Americanization. About 15,000 of the registration cards were filled out and returned. Valuable sources of information not investigated, or from which inadequate returns were obtained, are labor unions, steamship-ticket agencies, hotel employees, churches, and educational institutions. Replies from about 2,000 schools, libraries, etc., "were generally unsatisfactory," owing to errors in filling out the registration cards, and to the fact that "a number of the more important cities have not been heard from at all."

The survey is analyzed by Mr. Mayper in his preliminary report under three main divisions: foreign-born, native-born, and industrial groups. The following is a digest of this analysis.

1. Foreign-born group.—Each of the 33 important racial groups revealed by the survey as represented in the United States has at least two, and frequently more, national organizations. These organizations are usually of three general types, although they include numberless factions.

The first and most powerful type is the racial organization which exists "for the purpose of maintaining or securing the political unity and independence and perpetuation of their native land." An example of this group is the Polish Central Relief Committee of America. Some thirteen national Polish organizations of various kinds, embracing about 4,000,000 Poles, are affiliated with it. It engages in various kinds of propaganda for the promotion of Polish liberty and is active in recruiting Polish regiments for service in Europe and in collecting money for warrelief purposes. While some of the organizations affiliated with it may have a real interest in American traditions, customs, and ideals, the controlling Central Committee is interested only in the native land. It makes no effort to Americanize its adherents or to promote the welfare of America.

The second kind of racial organization "has for its main purpose the solidarity of the race in America." The Pan-Hellenic Union is typical of this group. It includes a large number of the Greeks in America. It manifests little or no interest in this country. Such an `organization "fosters the language and traditions and customs of the home country here and urges its foreign

born to stay together." It is therefore antagonistic to Americanization.

The third type of social organization exists "primarily to work for America and only secondarily for its native land." Unfortunately such organizations are few in number and weak in influence. The Croation League of the United States, which has only about one hundred and fifty branches, may be cited as an example. The pro-Austrian element among the Croatians is so hostile to this organization that, when some two hundred Croatians joined a branch which was being introduced at the Cramp shipyards, they "were attacked by other members of this race at work in the same plant on the ground that they were disloyal to their native country and were working against their own best interest." As far as the influence of organizations of this type extends it is a factor in promoting Americanization. Such societies should be encouraged.

2. Native-born agencies.-The native-born agencies reaching our foreign population fall roughly into religious, civic, fraternal, and patriotic groups.

Religious bodies such as churches and denominational organizations frequently form the only important means of approach to alien women. Hundreds of churches, especially among the Lithuanians and the Roumanians, exist chiefly for the foreignlanguage groups and owing to the tremendous power of the priests prove most effective means for Americanization projects if their co-operation is secured. The mission schools of the Englishspeaking churches are also influential among the persons they reach.

Social and civic organizations such as settlement houses, women's clubs, and home-visiting agencies are active among foreign-language groups. These agencies have the welfare of America at heart. They are ready and willing to work, but in general proceed "in a disorganized and aimless way."

I Among such organizations is the neighbors' League of America, 23 East 26th St., New York. This society has specialized among that portion of our foreign population who are not easily reached through the public classes, particularly the mothers of small children. It has also attempted to reach the alien woman whose husband or brother is in a military camp, and enable her to write letters and read the replies.

Fraternal orders like the Masons, Elks, and others have accomplished little, though in some instances they have appointed members or committees to undertake propaganda work among the foreign-born. In most cases they are eager to co-operate "if we will tell them what to do." If properly guided, these societies will prove a tower of strength in promoting Americanism.

Patriotic organizations like the National Security League and the American Defense Society have been active in distributing literature and holding public gatherings among the foreignborn. Their work is of unquestioned value in promoting patriotism, and, "when properly harnessed, should awaken an intelligent community attitude toward local foreign-language groups."

3. Industrial organizations.—Large numbers of foreign-language groups are employed in our industries. Many of these alien employees are hostile toward naturalization. The Bethlehem Steel Company, for example, states that of its 10,000 foreign-born employees "5,600 stated that they were not interested in Americanization, as they feared the result of becoming citizens of this country in view of the fact that they desire to return to their native land after the war." In some instances, examples of which will be described later, industrial plants are making systematic efforts at Americanization and results, so far as available, are encouraging. In general, however, industrial organizations "do not know what to do or how to do it, and invariably ask us for suggestions and material.”

