement of making America a fit place for everybody who claims the right to live on a foot ing of equality within her borders. He may have benefited by present conditions, but his reactions re veal him to be a man with negligible interest in any thing beyond his world of money. A young business man who saw service, in a safe position, during the world war and through fortunate connections obtained an influential position in a mighty financial institution where his opinion—be cause of his war service!—invariably is reckoned with, is working a game of pretense that is surpassing every precedent in the field of pretentions. Among the service men, in their organizations, his voice is heard February 1927 to favor drastic measures to “curb” the “foreign in fluences,” but in the financial institution where he exercises considerable influence, he reacts against acknowledged Americanization work and responds to the counsel and advice of shrewd foreign consular representatives and foreign preceptors who exploit those of their countrymen who come to them in confi dence, because of limited language knowledge.- Here again it is the business contact that shapes the mental attitude of aggressive and solicitous business Ameri cans who wield a large and growing influence where men in business and professions seek counsel. When such men will go out of their way to be little, undermine and ridicule self-sacrificing service in the interest of Americanization and intelligent ad vocacy in its favor, because they draw patronage from organized and influential foreign group heads, then we have in part the answer to the social indifference encountered where foreign influences are concentrated. So long as the American business and industrial world is sufficiently divided, on the subject of Americaniza tion, assimilation and naturalization of the foreign born, to give the traitors a tangible financial support and sympathetic contact, so long will the progress of Americanization and adult elementary training for citizenship have an Uphill road to travel. Americanization is an antidote to Communism as much as it is an antidote to immigrant ignorance and reaction to foreign interests of all sorts. * * * A family of orphaned children who recently lost their widowed immigrant father, through an accident that placed liability directly at the door of others, found themselves immediately at the mercy of a nationality preceptor, a man of many seals, foreign and domestic, a man whose foreign credentials are of a kind that immigrants have great respect for. Friends and helpful neighbors, who had given the children care and parental attention, when the father, for months at a time, was away in pursuit of a liveli hood, stood helpless in the premises. The adminis tration rights went to the foreign representative, who in bringing the action for damages, through hired counsel, obtained more than half of the amount re covered in behalf of the children, as a contingent fee in the case, plus the administration fees. The case was one possessing all the elements for a speedy and adequate adjustment. It could have been handled for a moderate legal fee and, thus, the children would have obtained the major, portion of the sum adjudged as commensurate compensation for damages. The immigrants are trained to trust those who are vested with authority; hence, it is not difficult to inveigle them into giving authorization of trust to individuals of their nationality, who are falsely solicitous for their welfare in property and money matters. Many nationality representatives, with foreign crown emblems over their office doors, have made fortunes out of the misfortunes visited upon those whom they allege that they protect. . If the for eign born could learn to understand that emergency trust and administration authorization would be safer for their loved ones if given to some reputable Trust