CORNELL 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 All books are subject to recall after two weeks 
 Olln/Kroch Library 
 
 ^^..^^ DATE DUE 
 
 " fir^iP 
 
 ^^5*1 
 
 
 
 fWrS* 
 
 ^flc© 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ' — nnM-. — 
 
 
 
 
 1 Mir 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 GAYLORD 
 
 
 
 PRINTED IN U.SA 
 
AMERICANIZATION BILL 
 
 I CORNELL """"iVifMiiiiUBiSlJlllllllH^^ 
 
 HEARING f 'iS^^^ 709 674 
 
 BEFORE THE 
 
 COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND LABOR 
 
 UNITED STATES SENATE 
 
 SIXTY-SIXTH CONGRESS 
 
 FIRST SESSION 
 ON 
 
 S. 17 
 
 A BILL TO PROMOTE THE EDUCATION OF NATIVE 
 ILLITERATES, OF PERSONS UNABLE TO UNDEBSTAND AND 
 USE THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, AND OF ;'OTHER RJESIDENT 
 PERSONS OP FOREIGN BIRTH; TO PROVIDE FOR COOPE- 
 RATION WITH THE STATES IN THE EDUCATION OF SUCH 
 PERSONS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, THE FUNDAMENTAL 
 PRINCIPLES OF GOVERNMENT AND CITIZENSHIP, THE 
 ELEMENTS OF KNOWLEDGE PERTAINING TO SELF-SUPPORT 
 AND HOME MAKING, AND IN SUCH OTHER WORK AS WILL 
 ASSIST IN PREPARING SUCH ILLITERATES AND FOREIGN- 
 BORN PERSONS FOR SUCCESSFUL LIVING AND INTELLIGENT 
 AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP. 
 
 Printed for the use of the Committee on Education and Labor 
 
 WASHINGTON 
 
 GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
 
 1919 
 
 11 
 
 
 U. D. HAOKEm", 
 
 INVESTIGATIONS; CONSULTATIONS. 
 
 ^2 East 2'^---> ~,-f;eet, N^w York. 
 

 
 COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND LABOE. 
 
 WILLIAM S. KENYON, Iowa, Ohai/rtnan. 
 
 WILLIAM H. BOBAH, Idaho. HOKE SMITH, Georgia. 
 
 CARROLL S. PAGE, Vermont. ANDRIEIJS A. JONES, New Mexico. 
 
 GEORGE P. MCLEAN, Connecticut. KENNETH D. McKELLAR, Tennessee. 
 
 THOMAS STERLING, South Dakota. JOSIAH O. WOLCOTT, Delaware. 
 
 LAWRENCE C. PHIPPS, Colorado. DAVID I. WALSH, Massachusetts. 
 
 EOT O. EankiNj Clerk. 
 
AMEEIOANIZATIOJST BILL. 
 
 THUBSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1919. 
 
 United States Senate, 
 Committee on Education and Labor, 
 
 Washington, D. G. 
 
 The Committee on Education and Labor met pursuant to call of 
 the chairman at 10.30 o'clock a. m. in room 201, Senate Office Build- 
 ing, Senator William S. Konyon -presiding. 
 
 Present: Senators Kenyon (chairman). Page, Smith of Georgia, 
 and Walsh of Massachusetts. 
 
 Also present: Hon. Franklin K. Lane, Secretary of the Interior; 
 Hon. Philander P. Claxton, Commissioner of Bureau of Education; 
 Hon. Herbert Kaufman, special assistant to the Secretary of the 
 Interior in charge of Americanization; Hon. F. C. Butler, Ameri- 
 canization department, Department of the Interior. 
 
 The committee then proceeded to consider the bill (S. 17) to pro- 
 mote the education of native illiterates, of persons unable to under- 
 stand and use the English language, and of other resident persons 
 of foreign birth; to provide for cooperation with the States in the 
 -education of such persons in the English language, the fundamental 
 principles of government and citizenship, the elements of knowl- 
 edge pertaining to self-support and home making, and in such other 
 work as will assist in preparing such illiterates and foreign-born per- 
 sons for successful living and intelligent American citizenship. 
 
 The Chairman. This meeting of the committee is for the purpose 
 of taking up Senate bill No. 17, introduced by Mr. Smith of Georgia. 
 The bill may here be set out in full. 
 
 (The bill is here printed in full as follows:) 
 
 [S. 17, Sixty-sixth Congress, first session.] 
 
 A BILL To promote the education of native illiterates, of persons unable to understand 
 and use the English language, and of other resident persons of foreign birth ; to provide 
 for cooperation with the States in the education of such persons in the English 
 language, the fundamental principles of government and citizenship, the elements of 
 ■knowledge pertaining to self-support and home making, and in such other work as will 
 assist in preparing such illiterates and foreign-bom persons for successful living and 
 intelligent American citizenship. 
 
 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
 States of America in Congress assernbled. That the Secretary of the Interior, 
 through the Bureau of Education, and in cooperation with any other Federal 
 agencies which may be able through their existing organizations to furnish 
 assistance therein, is hereby authorized and directed to cooperate with the 
 several States in the education of illiterates, of persons unable to understand, 
 speak, read, or write the English language, and of other resident persons of 
 foreign birth, and in the training and preparation of teachers, supervisors, and 
 ■directors for such educational work. 
 
 Sec. 2. That for the purpose of cooperating with the several States in paying 
 the salaries of teacher, supervisors, and directors of the educational work 
 
 3 
 
4 AMERICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 herein, there is hereby authorized to be appropriated for the use of the several 
 States, and subject to the provisions of this act, for the fiscal year ending June 
 30, 1919, the sum of $5,000,000, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1920, and 
 annually thereafter until the end of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1926, the 
 sum of $12,500,000. 
 
 Sec. 3. That for the purpose of cooperating with the several States in pre- 
 paring teachers, supervisors, and directors for educational vs'ork under this act 
 there is hereby authorized to be appopriated for the use of the several States 
 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1919, the sum of $250,000, for the fiscal 
 year ending June 30, 1920, and annually thereafter until the end of the fiscal 
 year ending June 30, 1926, the sum of $750,000. 
 
 Sec. 4. That any State may secure the benefits of this act by acceptance of 
 its provisions and by the designation of an appropriate official to act as cus- 
 todian of moneys allotted and by authorizing its department of education or 
 chief school officer to cooperate with the United States In the educational work 
 herein authorized, and after June 30, 1919, the appropriation herein made 
 shall be available only in the event that each State or municipal corporation 
 thereof, acting through or in conjunction with the State, shall appropriate, 
 make available, and use for such educational work an amount equal to thar 
 allotted by the United States : Provided, That no State shall be entitled to 
 participate in the benefits of this act until it shall by appropriate legislation 
 require the instruction for not less than two hundred hours per annum of all 
 illiterate minors or minors unable to speak, read, or write the English language, 
 more than sixteen years of age, at schools or places or by other methods of 
 elementary instruction, until such minors have completed a course in English 
 generally equivalent to that supplied by third-grade schools : Provided fitrther^ 
 That no money authorized to be appropriated by the preceding sections of this 
 act, or appropriated by any of the States to carry out its provisions, shall be 
 authorized to be used for any other purpose than for the salaries of teachers, 
 supervisors, or directors of education, or for the preparation and training of 
 such teachers. 
 
 Sec. 5. That the sums herein authorized to be appropriated shall be appor- 
 tioned to the several States annually in the proportion which the total number 
 of resident illiterate persons ten years of age and over, and of persons ten 
 years of age and over unable to speak the English language in that State, bears 
 to the total number of illiterate resident persons ten years of age and over and 
 of persons ten years of age and over unable to speak the English language in 
 the United States, exclusive of the District of Columbia, according to the last 
 published preceding United States census. 
 
 Sec. 6. That in order to secxire the benefits of this act, each State, acting 
 through its proper board or otflcer, shall submit to the Secretary of the In- 
 terior for his approval plans showing the manner in which it is proposed that 
 the appropriation shall be used, including the kind of instruction and equip- 
 ment to be provided, courses of study, methods of instruction, qualifications 
 of teachers, supervisors, and directors, and the kind of schools in which and the 
 conditions under which training of teachers, supervisors, and directors is to be 
 given. 
 
 Sec. 7. That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Interior to ascertain 
 whether the several States are using or are prepared to use the money allotted 
 to them under this act, and on or before the 10th day of August in each year 
 he shall certify to the Secretary of the Treasury those States which have 
 accepted the provisions of the act and complied therewith, specifying the 
 amounts of money which each State is entitled to receive under the provisions 
 of this act. Upon such certification the Secretary of the Treasury shall pay to 
 the States entitled thereto the moneys available under this act, payments to 
 be made quarterly on the 15th day of August, November, February, and May 
 of each year. 
 
 Sec. 8. That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to with- 
 hold the allotment of moneys to any State whenever it shall be determined by 
 the Secretary of the Interior that moneys previously allotted have not been 
 expended for the purposes and under the conditions of this act, or that other 
 terms and conditions of this act have not been complied with. 
 
 Sec. 9. That if any portion of the moneys received by any State under the 
 provisions of this act shall be diminished, lost, or expended for purposes other 
 than those authorized and contemplated herein, such moneys shall be replaced 
 by the State and until so replaced no subsequent appropriation for such educa- 
 tional work shall be made to that State. That whenever any portion of the 
 
AMEPJCANIZATION BIU:,. 5 
 
 fund allotted to any State has not been expended within the year for the pur- 
 pose provided in this act a sum equal to the unexpended portion shall be with- 
 held by the Secretary of the Treasury from the next succeeding annual allotment 
 under this act to such State. 
 
 Sec. 10. That there is hereby authorized to be appropriated the sum of 
 ?250,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1919, and annually thereafter until 
 the end of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1926, the sum of $1,000,000 for the 
 purpose of administering, carrying out, and enforcing the provisions of this act, 
 for cooperative work hereunder, for investigations, studies, and reports through 
 the Bureau of Education, for salaries of officers and assistants, other office and 
 incidental expenses, including the cost of printing, personal services in the 
 District of Columbia and elsewhere, necessary traveling expenses of employees, 
 stationery, office furniture and equipment, and any other expenses necessary In 
 the administration of this act. 
 
 Sec. 11. That except as provided in section 10 hereof no moneys appropriated 
 under this act shall be applied, directly or indirectly, to the purchase, erection, 
 preservation, or repair of any building or buildings or equipment, or for the 
 purchase or rental of lands, or for the support of any religious or privately 
 owned and conducted school or institution. 
 
 Sec. 12. That the Secretary of the Interior shall make an annual report to 
 Congress on or before December 1 of each year of all operations, expenditures, 
 and allotments under the provisions of this act, including statement as to what 
 has been done by the several States thereunder. 
 
 Sec. 13. That the Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized to perform 
 any and all acts and make all rules and regulations which he shall deem neces- 
 sary and proper to carry this act into full force and effect. 
 
 The Chairman. We have with us the Hon. Franklin K. Lane, Sec- 
 retary of the Interior, and we would like to hear from you, Mr. Sec- 
 retary, or from anyone else in your department whom you may wish 
 to appear here. 
 
 STATEMENT OF HON. FRANKLIN K. LANE, SECRETARY OF THE 
 
 INTERIOR. 
 
 Secretary Lane. I have very little to say, Mr. Chairman, except id 
 urge upon you some action regarding this bill. Its primary purpose 
 is to abolish in the course of time illiteracy in the United States, and 
 the plan proposed is cooperative action between the Federal Govern- 
 ment and the State governments, we furnishing half of the money 
 that the States furnish in a campaign to rid ourselves of this mis- 
 fortune. 
 