In addition to the agencies covered in the Mayper survey, a word should be said concerning the Committee for Immigrants in America and the National Americanization Committee. According to a memorandum prepared by these organizations for the Council of National Defense, "the Committee for Immigrants in America is a New York State corporation organized in December, 1909. It was originally known as the New York State Committee and the New York-New Jersey Committee of the North American Civic League for Immigrants." In 1914, when its work

became national in scope, its name was changed to the Committee for Immigrants in America.1

The National Americanization Committee was formed in May, 1915, at the suggestion of the Committee for Immigrants in America "to bring American citizens, foreign-born and nativeborn alike, together on our national Independence Day to celebrate the common privileges and define the common duties of all Americans, wherever born." The campaign was so effective that 106 of the most important cities in America held patriotic celebrations and special citizenship receptions in connection with their Fourth of July exercises.2

After the campaign so many requests for assistance in Americanization work and methods continued to come to the Committee that, in the hope of correlating the efforts of the numerous agencies of the country interested in the problem, the Committee perfected a permanent organization.

The Committee is a clearing-house, not a membership organization. It deals with governmental departments, schools, courts, chambers of commerce, churches, women's clubs, patriotic organizations, institutions, and groups as units of co-operation-not primarily with individuals. It plans and organizes work for local organizations, enabling them better to execute their local work. It standardizes Americanization work and methods and stimulates thought, interest, and activity. It conducts experiments which later are incorporated into governmental, educational, and business systems of the country. It derives its support from contributions-not from dues or assessments. Its services and publications are free.3

During the first six months of its existence the Committee, in co-operation with the agencies just mentioned, conducted "night-school publicity campaigns in Detroit and Syracuse under the auspices of chambers of commerce, and in Wilmington, Delaware; state training courses for teachers, as in New York state and Michigan; college training courses for social service in immigration, introduced in whole or in part in Yale, Columbia, and

* Memorandum to the Advisory Commission of the Council of National Defense concerning the Committee for Immigrants in America, National Americanization Committee and Affiliated Organizations (transmitted on October 12, 1917).

Many agencies co-operated in this enterprise.

3 A Call to National Service, p. 3; a pamphlet published by the National Americanization Committee.

Chicago universities, Beloit and Tufts colleges, and a number of other colleges and universities; preliminary surveys in cities to serve as the basis of Americanization work; plans and details for teaching English and civics; speaker's bureau and bulletin, and Americanization conferences, notably the National Conference in Philadelphia, June, 1916; prize competitions, among which is the housing contest now in progress for the best plans for houses especially designed for industrial towns of rapid growth; the publication of a quarterly magazine, the Immigrants in America Review, for clearing information of Americanization work as conducted by agencies public and private throughout the country.'

Some time after the entrance of the United States into the war the Committee turned over practically its entire staff and equipment to the national government without charge to help in furthering Americanization projects.2

Among the persons who have been more or less active in the work of these organizations are the following: Frank Trumbull, Felix M. Warburg, Herbert Croly, John H. Finley, Mrs. J. Borden Harriman, John Mitchell, Mrs. Vincent Astor, Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt, Mary Antin, Robert Bacon, Nicholas Murray Butler, Henry P. Davison, Howard Elliott, Myron T. Herrick, John Grier Hibben, Frederic C. Howe, George von L. Meyer, Thomas A. Edison, Samuel Rea, Julius Rosenwald, Cardinal Gibbons, Rodman Wanamaker, Benjamin Ide Wheeler.3

In conclusion, the activities of private and voluntary agencies may be summarized in the words of Mr. Mayper:

The foreign-born groups are divided among themselves and are not getting the American point of view.

The native-born agencies are not reaching them and have the utmost diversity of standards, methods, and material. Their information is distributed without knowledge of the needs and what will fit conditions best.

Industrial plants are here and there giving attention specifically to the foreign-language workmen, and, for the most part, they are ready and willing to be used, but do not know how to do the work themselves.

I

A Call to National Service, p. 3; a pamphlet published by the National Americanization Committee.

2 Personal interview with Mr. Joseph Mayper.

3 These names are taken from the list of officers and members given in the memorandum referred to on page 13, note.