Jews. The Jewish leader replied to the mayor's words of welcome, saying: "We are overwhelmed that the ruler of the city should greet us. We have never been spoken to by the officials of our own country except in terms of harshness, and although we have heard of the great land of freedom, it is very hard to realize that we are permitted to grasp the hand of the great man. We will do all we can to make good citizens.'

South America is the point of destination for many of the Latin races. Argentina for instance received in 1908, 250,000 immigrants. On landing they were all given five days' free board and lodging; railroad tickets were given them to any point designated by them, with support for two days after arrival. All mechanics or laborers who applied were found places by the National Bureau of Labor. Cannot we in the United States do as well and thus make fellow-citizens out of foreigners?

To the great words already discussed, there must be added another, even greater and that is "education." The public school is working a miracle of transformation among the alien children, but adult education has but just

commenced. Cannot the government follow every immigrant from the time he arrives until he becomes a naturalized citizen, and see that not alone does he receive employment but that every chance is given him for an education? Night-schools of citizenship, camp schools, public schools, opened as social and recreation centers can greatly aid in this matter of proper adult education. Adult recreation must be furnished as a counter attraction to the saloon; national plays like Italian Pallone and Boci must be available to all the foreigners. Let the nation, the city, and the state work together in making the New American, and the immigrant problem will soon be solved. Says David in Zangwill's play, "The Melting Pot," "America is God's crucible into which the nations are being poured to come out the new American. Down at the Educational Alliance the other night, I saw a thousand little Jews salute the American flag and my heart was thrilled. This is what they said:

"Flag of our great Republic, inspirer in battle, guardian of our homes, whose stars and stripes stand for Bravery, Purity, Truth,

and Union, we salute, thee! We, the natives of distant lands, who find rest under thy folds, do pledge our hearts, our lives, and our sacred honor to love and protect thee, our COUNTRY and the LIBERTY of the American people FOREVER.'”

That the government is determined to secure all the facts regarding immigration is shown by the appointment of a joint Commission of Immigration which is delving deep into every field of investigation. A preliminary report deals with oriental aliens and other excluded classes, peonage, charity among immigrants, white slave traffic, conditions of steerage, anthropology, congestion in large cities, alien criminality, competition of immigrants, school inquiries, administration of the immigration laws, distribution of immigrants and other questions.

While the preparation for citizenship is important, the method of inducing an alien into his duties as a citizen must receive more careful attention, calling perhaps for the passage of new laws. While Congress passed a naturalization law as far back as 1795, its enforcement was left to the states with no

central control, so that there grew up in this country very great frauds resulting in the cheapening of citizenship and a debauching of the new citizen.

In 1904, President Roosevelt appointed a Commission and the law which they reported was passed in June 1906. Everyone interested in citizenship should inquire locally as to the proper enforcement of this law and see to it that all fraud is eliminated and thus deal bad politics a telling blow. You and I have a duty to perform in the great work of transforming the foreigner into a fellow-citizen.

*See Appendix for digest of law.

CHAPTER XII

Serving Others

A need of the day is for men who can serve their fellows. There is an equal need for a nation that can serve its people. "Ich dien" was the splendid motto of the Black Prince; it might also stand as the foreword of democracy.

In the not far distant years, the greatest nation will not be the one with the mightiest dreadnaughts, or the largest standing armies; it will not be the one with greatest area nor the most numerous colonies, but the one which looks best after the health and happiness of its people; which guards its mothers and its children as its choicest possession; and which reckons beauty and chastity and temperance as virtues to be cultivated by all of its citizens.

Without boasting, cannot we of the United States claim that, as a nation, we have started on the good way of serving others? It is only a start, it is true, but the way grows broader and brighter as the years slip by.