 You have before you a bill, I think, known as the Smith-Townef 
 bill, which provides for a department of education, and upon which 
 you have had a hearing. The present measure is, however, an emer- 
 gency measure, it does not deal with the larger question which the 
 Smith-Towner bill deals with, as to the value of establishing such 
 a department. It deals with the problem that is immediate, a direct 
 and national problem, and proposes that we take action upon a situa- 
 tion which everyone realizes exists, and meet it in direct fashion. 
 
 It is the outcome of a communication which I sent to the Senate 
 a year and a half ago, in which I gave the figures as to the illiteracy 
 in the United States. My figures were doubted ; they were challenged 
 on the floor of the Senate. I proved them from the preceding census. 
 It was realized by me and by many others that something should be 
 done to meet the condition where practically, in the rough, one per- 
 son out of every ten that you meet on the street could not read or 
 write our language. 
 
6 AMERICANIZATI03SI ^ 
 
 The Chairman. Is that what you term illiteracy, Mr. Secretary ? 
 
 Secretary Lane. Yes, sir. 
 
 The Chairman. " Our language." 
 
 Secretary Lane. Our language. There is a broader definition of 
 illiteracy, and a distinction is made between our language and any 
 language, but there are no very definite reliable figures to be had, so 
 far as I have found, as to the two classes. There are estimates made, 
 but so far as I know they are not in any way conclusive. 
 
 Now, we were sending out at that time an immense lot of literature 
 to the farmers, urging them to produce wheat, to produce pork, and 
 other commodities in our own interest and in the interest of our 
 allies, so that we could feed the United States and feed our armies 
 and feed Europe. We found that practically 3,000,000' of those 
 farmers to whom that literature was sent could not read it. We were 
 sending out Liberty bond appeals, and we found that one-tenth of 
 that literature sent out was wasted. An effort was made through the 
 Committee on Public Information to disseminate the speeches of our 
 distinguished men, so as to arouse patriotism, to maintain the morale 
 of the country, and a large part of that went to eyes that could not 
 see it. They were blind because they did not know the text. 
 
 We had a conference called by me, known as the "Americanization 
 conference," and in that conference surprising things were revealed. 
 We found that hundreds of schools in some of our States were teach- 
 ing Lincoln's Gettysburg address, if they were teaching it at all, 
 in a foreign language. The boys and girls were being raised by the 
 thousands, who came out of their schools without a knowledge of 
 the tongue of this country. 
 
 Mr. Chairman, the Americanization bill which you have before 
 you was drafted to meet that situation. It came through that con- 
 ference and with its approval. It was then introduced into Con- 
 gress. After that, when the armistice came, we had a further revela- 
 tion as to what the situation in this country was. It was appilling^ 
 it was staggering. I doubt if any such picture ever was presented 
 to the American mind before as that presented by the figures which 
 the War Department showed, showing that out of 1,600,000 men 
 drawn into our camps 24 per cent either could not understand our 
 language or could not sign the pay rolls or could not read the War 
 Department's orders. Then we had to undertake to educate those 
 men in the camps, and we spent millions of dollars in educating 
 grown men in the meaning of the words, "forward," "halt," and 
 "march." And this was in a country where we had a public school 
 system for a hundred years, and a country that held itself ,up 
 apparently as the foremost democracy of the world. 
 
 I do not want to present figures, to overwhelm you with a lot of 
 figures, because you will find them in the hearings that we have had 
 before the House committee before the last session. You will find 
 maps, diagrams, charts, and tables, which will reveal the entire 
 picture in the United States. We wish to establish schools in which 
 teachers will be trained in this particular art of teaching the English 
 language, both to grown-ups and to children. This law applies to 
 those over 16 years of age and up to 21 years of age, and we can 
 compel them to attend these schools provided the States cooperate. 
 Over that age their action would be voluntary. You know that in a 
 
AMEEICANIZATIOIf BIIX. .7 
 
 large number of our most important industries 50 per cent of the 
 people working there are foreign born, and they have signs printed 
 for their own good and welfare to protect them and they have to be 
 printed in seven or eight or nine different languages and duplicated 
 upon the walls, and many of those who see those signs can not read 
 them in any language. ^ 
 
 Senator Walsh. Let me add that in Lawrence, Mass., there are 30 
 languages used in one industry for that purpose. Excuse me for 
 interrupting you, Mr. Secretary. 
 
 Secretary Lane. Not at all, Senator, and I am pleased that you 
 emphasized that fact. In the mining industry we are charged with 
 caring for the lives of our people, for the miners underground in 
 the United States ; we are charged through the Bureau of' Mines of 
 the Interior Department with caring for their lives. It is estimated 
 that we can save at least 150,000 accidents a year if those people can 
 be taught to read enough English to understand the signs and direc- 
 tions that are placed before them. Of course, as you know, there is a 
 large percentage of foreign-born people and many of those are 
 illiterate. 
 
 The Chairman. Mr. Secretary, can you inform us how many il- 
 literates there are in the United States. 
 
 Secretary Lane. I understand there are about eight and a half 
 million illiterates. 
 
 Mr. Claxton. There are five and a half millions who can not read 
 or write any language; there are three and a half or four million 
 who can not speak, read, or write the English language. 
 
 Mr. Kaufman. Those figures are based upon the census of 1910, 
 and since that time we have seen the charts of the War Department, 
 and it consists of very carefully tabulated figures, which were of 
 such a nature that we are forced to believe that a great many of the 
 so-called literates of the last census were included in the census who 
 were not really literates, because there were men coming into the 
 Army who claimed that they could read and write and who could not 
 read a newspaper or could not send a letter to their homes. I think 
 that instead of there being eight and a half million illiterates in the 
 United States, or non-English-speaking people, that you will find 
 when the extension is carried forward as far as possible that there 
 will be between fifteen and twenty millions of them who must be 
 classed as illiterates. 
 
 The Chairman. Where do you draw the line, Mr. Secretary, rela- 
 tive to the age. About what age? 
 
 Secretary Lane. About 10 years of age. 
 
 Mr. Claxton. The great body of them, however, are over 20, of 
 the five and a half millions classed as illiterates in the last census. 
 Only about 550,000 were between 10 and 20, so that- there were almost 
 5,000,000 who were over 20. 
 
 Secretary Lane. I was surprised in reading the hearings given be- 
 fore the House committee to discover that there were more than a 
 million white male adults who were illiterate more than there were 
 negroes in the United States. 
 
 The Chairman. More than what, Mr. Secretary ? I did not quite 
 get that. 
 
 Secretary Lane. There were a million more whites in the United 
 States who were illiterate than negroes. I brought that out in order 
 
8 AMERICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 to suggest this to you, that this is not a problem that has any sec- 
 tional lines. If there can be anything that has a national field in its 
 extent, it is this ; because it does not merely touch the negro of the 
 South, but it touches the white man of the North just as much. 
 
 You are familiar, undoubtedly, with the efforts that have been 
 made as to native whites in their education.* AVe have in the Bureau 
 of Education a vei-y remarkable and beautiful-spirited woman, Mrs. 
 Stewart, who carried on a school for the education of adult illiterates 
 in Kentucky, and while she entered upon that work with a very 
 considerable percentage — my recollection is about 12 per cent were 
 illiterates in that county — she left after two years with only 18 people 
 in the county who could not read or write. 
 
 The Chairman. Yes; we had the pleasure of hearing her in a 
 former hearing here. 
 
 Secretary Lane. That kind of work should be extended among 
 those people. They talk a very primitive English ; it is a very pure 
 English; it is Shakespearean English; they come from the purest 
 American stock. They are a very religious people^ but few of them 
 were able to read their Bibles. I have had one or two extremely 
 pathetic letters from those people in which they quote texts from 
 the Bible that they have learned by heart, but they have never been 
 able to read the printed text. Those letters were filled with gratitude 
 for having, as one of them said, opened their eyes and given to them 
 a new world. 
 
 Now, Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I think it is a serious reflection 
 upon the United States that this condition should exist ; I think it is 
 a serious reflection upon democracy ; I think it is a great danger to 
 us — not that these people are inclined to violence, but they certainly 
 can be the easy victims of any kind of propaganda which they can not 
 check in any other way than out of their own limited personal ex- 
 periences. 
 
 They are unable to read what other nations have done; they are 
 unable to read what the experiences of other nations have been, as 
 set forth in the speeches in Congress or in the messages of our Presi- 
 dent ; so if there is any fertile field, in which this germ of discontent 
 can thrive it ought to be just such a field as this. 
 
 Moreover, Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, we want the people who 
 come to the United States to get into their systems a conscientiousness 
 of the new principles under which they are to live. And that is aii 
 important thing I wish to urge upon you, the necessity of teaching 
 Americanism — what America means. America means something to us 
 and it means a good deal more than a piece of territory, or a house 
 and lot, or an interest in a mine, or a business, or a profession. It 
 is a basis of living, of men operating together in the control of their 
 own affairs. It is a great experiment we are trying, and we want to 
 make that experiment a success. We believe that the hope of this 
 world is in America, and if we do not take the responsibility of 
 making this country the best of all possible countries, we are going to 
 fail in our opportunities. 
 
 America has got to be shown to the people who are here as some- 
 thing that combines two things — opportunity and responsibility. 
 You can not have the one without the other. We are teaching a greai 
 many of our people that America means opportunity, and opportunity 
 
AMERICANIZATION BILL. 9 
 
 alone ; but we are not teaching them that it means responsibility, and 
 that those two words are wedded together in America, and that you 
 •can not have the opportunity that this country gives to control your 
 own destiny politically and socially unless you take with it the 
 responsibility. 
 
 If you have a sense of opportunity without a sense of responsi- 
 bility, you inevitably get injustice; and if you have a sense of re- 
 sponsibility and no sense of opportunity you simply lead to hopeless 
 inefBciency. I want to develop in the mind of every American from 
 his youth up and put into the mind of the adult that the United 
 States not only does open opportunities that are exceptional and 
 unparalleled, but with those opportunities there comes upon the 
 individual American a greater responsibility. That responsibility I 
 emphasize here because the burden rests upon you gentlemen and 
 upon me and upon all those of us who give caste to American thought. 
 
 One of the reasons why we are in a position or a condition of 
 slump to-day — and we are — ^is because of discontent ; discontent with 
 social conditions, with economic conditions, with political conditions. 
 Men are talking about possible revolutionary movements; men are 
 expressing distrust with both the political parties and with all poli- 
 ticians. 
 
 This is perhaps the natural results of the war. A nation never 
 comes out of a war as it went into it. It comes out always nervous 
 and querulous. Why ? Why should there be a reaction in the Nation 
 as we find it? One reason is because in the war we had a definite, 
 concrete purpose which men could visualize. All of the people in th6 
 United States — and there never was such an exhibition of patriotism 
 here or anywhere else — but every man and woman and child, from 
 Florida to the extreme north, felt that he or she was in a great drive 
 against the Hindenberg line, and when a woman sent her boy to war 
 she knew that her boy was going to do something for the thing 
 which she loved and which we all loved, which was America. She 
 knew that her boy was going to do soinething for a principle that 
 ive loved, which was to free mankind, which is the principle of 
 America; and that was the spirit that was behind every man that 
 went to work in the mill and every man that went to work on the 
 farm, and then when the armistice came there came the slump. Our 
 morale was temporarily broken down. Why? It is no reflection 
 upon the people whatever. Before they had something they could 
 visualize, something they saw, something they had to do, namely, 
 carry on in the msXing of war against the enemy. They were All 
 in a great game, a cooperative game, and men were standing shoulder 
 to shoulder to do a thing, a definite thing, and that was to overwhelm 
 Germany. 
 
 Now, gentlemen, if we of this Nation are going to succeed, we have 
 got to put a new motif into the American drama. We have got to 
 gei aWay from the idea of a Council of National Defense, of which I 
 am a member and which you created, and which made the mobiliza- 
 tion of the resources of every kind in the United States possible for 
 the purpose of supporting our men in their attacks upon the enemy, 
 and you have got to turn yourselves — you who are legislators, and 
 I who am an administrator — we have to turn ourselves into a 
 council of progress and frame a program of national purpose. We 
 
10 AMERICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 must put before the American citizens some other thought now 
 that Germany is overwhelmed. We must show that America lives in 
 spirit in times of peace as well and just as actively as in times of 
 war. And we can do it. We have been developing into cooperation 
 along political lines, and we have got to develop cooperatively some- 
 what along social and economic lines, and show to the people that 
 there is a purpose in government, and that we are representing the 
 spirit of the Ame];ican people, who can not stand still, and this the 
 American knows. He will always fall into discontent, as every 
 people has at the end of a war, if he has not something definite 
 before him. 
 
 Now, Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, that is the primary reason 
 why this bill should pass and why other bills that are before you and 
 bills which you can frame having to do with needs of this kind should 
 pass, because you want to present a broad picture to the American 
 people of the American Government attempting to realize the aspira- 
 tion of the American people. We must put before their eyes some- 
 thing definite that we are trying to do, and we must do what we can 
 to help the people to see what the possibilities are in this Government. 
 
 You and I are constantly met with claims and projects which we 
 Imow can not be realized in the United States, but we can experiment 
 and find out what can be done. You have all over the United States 
 experimental farms. What are they for? They are to find out 
 whether turnips will grow in Alaska, whether grapefruit will grow in 
 Florida, and whether wheat will grow in the dry farm lands of Wyo- 
 ming. We have the problem of labor, and we will require an experi- 
 mental farm so that we can determine where and under what condi- 
 tions labor and capital can work together harmoniously. Why can 
 not we do these things ? It is the most difficult thing in the world to 
 get 2 men or to get 10 men to work together. Our success as a 
 democracy is most marvelous; it is the miracle of all the ages that 
 so many different kinds of people as we have in this country have, 
 lived together Avith as few quarrels as we have had. But now we 
 have got to go on farther, and the men who have got to lead in these 
 various movements are you gentlemen here. You have got to say,. 
 " Here is one thing that we should do, and here is another thing tliat 
 we should do. The American Government wishes to respond to the 
 desire of the American people, that this shall be made just as ef- 
 fective an agency as is possible." If j)aternalism is wrong and our 
 spirit is against it, we want to reject it; if there is something that 
 we can do wisely and efficiently, then we want to take that thing to 
 ourselves; but we are not in a position to take anything until we 
 know what has been done. Theory does not meet the situation. W& 
 must have a precise, definite course in order to know how the theory 
 has worked out. 
 
 I am not talking to you as a Democrat; this is a time, far, far 
 beyond that. There is a situation in the world to-day that does not 
 allow us to draw lines because of parties. We have got a great 
 ideal for ourselves, and it is to make this the very best society in the 
 world. We do not wish to reject those things that have been tried 
 and been proven to be safe, but see how far we can go along these 
 new lines represented by our democratic institutions. 
 
 When the war appeared to be drawing to an end, I presented a 
 plan by which we could take care of those soldiers who would return 
 
AMEKICANIZATION BILL. H 
 
 and who might want farms. That bill is still before Congress. It 
 is one of the progressive measures that this Congress ought to deal 
 with, just as this measure is. We have got power plants throughout 
 the United States, power opportunities throughout the United 
 States, 30,000,000, 40,000,000, 50,000,000 of horsepower going to waste 
 every day. Those ought to be developed. There ought to be an 
 opportunity, excepting in the most remote places in the United 
 States, where every woman could run her sewing machine by elec- 
 tricity. I asked in Congress for $100,000 to make a survey from 
 Eichmond to Portland, so that we could tie up the electrical develop- 
 ment into a great stream for the use of the public, but I could not get 
 a cent. 
 
 Senator Smith. Where did that request go, Mr. Secretary. 
 
 Secretary Lane. It went to the Committee on Appropriations. I 
 asked Congress to allow us to continue the school-garden farm in 
 which the children of the country are taught to work with their 
 hands in the soil. We are not going to have a successful democracy 
 unless we tie our people to the soil and give our children at the begin- 
 ning a love for the soil, and we could not get a cent. 
 
 Now, those things are just a part of my general thought, and I am 
 talking to you on this proposition, that we want to have an oppor- 
 tunity given to the people of the United States who are illiterate to 
 learn the English language, to understand what the principles of 
 the United States Government are, so that they can be proper sub- 
 jects with which you can deal in dealing with the larger problems of 
 our country. 
 
 The Chairman. But those questions are not as important as this 
 one of Americanizing Americans. 
 
 Secretary Lane. Yes, indeed. This Americanization bill is funda- 
 mental. 
 
 The Chairman. Now, Mr. Secretary, suppose this bill were passed 
 by Congress to-day. I wish you would state just exactly what would 
 be done under it in order to accomplish your purposes. 
 
 Secretary Lane. We would at once get into communication with 
 the States, and present it to them as was presented the vocational- 
 educational act through the board, and ask them to pass legislation 
 in which they would meet on a fifty-fifty basis the appropriations you 
 make; then we would at once institute normal schools for teaching 
 this particular subject in the different States. 
 
 The Chairman. Would you start new normal schools, Mr. Secre- 
 tary? 
 
 Secretary Lane. I think the probability is that we would start 
 schools, particularly normal schools for this particular subject, because 
 there are methods that are not taught in our present normal schools. 
 
 Senator Smith. The existing normal schools could have special 
 departments for the purpose of teaching this subject, could they not. 
 
 Secretary Lane. That could be done, provided there was a central 
 normal school in which could be taught those teachers who go out 
 from that school to the normal schools. 
 
 Senator Page. And what would the plan be, a central board? 
 
 Secretary Lane. I do not believe in a central board as an adminis- 
 trative body. 
 
 The Chairman. Then you would then lay down a certain course 
 that must be followed: a certain amount of education 
 
Missing Page 
 
Missing Page 
 
14 AMERICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 illiteracy, and this problem of non-Americanization, and you must 
 develop something to sustain the morale of the Nation. That can be 
 done by this bill. The other bill, the Smith-Towner bill, deals with 
 a proposition of administrative control which will develop antago- 
 nism that this bill will not. You can pass this bill, and if you want 
 the Smith-Towner bill subsequently the work of this bureau could 
 pass over to the department created by the Smith-Towner bill, so that 
 there could be no conflict whatever. But this must be done now. If 
 you eventually authorize a larger program of education which means 
 a secretary of education, that bill will carry out this program. 
 
 Senator Smith. That is, if you pass the larger bill. I think, Mr. 
 Secretary, that you have made one of the strongest arguments rela- 
 tive to the great purpose of the Nation to do something for the peo- 
 ple that I have heard. 
 
 Secretary Lane. I do not think that the other bill could pass now. 
 
 Senator Smith. I do not know. But even if it can, we have to 
 pass this bill. 
 
 The Chairman. I feel that something ought to be done, and if that 
 bill can pass, I am for that bill. If "we could get it out and pass it 
 I would be very glad. If not, I would be very glad to have this one 
 passed. 
 
 Senator Smith. It would be a splendid thing, and would give a 
 broader vision of responsibility for all the people, and it would give 
 an opportunity to the children of this country which they have never 
 had before. 
 
 Secretary Lane. Eventually the United States will see that every 
 boy and every girl gets a vocational education, and, if they want it, a 
 university education. 
 
 The Chairman. Have you any moce suggestions to make ? 
 
 Secretary Lane. I have nothing more to suggest to you at all, ex- 
 cept that I do want you to get into your recorda the facts and figures 
 of the House committee's report. 
 
 The Chairman. We will make that a part of our record. 
 
 Senator Walsh. I want to get your opinion, Mr. Secretary, as to 
 whether or not, if this bill should pass, the Bureau of Education and 
 its assistants would be especially equipped to at once commence this 
 work and carry out the principles of the act. 
 
 Secretary Lane. Yes; we have got the machinery outlined by 
 which it could be done. It is not a new problem with them. It is 
 newer with me, but they have been thinking about it and printing 
 matter about it for several years. They have the apparatus pretty 
 well devised and in a very short time they could take it over. 
 
 Mr. Kaufman. Let me supplement, Mr. Secretary, that we could 
 be in operation in 15 days after the passage of the bill, and be in a 
 position to reach all Americans on the question of national Ameri- 
 canization. We are now ready to start. 
 
 Secretary Lane. I think there would be just one feature — not a 
 new one — and I think that you gentlemen, that all of us ought really 
 to hold out the idea of hope to our people in every way we can, 
 for this is the largest problem in the United States — larger than 
 any particular material problem. We have got to brace up the 
 minds of those and the spirits of those who have had something to 
 brace them up in the past and have not anything definite'now. 
 
AMERICANIZATION BILL. 15 
 
 Senator Walsh. This bill could be passed, and in the other bill 
 a provision could be made to take over this work. 
 
 Senator Smith. Oh, yes; I do not believe — if this measure is very 
 much more popular or stronger than the other, and the country is 
 not ready for all of the other — I do not believe in holding this bill 
 back because of that fact. I think that the country ought to be 
 ready for all of them, and I think that the majority of the people 
 are ready foi' the general bill. I think it would be a magnificent 
 step toward creating an inspiration with the entire people to bring 
 out the fact that the Government is taking care of all children for 
 their lives, but I would not hold this bill back in order to carry 
 these provisions in the other bill. 
 
 STATEMENT OF HERBERT KAUFMAN, SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO 
 THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR, IN CHARGE OF AMERI- 
 CANIZATION. 
 
 The Chairman. Mr. Kaufman, we will now be very glad to hear 
 from you. 
 
 Mr. Kaufman. Mr. Chairman, I agree with you that one hearing 
 should be quite sufficient for this measure. The Smith-Bankhead 
 bill, or, to give it its popular name, the Americanization bill, has 
 had its hearing before the American people, and the testimony of the 
 national press in support of the measure is the most eloquent plea 
 for its enactment that we can offer you. 
 
 I asli your permission to bring the editorial attitude of the Nation 
 to the attention of the committee by including in the record some 
 of the articles which have appeared in support of this legislation. 
 And if further evidence of the country's temper is needed, I can 
 supply you with bushel ba'^kets of similar clippings. 
 
 Our people want this bill — they want it now. The Nation is im- 
 patient to deal with the problem. There can be no sense of security 
 in the land until we have met the dual menace of ignorance and non- 
 English-speaking. Patriotic societies, chambers of commerce, labor 
 unions, educators , manufacturers, health organizations, and the 
 most distinguished citizens of the Republic pray your prompt and 
 favorable decision on Senator Smith's bill. 
 
 Discontent is mumbling and violence is ranting on all sides. 
 America is on trial before 10,000 soap boxes — chaos is everywhere 
 seeking recruits from the ranks of misunderstanding and illiteracy. 
 
 As early as December, 1918, I anticipated a probable tendency to 
 confuse the old world's after-war conditions with our own unim- 
 paired economic strength. 
 
 The Allies have no " rainy day " territory, no virgin regions to offer victory. 
 There are no untrod miles left to adventure, no acreage, no franchises I'eserved 
 to meet the intending liberalities of democracy. 
 
 Yesterday was an Esau and sold multitude rights for a mess of tinsel and 
 Iiageantry. ^ ' 
 
 Now the pottage-pot bargain must be revoked. The new freedom must assess 
 privileged wealth and opportunity to requite popular sacrifice and satisfy popu- 
 lar aspiration. .,.,,, mi, • 
 
 But they must contain their operations within developed spaces. Then- 
 boundaries are fixed — no wilderness is behind their frontiers. 
 
 The horizon, though, still beckons us— this is an unfinished land. 
 
 Centuries and centuries to come shall reveal ever nobler chances to the Re- 
 public. America is a lusty young empire at whose rich bosoms uncounted multi- 
 tudes shall nurse. 
 
16 AMERICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 What we have entrepreneiired in random spots will be measured as insig- 
 nificant by the works which millions of vacant, lordless acres challenge ap- 
 proaching generations to create. 
 
 However nmch others may despair of national destiny, if we but follow 
 through, our futures are spangled with eternal stars. 
 
 Progress shall pay an ugly price if we do not promptly take means- 
 to offset " the take-away doctrines " of bankrupt Europe by prov- 
 ing this is still a land of boundless opportunity, where every willing, 
 honest, earnest worker may always " make a way " for himself. 
 
 There is no reason for any man to doubt or discount his prospects 
 here except it be lack of faith in our laws or ignorance of our reserve 
 resources and his constitutional right to share them. 
 
 However, there are such folk — eight millions of them (according 
 to the 1910 census) 10 years of age and over — five millions of whom 
 are native-born yet can not read or write English, and of those who 
 do not speak it, at least half do not read or write any language. 
 
 But I do not consider this an accurate estimate. Recent investi- 
 gations challenge it. I would not hesitate to double the figures. The 
 outrageous percentage of illiteracy in the Army suggests that no test 
 of literacy was required by the census takers. Of 1,552,256 draftees 
 examined by the War Department, 386,196 or 24.9 per cent could not 
 understand newspapers or write letters home. 
 
 To quote from the New York Times of March 9 : 
 
 For a country that has boasted of its enlightenment and has gloried in the 
 possession of a common ideal of freedom and democracy, the figures which the 
 Surgeon General supplied to Congress the other day in support of the Smith- 
 Bankhead bill provided something of a shock. Whereas the Census Bureau had 
 led us to believe that the percentage of illiteracy was no greater than 8 per 
 cent, the Army figures for men of draft age put it at 24.9, or one-quarter of the 
 population. While the report as first made seemed to indicate that in some 
 cases, particularly in South Carolina, the white men were perhaps more illit- 
 erate than the negroes, it appears that there must have been some confusion in 
 compilation, for it is now explained that at Camp Grant, for instance, the ex- 
 amination of white men alone resulted in the designation of 24.9 per cent for 
 the so-called beta test for illiterates, the figure reached 75 per cent for the 
 negroes, and for 50,000 white and colored men combineC the result was 29 per 
 cent. 
 
 The fact remains that of 1,552,256 men examined 386,196 were unable to read 
 American newspapers or to write letters home to the family. They were 
 unable to read and understand signs aboijt the camp or to understand a written 
 or printed order. In factories they would have been unable to understand 
 signs and instructions intended to protect them from accident. The significance 
 of this state of affairs can only be realized when it is stated that injuries in 
 manufacturing establishments occur only half as frequently to those who can 
 read as to those who can not. Above all, it stands out that, while the soldier 
 was supposed to be aware that he was fighting for the ideals of his country, 
 and to know at least the background of history out of which grew Germany's 
 guilt, in plain truth he knew only so much as his next-door neighbor told him, or 
 in a minority of the cases what he could glean through the doubtful medium of 
 the foreign-language newspaper. 
 
 How widely the Army figures differed from the census results is indicated in 
 the census tabulation for 1910. Of 71,580,270 persons 10 years of age and 
 over, 7.7 per cent were declared to be illiterate. Of the whites, who constituted 
 89.3 per cent of the population, 5 per cent were illiterate, and of the negroes, 
 who constituted 10.2 per cent of the population, 80.4 per cent were illiterate. 
 Between the draft ages the percentage of Illiteracy was even lower than the 
 average ; that is, about 7 per cent. 
 
 Speaking of the problem of Americanization a few days ago. Prof. Franklin 
 H. Giddings, of Columbia, remarked that the discrepancy between the Army 
 and the census figures showed that somebody had been doing " some tall lying," 
 and that the Bureau of Education appeared on the face of the figures to be the- 
 
AMEEICANIZATION BILL. 17 
 
 tallest liar of all. But he pointed out that the explanation probably lay In the 
 difference in standards employed, and that the correct figure would be found 
 somewhere between the two extremes. 
 
 Among the first to engage in the Army psychological work was Capt. M. R. 
 Trabue, who was a member of the psychological division of the .Army Sanitary 
 Corps and later on of the personnel committee in the office of The Adjutant 
 General. He is now back at his post as assistant professor of educational 
 administration in Teachers College, Columbia University. Not only has Prof. 
 Trabue Intimate knowledge of the Army tests, but he is familiar with the 
 methods used in obtaining the census figures. He calls attention to several 
 factors contributing to inaccuracy in the census. The personnel of the force' 
 consisted largely of those who merely wanted a job and naturally had no 
 scientific interest in the result obtained. The tests given for the selection of 
 the workers were technical in nature and were, not designed to bring out the 
 general intelligence needed in the work, perfunctory questions were used to 
 test Illiteracy, and no instructions were given to the enumerators for guidance. 
 
 " Can you read? Can you write? " Any answer was accepted even from those 
 who were obviously loath to be considered ignorant, and no check was taken to 
 verify the fact. And it was furtlier true, according to the professor, that even 
 a conscientious enumerator might get the correct answer to his questions, and 
 yet fail to report the truth, for ability to write one's name (something which 
 many learn to do mechanically), and the ability to read a few words, might 
 technically be regarded as ability to read and write without enabling the indi- 
 vidual to read anything about what Is going on in the world or to communicate 
 in writing with anybody else on earth. It follows that the census standard 
 was no standard at all, but simply served to build for Americans an abode in 
 a fool's paradise. 
 
 " On the other hand," said Prof. Trabue, " the Army classification was care- 
 fully made by men trained in the universities for that kind of work. It was 
 based not upon ultrascientific standards but upon common sense. We attempted 
 a special test at first but abandoned it early in the game. To find out whether 
 a man could read we gave him a series of words. Under those that denoted 
 an animal, the man was to place the letter A; under those denoting a flower, 
 the letter F ; under boys' names the letter B, etc. However, after using this 
 for a short time I found that it would give enormously high figures for illiteracy'. 
 and that they would not give a picture of the real situation, for a man might be 
 able to read simple English in an ordinary text, yet not be successful in this test. 
 
 "After that I addressed groups of 250 men in this way : ' We have here two 
 sets of questions to test your fitness as soldiers and to determine the grade of 
 work you can do. One test requires ability to read and write and the other 
 does not. One is no easier than the other, so you will gain nothing in making 
 a choice one way or the other. Now, we want first those who can rend an 
 American newspaper so as to understand it fairly well and who can write a 
 letter home such as will be understood by your family. These will take the 
 first test, and the others who can not read and write will take the second.' 
 The men, with few exceptions, told the exact truth about themselves. We 
 checked this up later, asking those who, supposedly, were illiterates to fill out 
 their names and addresses at the top of the answer- blanks, and watching to see 
 whether any of them unconsciously started to do it. Of course, any who could 
 not read and had declared themselves literate were quickly detected when they 
 stared blankly at their question sheets. 
 
 " There was no suggestion of a division into the ' sheep and the goats. In 
 fact, the introduction always was ' Some of you have not had a chance to learn 
 to read English and we have devised a separate test for you.' The test for the 
 illiterates was Intended to be just as difficult as that for literates, but in prac- 
 tice it pro^ed to be slightly easier. However, a man who tested in the highest 
 grade in Beta proved to be just as intelligent as a grade A man in Alpha, and 
 very quickly picked up the English language. 
 
 " The whole question simmers down to the deplorable fact that 25 per cent 
 of the men in the country lack an understanding of the most important medium 
 in the spread of connuon ideals. They live apart from the rest of the world. 
 Before us is a tremendous problem. 
 
 " Incidentally, it is to be remarked that different communities vary widely 
 in their intelligence. This became apparent while working out tlie tests. Some 
 communities seem in their complexity to need a higher grade of intelligence to 
 enable the individual to survive. For instance, I am positive that there is a 
 grade of intelligence below which the New Yorker can not sink and still make 
 
 138835—19 2 
 
18 
 
 AMERICANIZATIOJSr BILL. 
 
 fi living, and yet lie might get along perfectly well in a small tciwu where the 
 life is simple and the demands for alert intelligence not so great. 
 
 -" Here perhaps is a pointer toward the solution of the immigrant question. 
 The Beta tests might well be applied to those coming into the country, for the 
 mental defective could be discovered, although the language he spoke were un- 
 known." 
 
 But ^ye need not concern ourselves at the moment with the next 
 tide of iiumio-ration. The horde that poured through our ports dur- 
 ing the last decade first requires attention. These later comers have 
 been especially unassimilable. For instance, only 8 per cent from 
 Russia and 4 per cent from Greece within a five to nine-year period 
 iire naturalized; and of all the foreign -born wage earners resident in 
 Amei'ica five years or more, just 31 per cent are citizens and onlj' 14 
 per cent additional have their first papers. 
 
 In response to a letter asking for surveys of their establishments, 
 112 firms report to us a total of 48,598 foreign-born employees, of 
 whom 15,265, or 31.4 per cent, are naturalized, which exactly cor- 
 loborates the Labor Department's statistics I have quoted. One 
 thousand eight hundred and seventy, or 3.8 per cent, have first 
 pajjers, and 31,463, or 64 per cent, are still aliens. I have here a 
 tabulation of the races included in the survey. 
 
 Tabulation B. 
 
 Nationality. 
 
 Total 
 
 number 
 
 employees. 
 
 Natural- 
 ized. 
 
 First 
 papers. 
 
 Per cent 
 natural- 
 ized. 
 
 Per cent 
 
 first 
 papers. 
 
 Per cent 
 alien. 
 
 
 5,519 
 
 206 
 
 549 
 
 83 
 
 475 
 
 1,233 
 
 3,161 
 
 4a7 
 
 171 
 
 2,637 
 
 816 
 
 2,966 
 
 1,S26. 
 
 9,125 
 
 70 
 
 277 
 
 7,719 
 
 897 
 
 3,960 
 
 , 741 
 
 246 
 
 37S 
 
 1,582 
 
 3,825 
 
 1,353 
 
 47 
 
 231 
 
 1 
 
 272 
 
 58 
 
 1,896 
 
 176 
 
 97 
 
 1,779 
 
 37 
 
 599 
 
 1,029 
 
 2,204 
 
 169 
 
 2,261 
 
 46 
 
 702 
 
 408 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 1,040 
 
 841 
 
 419 
 2 
 
 43 
 2 
 
 25 
 
 24.5 
 22.8 
 42.0 
 
 1.2 
 37.5 
 
 4.7 
 60.0 
 40.3 
 43.0 
 67.4 
 
 4.6 
 20.0 
 67.5 
 24.1 
 
 5.7 
 61.0 
 29.0 
 
 5.1 
 17.7 
 55.0 
 
 5.0 
 
 3.5 
 65.7 
 22.0 
 
 7.6 
 1.0 
 8.0 
 2.4 
 5.3 
 
 67.9 
 
 Armenian 
 
 76.2 
 
 Bohemian , 
 
 50.0 
 
 Bul'^arian. 
 
 96.4 
 
 
 57.2 
 
 Croation 
 
 95.3 
 
 English' 
 
 142 
 
 4.5 
 
 35.5 
 
 Finnish . 
 
 59.7 
 
 French 
 
 
 
 57.0 
 
 
 45 
 27 
 78 
 24 
 344 
 
 1.7 
 3.3 
 3.0 
 1.5 
 3.8 
 
 30.9 
 
 Greek 
 
 92.1 
 
 Hungarian 
 
 77.0 
 
 Irish 
 
 31.0 
 
 Italian 
 
 72.1 
 
 
 94.3 
 
 Norwegian 
 
 33 
 159 
 
 12.0 
 2.0 
 
 27.0 
 
 Polish 
 
 69.0 
 
 
 94.9 
 
 Russian 
 
 383 
 22 
 
 9.7 
 3.0 
 
 72.6 
 
 'Scotch . 
 
 42.0 
 
 Serbian 
 
 95.0 
 
 
 
 
 96.5 
 
 
 109 
 58 
 
 6.9 
 1.5 
 
 27.4 
 
 Other nationalities . ., . 
 
 76.5 
 
 
 
 1 Under "English" is included Great Britain and provinces, some Irish and Canadians being included, 
 but the Irish and Canadians given in the table are not included under "English." 
 
 The melting pot calls for watchful care, when we find that 94.3 
 per cent of Mexicans, 96.4 per cent of Bulgarians, 95 per cent of 
 Roumanians, 92 per cent of Greeks, 95 per cent of Croatians, 76 per 
 cent of Armenians, 67 per cent of Austrians employed by the con- 
 cerns in question are not subjects of the flag. 
 
 The same establishments have calculated the percentage of turn- 
 over among illiterates. The' United States Aluminum Co. estimates 
 it at 20 per cent ; the Goodyear Rubber Co. at 30 per cent ; Wilson & 
 Co. at 30 per cent; The Fleishmann Malting Co. at 50 per cent; the 
 
AMERICANIZATION BILL. 19 
 
 Kinevah Coal and Coke Co. at 80 per cent; the Pfeister-Vogel 
 Leather Co. at 100 per cent; the Worthington Pump Co. at 100 per 
 cent; the Standard Eolkr Bearing Co. at 200 per cent; the Balti- 
 more Copper Smelting and KoUing Co. at 300 to 400 per cent, and 
 the (jrasselli Chemical Co. at 395 per cent. 
 
 Strike an average and appreciate how closely ignorance and in- 
 dustrial unrest are related. 
 
 I have two lists (see Exhibits A and B) the extent of which indi- 
 cate the decision of big concerns to exclude from their shops and 
 works all aliens and all who can not read and write, or talk, our lan- 
 guage. If we have cause to worry over the present conditions 
 judge how much worse that situation will grow as this sentiment 
 spreads and a great multitude finds ever-narrowing opportunity. 
 How shall you answer them when they deny that America means 
 liberty, that there is no discrimination here? 
 
 Sheer selfishness urges us to remove their disability. We can not 
 reduce living costs by constricting the labor supply— already insuf- 
 ficient ; and we the same as reduce the supply of labor when we suffer 
 the continuance of conditions which limit its general service. 
 
 Even if we proceed on the basis of the inaccurate 1910 census (see 
 tabulation by States, Exhibit C) ; even if there are, as it claims, only 
 ■8,000,000 of this class, that number exceeds Canada's entire popula- 
 tion, is more than the whole population of the South during the 
 Civil War, is greater than the combined population of Nevada, 
 Wyoming, Delaware, Arizona, Idaho, Mississippi, Vermont, Ehode 
 Island, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oregon, Maine, Florida, Con- 
 necticut, and Washington — greater than all the men, women, and 
 children of all the cities in the United States west of the Mississippi, 
 except one. 
 
 The South leads in illiteracy, but the North leads in non-English- 
 speaking. Over 17 per cent of the persons in the east-south Central 
 States have never been to school. Approximately 16 per cent of the 
 people of Passaic, N. J., must deal with their fellow workers and 
 employers through interpreters. And 13 per cent of the folk in 
 Lawrence and Fall River, Mass., are utter strangers in a strange 
 land. 
 
 The extent to which our industries are dependent upon this labor 
 is perilous to all standards of efficiency. Their ignorance not only 
 retards production and confuses administration, but constantly piles 
 up a junk heap of broken humans and damaged machines which cost 
 the Nation incalculably. 
 
 A statement from the Director of the Bureau of Mines indicates 
 the situation in practically every great national enterprise where 
 illiterates and principally non-English-speaking aliens are employed. 
 Accompanying this statement is a statement of facts which would 
 justifj' the enactment of this law for our mining States alone. 
 
 Among other figures contained in his statement are statistics which 
 show that the non-English-speaking races in the anthracite regions 
 are twice as liable to death and injury as the English-speaking work- 
 ers. This is equally true in the bituminous fields of West Virginia ; 
 it is approximately so wherever we use such labor in hazardous enter- 
 prises. (See Exhibit E.) 
 
 It is our duty to interpret America to all potential Americans in 
 terms of protection as well as of opportunity; and neither the oppor- 
 
20 AMERICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 tunities of this continent nor that humanity which is the genius of 
 American democracy can be rendered intelligible to these eight mil- 
 lions until they can talk and read and write our language. 
 
 Steel and iron manufacturers employ 58 per cent of foreign-born 
 helpers; the slaughtering and meat-packing trades, 61 per cent; bi- 
 tuminous coal mining, 62 per cent; the silk and dye trade, 34 per 
 cent ; glass-making enterprises, 38 per cent ; woolen mills, 62 per cent,, 
 cotton factories, 69 per cent ; the clothing business, 72 per cent ; boot 
 and shoe manufacturers, 27 per cent ; leather tanners, 57 per cent ; fur- 
 niture factories, 59 per cent ; glove manufacturers, 33 per cent ; cigar 
 and tobacco trades, 33 per cent; oil refiners, 67 per cent, and sugar 
 refiners, 85 per cent. 
 
 Early in the war Samuel Gompers predicted " an even greater mis- 
 understanding between Government and labor than that which arose 
 in England may arise in a more acute form because of tlie racial di- 
 versity of our working classes." 
 
 Foreign labor's habit of living in special districts tends to accentu- 
 ate racial solidarity and to perpetuate whatever misconceptions and 
 theories of America they brought with them. While the barrier of 
 speech stretches between us and them we shall never be able to ex- 
 plain ourselves or appreciably win their sympathy for America. 
 
 An alarming number of so-called factory towns show a preponder- 
 ance of aliens and of native illiterates gradually combed, since 1915, 
 out of the farthest villages and plantations by short-handed war in- 
 dustries and to be held indefinitely in their new environment by high 
 wages, short hours, and city excitements. 
 
 You will agree with me that future security compels attention to 
 such concentrations of unread, unsocialized masses thus conveniently 
 and perilously grouped for misguidance. 
 
 They live in America but America does not live in them. How can 
 all be " free and equal " until they have free access to the same 
 sources of self-help and an equal chance to secure them ? 
 
 Illiteracy is a pick-and-shovel estate, a life sentence to meniality. 
 Democracy may not have fixed classes and survive. The first duty of 
 Congress is to preserve opportunity for the whole people and oppor- 
 tunity can not exist where there is no means of information. 
 
 It is a shabhy economy, an ungrateful economy that withholds 
 funds for their betterment. The fields of France cry shame upon 
 those who are content to abandon them to their handicap. 
 
 The loyal service of immigrant soldiers and sailors commit us to 
 instruct and nationalize their brothers in breed. 
 
 The spirit in which these United States were conceived insists 
 that the Eepublic remove the cruel disadvantage under which so 
 ^any native-borns despairingly carry on. 
 
 How may they reason soundly or plan sagely? The man who 
 knows nothing of the past can find little in the future. The less he 
 has gleaned from human experience the more he may be expected 
 to duplicate its signal errors. No argument is too ridiculous for 
 acceptance, no sophistry can seem far fetched to a person without the 
 sense to confound it. 
 
 Anarchy shall never want for mobs while the uninformed are left 
 at the mercv of false prophets. Those who have no wav to astimate 
 
AMERICANIZATION BILL. 21 
 
 the worth of America are unlikely to value its institutions fairly. 
 Blind to facts, the wildest one-eyed argument can sway them. 
 
 Not until we can teach our illiterate millions the truths about the 
 land to which they have come and in which they were born shall 
 its spirit reach them — ^not until they can read, can we set them right 
 and empower them to inherit their estate. 
 
 If we continue to neglect them, there are influences at work that 
 will sooner or later convince those who now fail to appreciate the 
 worth of our Government, that the Government itself has failed— 
 crowd the melting pot with class hates and violence and befoul its 
 yield. 
 
 We must not be tried by inquest. We demand the right to vindi- 
 cate the merit of our systems wherever their integrity is questioned 
 or maligned. 
 
 We demand the right to regulate the cheating scales upon which 
 the Republic is weighed by its ill-wishers. 
 
 We demand the right to protect unintelligence from Esau bar- 
 gains with hucksters of traitorous creeds. 
 
 We demand the right to present our case and our cause to the un- 
 lettered mass, whose benightedness and ready prejudices continually 
 invite exploitation. 
 
 We demand the right to vaccinate credulous inexperience against 
 bolshevism and kindred plagues. 
 
 We demand the right to render all whose kind we deem fit to 
 fight for our flag fit to vote and prosper under its folds. 
 
 We demand the right to bring the American language to every 
 American, to qualify each inhabitant of these United States for 
 self-determination, self-uplift, and self-defense. 
 
 In these demands we voice the will of every State in the Union, 
 as testified by the insistent attitude of the country's press. (See 
 Exhibit F.) 
 
 The problem is not local. However much different' sections may 
 at present hold a preponderance of the uneducated, we can not be 
 safe anywhere until we are sound everjrwhere. 
 
 There can not be coagulations of illiteracy and non-English speak- 
 ing on either coast or border without both coasts and both borders 
 finally sharing the consequences. 
 
 An outbreak of hoof and mouth disease would compel instant 
 remedial laws and funds to contain the menace within bounds. 
 
 It is even more incumbent upon us to defend healthy citizenship 
 against civic incapables. But since we manifestly can not prohibit 
 the free passage of illiterates from State to State, then the only pro- 
 tection which any State can have lies in dealing with the question 
 Federally. 
 
 , There are some who maintain the education of these people should 
 remain a State responsibility, but because it has been solely a State 
 responsibility, because the States have utterly failed to deal ade- 
 quately in the matter, the Government now asks to take action. 
 
 Because the States permitted 386,196 of their several citizens of 
 draft age to remain abysmally unlettered that they could not com- 
 prehend the simplest military orders or write a post card, the Gov- 
 ernment was forced to expend more millions than this bill calls foq 
 
22 
 
 AMERICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 in toto merely to prepare a comparative handful of men for ser\ice. 
 
 Now that we are in the midst of another war, a battle against 
 time — against all the deficiencies of production which our conflict 
 with Germany involved — experience advises that we profit by the 
 lesson of previous State inaction and close the gap between supply 
 and demand with a higher standard of intelligence — that we hasten 
 to settle the ruinous differences which now exist between our people 
 and which may only be lastingly composed by making all men suf- 
 ficiently intelligent to appreciate mutual interests. 
 
 Americanization must especially carry with it authoritj', the 
 authority of the Federal Government as well as that of the States. 
 We can not in sanity permit irresponsible, untrained folk or self- 
 seeking and exploiting interests to furnish arbitrarily such standards 
 of citizenship as arbitrary theory, sectionalism, or personal ad- 
 vantage advise. 
 
 We can have but one mold for casting the metal of the melting pot 
 and the pattern of that mold can not be too jealously designed.. 
 
 The making of America may not proceed faster than the making 
 of Americans, else we sophisticate the quality of the future with 
 perilous elements. 
 
 If a hundred million of us must stand together, we must think 
 together, and think without a foreign accent. 
 
 But with 8,000,000 persons in America practically beyond the 
 reach of inspiration and conference, unable to read an American 
 document or newspaper, we tempt the disorganizer, the anarchist, 
 and all the agents of disruption to seduce this vast influence which 
 we have neglected to win for intelligence and citizenship. 
 
 The Secretary of the Interior has graphically painted the accusa- 
 tory situation in his annual report. He reminds us that our illiteracy 
 problem is not confined to alienism. He shows us army of illiterates 
 marching past the White House in double file at the rate of 25 
 miles a day for more than two months — an army of which 58 per 
 cent are white and 1,500,000 are native-born whites. 
 
 He begs you to consider the economic loss rising out of this multi- 
 tude ; he estimates that if the productive labor of an illiterate is less 
 by only 50 cents a day than that of an educated worker the country 
 is losing $825,000,000 a year through illiteracy. 
 
 But we can safely figure that the labor of an illiterate is worth $5 
 a week less than that of a man who can read. And that of 8,000,000 
 will yield the nation $2,000,000,000 annually in excess of present 
 earnings from this class — which $2,000,000,000 annually would not 
 only pay the interest on our war debt but will soon amortize it as 
 well. 
 
 Secretary Lane reminds us the Federal Government and the States 
 expend millions every year to help our farmers make better crops 
 and better homes, yet 3,700,000, or 10 per sent, of our rural folk can't 
 read an agricultural bulletin, a farm journal, a thrift appeal, a news- 
 paper, the Constitution of the United Siates, their Bibles, answer an 
 income-tax questionnaire, or keep business accounts. 
 
 He is right when he says " an uninformed democracy is not a 
 democracy, that people who have no access to the mediums of public 
 opinion, the messages of Presidents, and the acts of Congress " can't 
 
AMERICANIZATION BILL. 23 
 
 be expected to understand why they all must contribtite in due share 
 of energy or property or lealty to the welfare of this country. 
 
 In concluding, Mr. Chairman, I ask your permission to include in 
 the record certain important material from the hearing before the 
 House Committee on Education at the last session of Congress. 
 
 The Chairman. You may do so. 
 
 Exhibit A.. 
 
 Finns who mU not or do not employ illitemtes. 
 
 Employees. 
 
 A. and C. Stone & Lime Co., Greencastle, Ind 35 
 
 Allis Chalmers Manufacturing Co., Norwood, Ohio 500 
 
 American Optical Co., Southbridge, Mass C) 
 
 Andrew Jergens Co., Cincinnati, Ohio 400 
 
 Anderson & Benkelraan, Victor, Colo 20 
 
 Ault & Wiborg Co., Cincinnati, Ohio 783 
 
 Automatic Electric Co., Chicago, 111 1, 100 
 
 Bastian Bros. Co., Rochester, N. Y 600 
 
 Bay State Thread Works, Springfield, Mass 100 
 
 Badger, E. B., & Sons Co., Boston, Mass 271 
 
 Ballo, B. A., & Co., Providence, R. I 2.53 
 
 Becker Milling Machine Co., Hyde Park, Mass 310 
 
 Belden Manufacturing Co., Chicago, 111 650 
 
 Benjamin & Johns, Newark, N. J 350 
 
 Benjamin Electric Manufacturing Co., Chicago, 111 1, 141 
 
 Bon Marche, Seattle, Wash , 851 
 
 Boston Elevated Railway Co., Boston, Mass 10,000 
 
 Brill, J. G., Co., Philadelphia, Pa 2, 500 
 
 Brown-Sharpe Manufacturing Co., Providence, R. I 6, 000 
 
 Buffalo Gasolene Motor Co., Buffalo, N. Y (>) 
 
 Chambersburg Hosiery Co., Chambersburg, Pa 200 
 
 Chatfield Manufactuilng Co., Cincinnati, Ohio 75 
 
 Columbia Machine Tool Co., Hamilton, Ohio 45 
 
 Curtis Bros. & Co., Clinton, Iowa 325 
 
 Deuscher Co., H. P., Hamilton, Ohio 110 
 
 Dusenberg Motors Corporation, Elizabeth, N. J (') 
 
 Eastern Supply Co., Mechanicsburg, Pa 5 
 
 Emerson Engineers, New York, N. Y C) 
 
 Fay, J. A., and Egan Co., Cincinnati, Ohio 550 
 
 Ford Motor Co., Cincinnati, Ohio C) 
 
 Foy Paint Co., Cincinnati, Ohio 50 
 
 Forum-Barrett Co., Cleveland, Ohio 110 
 
 Pour Wheel Drive Auto Co., ClintonviUe, Wis 637 
 
 Gaumont Co., Flushing, N. Y 48 
 
 Gummed Products Co., Troy, Ohio 40 
 
 Hero Manufacturing Co., Philadelphia, Pa (') 
 
 J. H. and C. K. Eagle (Inc.), Shamokin, Pa 2,919 
 
 Harker Manufacturing Co., Cincinnati, Ohio 25 
 
 King Machine Tool Co., Cincinnati, Ohio 80 
 
 Kroeger Grocerv & Baking Co., Cincinnati, Ohio (') 
 
 Lane,'0. M., Life Boat Co., Brooklyn, N. Y 30 
 
 Leertch Manufacturing Co., Cincinnati, Ohio 32 
 
 Lucas, John, & Co. (Inc.), Gibbsboro, N. J 220 
 
 Marshall Field Co., Chicago, 111 (') 
 
 Leeds & Northrup Co., Philadelphia, Pa (') 
 
 Mutual Biscuit Co., San Francisco, Cal 80 
 
 Mueller Machine Tool Co.. Cincinnati, Ohio tiO 
 
 Matthews, James H., & Co., Pittsburgh, Pa 185 
 
 New Process Gear Corporation, Syracuse, N. Y 875 
 
 Parke-Davis & Co., Detroit, Mich 1, 050 
 
 Queen City Machine Tool Co., Cincinnati, Ohio 36 
 
 1 Not given. 
 
24 AMERI<.!ANIZATION BILL. 
 
 ^ Employees. 
 
 R. 1!. Donnelly & Sons Co., Ghu-aaio, 111 1,300 
 
 Si-ars, Uoc'bnck & Co., Chicago, 111 15,768 
 
 Seamless Rubber Co., New Haven, Conn . 620 
 
 Smith & Ddve ilanufactnring Co., Aiidover, JIas.s 500 
 
 Standard Parts Co., Cleveland, Ohio 225 
 
 Simonds Manufacturing Co., Pitchburg, Mass 516 
 
 Towle Manufacturing Co., Newlmryport, Mass 240 
 
 Triumph Electric (^i.. Cincinnati, Ohio 400 
 
 I'nited Slates Printing anil Pithograph Co., Norwood, Ohio 750 
 
 AValerman (L. E.) C.k, New York Cit.v, N. Y ^700 
 
 Weston Electric Instruments, Newarlv, N. J (') 
 
 Weir Frog Co., Cincinnati, Ohio (') 
 
 Wm. Edwards Co., Cleveland, Ohio 800 
 
 Nunn, Push & Weldon Shoe Co., Wori-ester, Mass C) 
 
 The Forbes Lithograph Manufacturing Co., Boston, Mass 1, 000 
 
 Federal Telephone & Telegraph Co., Buffalo, N. Y 150 
 
 I. & J. a. Stickley (Inc.), Fayetteville, N. Y 60 
 
 Exhibit B. 
 
 Firms icho will not employ unnaturalized citizens. 
 
 Employees. 
 
 Stearns Roger Manufacturing Co., Pueblo, Colo 190 
 
 Wisconsin Lumber Co., Chicago, 111 (') 
 
 A. & (J. Stone & Lime (Jo., Greencastle, Ind 35 
 
 Curtis Bros. & Co., Clinton, Iowa 325 
 
 The Fcjrbes Lithograph Manufacturing Co., Boston, Mass 1,000 
 
 Smith & Dove Manufacturing Co., Audover, Mass 580 
 
 The Hero Manufacturing Co., Baltimore, Md (') 
 
 Parke-Davis & Co., Detroit, Mich 1,050 
 
 Saranac Machine Co., Benton Harbor, Mich 85 
 
 Benjamin & .Tohns, Newark, N. J 350 
 
 Buffalo Cooperative Brewing Co., Buffalo, N. Y (') 
 
 Emerson Engineers, New York, N. Y (') 
 
 I. & J. G. Stickley (Inc.), Fayetteville, N. Y 60 
 
 New Process Gear Corporation, Syracuse, N. Y 875 
 
 Republic Metalware Co., Buffalo, N. Y (') 
 
 C. M. Lane Life Boat Co., Brooklyn, N. Y 30 
 
 Acme Machine Tool Co., Cincinnati, Ohio 202 
 
 American Cigar Co., Mansiield. Ohio 200 
 
 Chnttield Manufacturing Cu., Cincinnati, Ohio 75 
 
 Ault & Wiborg Co., Cincinnati. Ohio 783 
 
 Andrew Jergens Co., Cincinnati, Ohio 400 
 
 Allis Clialniers Manufacturing Co., Norwood, Ohio 500 
 
 Columbia Machine Tool f'o., Hamilton, Ohio 45 
 
 Forum Barrett Co., Cleveland, Ohio 110 
 
 Fay. T. A., & Egan Co., Cincinnati, Ohio 550 
 
 Foy Paint Co., Cincinnati, Ohio 50 
 
 Harker Manufacturing Co., Cincinnati, Ohio 25 
 
 Gummed Products Co., Troy, Ohio 40 
 
 Cleveland-.Akron Bag Co., Cleveland, Ohio 1,000 
 
 Leertch Manufacturing Co., Cincinnati, Ohio 32 
 
 Jlueller Machine Tool Co., Cincinnati, Ohio 60 
 
 Ou(>en City Machine Tool Co., Cincinnati, Ohio 36 
 
 Ciueen City Forging Co., Cincinnati, Ohio 60 
 
 Triumph Electric Co., Cincinnati, Ohio 400 
 
 Fnited States Printing and Lithograph Co., Norwood, Ohio 750 
 
 Weir Frog Co., Cincinnati, Ohio : (') 
 
 William Edwards Co., Cleveland, Ohio 800 
 
 Cliamher.sburg Hosiery Co., Chambersburg, Pa 200 
 
 Ea.cle, (Inc.) J. H. and C. K., Shnmokin, Pa 2,919 
 
 Eastern Supply Co., Mechanicsburg, Pa 5 
 
 Ballow, B. A., & Co., Providence, R. I 253 
 
 Bon Marche, Seattle, Wash ^ 851 
 
 ^ Ni>t given. 
 
AMERICANIZATION BILL. 
 Exhibit C. 
 
 25 
 
 states. 
 
 Alabama 
 
 Arizona 
 
 Arkansas 
 
 California 
 
 Colorado 
 
 Connecticut 
 
 Delaware 
 
 Florida 
 
 ■Georgia 
 
 Idaho 
 
 Illinois 
 
 Indiana :. 
 
 Iowa 
 
 Kansas 
 
 Kentucky 
 
 Louisiana 
 
 Maine 
 
 Maryland 
 
 Massachusetts 
 
 Michigan 
 
 Minnesota 
 
 Mississippi 
 
 Missouri 
 
 Montana 
 
 Nebraska 
 
 Nevada 
 
 New Hampshire. . 
 
 New Jersey 
 
 New Mexico 
 
 New York 
 
 North Carolina... 
 
 North Dakota 
 
 Ohio 
 
 ■Oklahoma 
 
 Oregon 
 
 Pennsylvania 
 
 Rhode Island 
 
 South Carolina . . . 
 
 South Dakota 
 
 'Tennessee 
 
 Texas 
 
 Utah 
 
 Vermont 
 
 Virginia 
 
 Washin8:ton 
 
 West Virginia 
 
 TVisconsin 
 
 Wyoming 
 
 United States 5,502,351 
 
 Number of 
 
 illiterates 
 
 10 years of 
 
 age and 
 
 over, 
 
 census 
 
 1910. 
 
 352, 
 32', 
 
 142, 
 ^'^', 
 23, 
 53, 
 13, 
 77 
 
 389; 
 5, 
 
 168, 
 66: 
 29; I 
 28, 
 
 208, 
 
 352, 
 
 73, 
 14i; 
 
 ■74, 
 
 49, 
 290; 
 111, 
 
 14, 
 
 18; 
 4, 
 
 16, 
 113, 
 
 48, 
 406, 
 291, 
 
 13, 
 124, 
 
 67, 
 
 10, 
 354, 
 
 33, 
 276, 
 
 12, 
 
 221; 
 
 282, 
 
 6, 
 
 10, 
 232, 
 
 18, 
 
 74, 
 
 57 
 3, 
 
 Number 
 who can 
 not speak 
 English, 
 census 
 1910. 
 
 3,048 
 
 39,246 
 
 2,757 
 
 109, 877 
 
 24, 417 
 
 64,327 
 
 4,832 
 
 15,234 
 
 1,005 
 
 7,920 
 
 267,372 
 
 40,827 
 
 37,355 
 
 28,601 
 
 3,834 
 
 29,147 
 
 19,630 
 
 17,682 
 
 172,774 
 
 103,480 
 
 91,701 
 
 1,935 
 
 38,115 
 
 18,624 
 
 30,478 
 
 5,017 
 
 20,794 
 
 154, 262 
 
 23,012 
 
 600,769 
 
 1,247 
 
 35,682 
 
 163,951 
 
 14,647 
 
 14,944 
 
 467, 595 
 
 37,267 
 
 459 
 
 24, 296 
 
 1,669 
 
 127,030 
 
 10,961 
 
 8,355 
 
 4,060 
 
 33, 164 
 
 27,616 
 
 121,945 
 
 7,553 
 
 3,089,723 
 
 Total 
 number of 
 illiterates 
 and per- 
 sons unable 
 to speak 
 English. 
 
 355, 688 
 
 72, 199 
 145,711 
 184,779 
 
 48, 197 
 117,992 
 
 18,072 
 
 93, 050 
 390,780 
 
 13, 373 
 435,667 
 107,040 
 
 67, 244 
 
 57, 669 
 211,918 
 381,326 
 
 44, 184 
 
 91,079 
 314,316 
 178,280 
 141,037 
 292, 170 
 149, 231 
 
 33,081 
 
 48,487 
 9,719 
 
 43,180 
 267,764 
 
 71,709 
 
 1,006,789 
 
 292,744 
 
 48,662 
 288,723 
 
 81,634 
 
 27,446 
 821,895 
 
 71,121 
 277, 439 
 
 37,045 
 222,740 
 409,934 
 
 17,782 
 
 19,161 
 236,961 
 
 51,580 
 102,382 
 179,714 
 
 11,427 
 
 8,592,074 
 
26 AMEEICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 Exhibit D. — Finns who find percentage of accidents due to iUiteracy. 
 
 Name and address of firm. 
 
 Carbon Steel Co., Pittsburgh, Pa 
 
 Eastern Malleable Iron Co., Albany, N. Y 
 
 MoElwain, W. H.,Co., Manchester, N. H 
 
 United Lead Co., Maurer, N.J 
 
 Wilson & Co., Chicago, III 
 
 American Smelting & Refining Co., Denver, Colo 
 
 Oil Seeds Co., Bayonne, N. T. 
 
 Lowney Chocolate Co., Boston, Mass 
 
 Nineveh Coal & Coke Co., Seward, Pa 
 
 Wire Wheel Corporation of America, Buffalo, N. Y 
 
 Heppeustall Forge & Knife Co. , Pittsburgh, Pa 
 
 Fleischmann Malting Co., Buffalo, N. Y 
 
 Beaver Board Co., Beaver Road, Buffalo, N. Y 
 
 Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Akron, Ohio 
 
 Kelsey Wheel Co. (IncJ, Detroit, Mich 
 
 Pfister-Vogel Leather Co., Milwaukee, Wis 
 
 Poughkeepsie Foundry & Machinery Co., Poughkeepsie, N. Y 
 
 Whiting Foundry Equipment Cq^ Harvey, 111 
 
 Wm. Wharton, jr., & Co. (Inc.), Easton, Pa 
 
 Kavanaugh KnittmgCo. (Inc.), Waterford, N. Y 
 
 Mesta Machine Co., West Homestead, Pa 
 
 Van Norman Machine Tool Co., Springfield, Mass 
 
 The Republic Metalware Co., Buffalo, N. Y. 
 
 Number of 
 employees. 
 
 1,700 
 539 
 
 5,500 
 300 
 
 5,000 
 386 
 70 
 
 1,000 
 46 
 425 
 
 1,024 
 
 - 100 
 
 175 
 
 19,500 
 
 2,200 
 
 3,200 
 173 
 700 
 800 
 200 
 
 2,100 
 250 
 810 
 
 Percent- 
 
 10 
 10 
 10 
 10 
 10 
 20 
 21 
 25 
 25 
 25 
 30 
 40 
 50 
 50 
 50 
 .50 
 50 
 50 
 60 
 76 
 75 
 
 Exhibit F. 
 
 press comment on americanization and the impoktance of the americaniza- 
 tion bill. 
 
 [Oakland (Calif.) Tribune, Mar. 19.] 
 
 At this particular time no legislation can be of greater importance to the fu- 
 ture welfare of the nation. 
 
 [Saturday B>vening Post, Apr. 12.] 
 
 A bill introduced in both Houses of Congress too late for action in the clut- 
 tered and jumbled session that expired March 4th proposes a national attack 
 upon the national disgrace of illiteracy. With millions shut out from the great 
 common medium of expression, for whom a President's proclamation or a vil- 
 lage ordinance Is so much Greek, whom the flux of events and opinions that 
 shapes national life can not reach except indirectly or second hand, the melting 
 pot obviously contains a huge chunk that does not blend very readily. That 
 more than half the chunk is a native product makes it all the worse. 
 
 It is a problem that should have been vigorously attacked long ago. This bill 
 proposes a Federal appropriation to be expended in conjunction with the States 
 that conform to the education program laid down for the special purpose of 
 reaching those unable to read English. It should be put near the top of the cal- 
 endar of the new Congress and carried through without delay. 
 [New York (N. Y.) World, Feb. 16.] 
 
 Up to the beginning of the war an average of 1,000,000 immigrants a year 
 arrived in the United States. In the natural order of things those of foreign 
 speech, who predominated, tended more and more to group themselves in com- 
 pact bodies which were virtually impervious to American ideas and American 
 ways of thinking. They changed their place of residence merely, without being 
 brought into active contact with conditions that would make them over into true 
 Americans. 
 
 There are industrial centers not far from New York City that are wholly for- 
 eign. There are sections of this city that — except as the children through the 
 schools and association with others of their age yield to change — are intensely 
 alien. 
 
 To penetrate these barriers and open new avenues of communication with the 
 people who live within them is no longer a task to be performed by individual 
 effort. Americanization is a work that must be undertaken and directed on a 
 scale so extensive that only through the cooperation of the States and the Fed- 
 eral (government can it be successfully carried out. It can not longer be neg- 
 lected without serious harm to the life and welfare of the Nation. 
 
AMERICANIZATION BILL. 29 
 
 [Portland (Oreg.) Journal, Apr. 25.] > i^^ 
 
 Secretary Lane liacl a splendid bill before the late Congress proposing com- 
 pulsory instruction of all under 21 in the English language and other branches, 
 including American ideals and government. It died on the calendar because 
 Congress seemed interested more in peanut politics than in national welfare.. 
 The measure should be introduced at the coming special session, and public 
 sentiment should compel members to drive it through and apply it to the 
 country's school system. " What you want in the Nation you must put into 
 your schools," said Napoleon Bonaparte. And that grim man never uttered 
 ft .sterner truth. More than 8,500,000 persons over 10 years old in the United 
 States can not read an American newspaper. 
 
 [Saginaw (Mich.) News, May 8.] 
 
 Now that Congress is called in. special session by President Wilson, if it 
 undertakes to pass at as early a date as possible the deferred Smith-Bankhead 
 Americanization bill, it will ha^e done a great deal to help solve the disturbing 
 problem created by our having so many foreigners who have no acquaintance 
 whatever with the common language of the country. Naturally, these people 
 are shut away from other Americans and are easy prej- for the rascally agita- 
 tors who talk to them in their own tongue and who lead them into the byways 
 and highways of anarchy, especially when, as is too frefjuent, these poor for- 
 eigners are wholly illiterate. It is the purpose of the Smith-Bankhead bill t» 
 help their Americanization by providing ways and means, through cooperation 
 of Federal and State Governments, to teach them the English language. 
 
 [Atlanta (Ga.) Georgian, Apr. 29.] 
 
 The demand for just such remedial legislation and expenditure is plain and 
 unmistakable. All members of either house in the new Congress should regard 
 the matter as emergent and place the measure on the statute books without 
 cavil or delay. 
 
 [Houston (Tex.) Post.] 
 
 So long as there are millions of people in America who are either indifferent 
 or hostile to our institutions and our welfare they constitute a dangerous ele- 
 ment. Selfish as well as altruistic motives demand a widespread and far- 
 reaching attempt to remove this menace by Americanizing the individual aliens. 
 
 [Philadelphia (Pa.) North American, Mar. 15.] 
 
 We have some 80,000,000 persons over 10 In this country. The percentage 
 shown by the Army tests would give us 20,000,000 who, because of illiteracy or 
 inability to speak op read our language, are hindering not oaly our national but 
 their individual progress and welfare. Even by applying a mean between the 
 census ratio and that of the recent camp investigation, we would have 13,000,000. 
 To avid exaggeration, we will use the latter figure. 
 
 Experts agree that nearly any person who can use mind as well as body in 
 work can earn at least $5 a week more than the mere drudge. At this rate the 
 13,000,000 would add a total of $3,370,000,000 to their annual earnings. Make 
 allowance for 3,000,000 of these on the ground of extreme youth or mental or 
 physical disability, and still there is shown an annual increase of $2,600,000,000 
 in earning power — far more than enough to pay the interest on our total war 
 debt and amortise it as well. In every way illiteracy is the foe of representative 
 government. It is the foe of prosperity, the arch stifier of ideals. It endangers 
 the purpose, the power, and the profits of freedom. 
 
 With democracy at this moment menaced by false doctrines, which feed on 
 Illiteracy, we can not think of a more timely act of patriotism. 
 
 [Madison (-Wis.) State Journal, Feb. 19.] 
 
 The Smith-Bankhead bill, with its appropriation of $5,000,000 this year and 
 $12,000,000 next year and $12,500,000 a year until 1926, would seem to need 
 little argument for its passage. 
 
 [Dayton (Ohio) News, Feb. 18.] 
 
 Can it be doubted that such a condition requires attention? No thoughtful 
 American will be likely to hesitate over the nature of his answer to this question, 
 nor is it probable that any patriotic citizen will doubt that something ought to 
 be done at once to remedy that which must be acknowledged as a serious defect 
 in our educational system. 
 
28 AMERICANIZATION BILIi. 
 
 [Cadillac (Mich.) News, Feb. 28.] 
 
 When the illiteracy of drafted men throughout the country showed a percent- 
 age that reached 24.6 conditions are such as to call for radical State measures, 
 and if these are inadequate then the Federal Government might well Inaugurate 
 measures for improvement. 
 
 [Riverside (Calif.) Enterprise, May 21.] 
 
 There is only one weapon with which to fight off this peril, and that is pub- 
 licity. By a liberal use of truth we definitely checked the imperial liars, but 
 tlid not permanently squelch them. They failed to surrender when the German 
 Army and Navy did, and they are still at work nursing the sparks of Bolshe- 
 vism all over the world. They are yet to be definitely and decisively trounced, 
 tint we have found the instrument to do it with in this country. It is some more 
 ■of the same remedy to be administered by the proposed Smith-Bankhead Ameri- 
 canization bill. This measure proposes to educate every resident of America to 
 read English. 
 
 The bill is well drawn. It provides that a maxinmm of $12,500,000 a year 
 may be spent by the Government for salaries of teachers to educate illiterates. 
 The money is to be hung up as a sort of prize for States, which must match 
 their allotment with an equal amount, and must pass State laws making the 
 attendance of illiterate minors compulsory for at least 200 hours a year or until 
 the pupils of these night or special schools reach the third grade. The bill has 
 the support of the Department of the Interior and its Bureau of Education. 
 
 We have always said that education was the foundation of democracy, and 
 it is ; and here is the opportunity to cement every loose joint in our national 
 foundation — the chance to make this the most intelligent Nation in the world. 
 {Union (N. J.) Hudson Dispatch, Apr. 23.] 
 
 The Americanization bill will undoubtedly come up again at the next session, 
 and it will be of vital importance that some vital plan be put into effect if the 
 results of the war are not to be lost. If Americans are going to get back to 
 their peace pursuits and forget all about the lessons that the war has taught, and 
 which should be put into practice, then this Americanization bill may be lost in 
 the shuffle. 
 
 The German-speaking element is already reviving its vereins and bunds and 
 klatsches, and the peace articles are not yet signed. 
 
 It is of vast importance that the Americanization bill is passed and that its 
 provisions for Americanizing foreign-born citizens are put into force. 
 
 [Muskogee (Okla.) Phoenix, Apr. 27.] 
 
 This Republic assumes that all the voters are intelligent and patriotic. No 
 longer can our institutions be carried on by illiterate men. The greatest task 
 that now confronts the American people is the Americanization of 20,000,000 
 illiterates. 
 
 [The Fourth Estate (New York), May 17.] 
 
 As pointed out in the columns of the Fourth Estate several times in the last 
 few months the Americanization bill, which failed of passage in the closing days 
 of the last Congress, is bound to be a live issue in the early days of the coming 
 session of our national legislators. 
 
 The measure may be changed somewhat from the former draft, but if drawn 
 substantially along the same lines as before it surely should receive the support 
 of the newspaper publishers. In fact, this support is needed to arouse the>voters 
 as a body to the point of demanding legislation. It's a case where the press can 
 perform an educational work that will ultimately result in great benefit to the 
 •country. 
 
 As a safeguard against Bolshevism, against any part of propaganda that feeds 
 in illiteracy and ignorance, against any of the forces of darkness and super- 
 stition this measure, if enacted, will be found in the front rank. 
 
 The proposed bill will let the light in on dark places, and the extent and 
 ■numbers of these dark places is simply astounding when the subject is studied. 
 
 [Tampa (Fla.) Tribune, Feb. 18.] 
 
 We trust that this bill may become a part of the law of the land because of 
 the broadening effect it will have on the intellect of that great body of men and 
 ■^vomen who now think only in infinitesimals of reasoning and who through ignor^ 
 
AMERICANIZATION BILL. 29 
 
 ance and foreign hamperings know nothing of the institutions of this country ia 
 which they live. 
 
 The passage of this bill will, it seems most probably, raise the morale of a 
 great percentage of our people and will strengthen the Nation through making 
 strong the individual. 
 
 [Astoria (Oreg.) Budget, Jan. 9.] 
 
 If we want people* who will stand up for American ideas through all the 
 social changes that may be impending, we must make it easy for American ideas, 
 to get into their minds. 
 
 [Huntington (Pa.) Journal, Mar. 3.] 
 
 The mad dog that is running amuck in the mining industry to-day is the- 
 foreign born from the non-English-speaking races who does not know the English 
 language and who in a majority of instances is so Ignorant that he doesn't know 
 how to read or write even in his own language. 
 
 [Great Falls (Mont.) Tribune, May 21.] 
 
 Before men and women can become valuable citizens they must be able to- 
 understand the language of their own country, and they must have facilities. 
 for keeping themselves informed as to what is going on here and elsewhere in 
 the world. The Smith-Bankhead bill should be passed. 
 
 [Jacksonville (Fla. ) Times-Union, Apr. 28.] 
 
 In a recent publication it has been set forth that " the non-Bnglish-speaking^ 
 persons in this country outnumber all the inhabitants of Connecticut, Florida,. 
 Nevada, Wyoming, Delaware, Arizona, Idaho, Mississippi, Vermont, Rhode 
 Island, North and South Dakota, Oregon, Maine, and Washington combined, 
 and that they could outvote the combined population of New York, Chicago^ 
 and Philadelphia, or any State in the Union except New York. 
 
 This is a matter of serious concern. It is not so evident in Florida as in other 
 States In the Union where the number of people unable to speak or read English 
 is alarmingly numerous. But as injury to one does harm to all, so a large and 
 predominating foreign-speaking population in any State is a menace to every 
 other State of the Union. Americanization to the extent of being able to read! 
 and speak English is commendable fifom every viewpoint. 
 [New York (N. Y.) Globe, Mar. 12.] 
 
 No more powerful argument for the need of the education in English the- 
 lost Smith-Bankhead bill would have provided for immigrants has been uttered' 
 than the Lamar disclosures before the Senate propaganda committee this week.. 
 Nearly 16 per cent of the residents of Passaic, on the threshold of New York, 
 know nothing of the language of this country. Upon the credulity of their 
 ignorance anarchism feeds. Out of the squalor of European anarchy come 
 half-crazed zealots, followers of mad doctrines. We pay no attention to their 
 propaganda in these papers until trouble arises, some authority makes transla- 
 tions, and such extracts are made public as Mr. Lamar read to the Senators. 
 Monday. We commend the Lamar revelations to the prayerful study of the 
 gentlemen of Congress who allowed the bill to become lost in the shuffle. 
 [Pittsburgh (Pa.) Post, Mar. 5.] 
 
 The Army and Navy Journal says the soldier's lack of education " was the- 
 cause of a very general depression of spirits among Regular Army officers at 
 times." When they found it a matter of the greatest difficulty in many com- 
 panies, the Journal continues, to select men who were of sufficient education 
 to be squad leaders, the burden of instructing even so small a unit as a company 
 grew almost unbearable. 
 
 The Army has reacted to the situation by making plans for establishing- 
 schools at every divisional camp in America and overseas. 
 
 May the figures shame Congress and the Nation Into action which will wipe- 
 out illiteracy In the civil population also. 
 
 [Os-wego (N. Y.) Times, Apr. 18.] 
 
 The Americanization bill, so called, which was introduced in last Congress, 
 died when Congress adjourned, but will be reintroduced with the convening 
 of the new Congress. 
 
 The idea underlying the measure is that any person with sufficient knowl- 
 prlge of the English language and sufficient education and ability to use his 
 
30 AMERICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 mind as well as his body can earn at least $5 a week more than a mere under- 
 educated drudge. What a vast addition to the resources of the country would 
 come by the addition of ,$5 a week to the value or earning power of these 
 thirteen millions ! 
 
 [Baker City (Oreg.) Herald, Mar. 19.] 
 
 Into the pool of violent controversy over foreign-language instruction some 
 one casts this little pebble: "Instead of spending so much -energy against the 
 foreign languages, why not spend some of it to enforce the teaching of English? " 
 It is not a bad idea. It is intelligent, constructive activity which produces 
 results. The mere elimination of foreign-language instruction is not enough. 
 It is not even vitally necessary if instruction in the English language is prop- 
 erly carried on, coupled with the doctrine of true Americanism. 
 
 [Evanston (III.) News, Apr. 2.] 
 
 Education is the foundation stone upon which reaj Americanization must be 
 built. It covers the alien, to whom English is a foreign tongue, and it covers 
 the American of four or five generations who has only a meager acquaintance 
 with the spoken language and none at all with the written word in English. 
 
 [Los Angeles (Cal.) Examiner, Apr. 24.] 
 
 It is ignorance that fertilizes the soil for alien anarchists to cultivate with 
 their sinister and mad theories, sophistries, and designs. The flaming sword 
 of Americanization and education alone is, or ever will be, able to attack and 
 slaughter this demon of destruction. 
 
 [Lewistou (Me.) Journal, Apr. 1.] 
 
 Some folks have an idea that Americanization so much on the tongue just 
 now Is a problem which deals almost wholly with our cities and the foreign- 
 born element in those cities. This notion receives a rude shock in face of 
 the fact that two and a half million farmers can not read or write. They are 
 beyond the reach of every effort of the Federal oi' State agricultural depart- 
 ments to educate them to better methods of farming. They can not read the 
 newspapers. They are, therefore, not intelligent voters, in fact, they are not 
 thorough Americans. The war showed thp error in the census figures. It had 
 been claimed that there was only 8 per cent of illiteracy in this counti-y. 
 The draft statistics have raised this estimate to over 24 per cent, or one (lurLh 
 of the population. Illiteracy is the great peril of true democracy, a drag 
 on the wheels of progress, an unforgivable condition, because it can be reme- 
 died by the application of time and thought and money to Americanizing 
 Americans. 
 
 [Eureka (Calif.) Standard, May 30.] 
 
 The Americanization bill was introduced in the last Congress by Senator 
 Hoke Smith and Representative Bankhead. It was favorably reported by 
 the committees in both Houses to which it was referred, but the adjournment 
 came before it became a law. 
 
 Public opinion will be a strong factor in making it a law. Action will be 
 taken during the present session of Congress, and all persons interested in 
 education and, more particularly, in the creation of a great body of compre- 
 hending citizens, native born or otherwise, should lose no opportunity in 
 making manifest their interest. 
 
 The bill provides for a Federal appropriation of ,$12..'i00,000 per year for 
 the payment of teachers in the various States, the teachers to be employed for 
 training illiterates in the fundamentals. This aid will he of great benefit to 
 striving and ambitious communities. It should be secured. The way to accom- 
 plish this is to manifest interest and manifest it without careless delay. 
 
 [Elizabeth (N. J.) Times, May 6.] 
 
 The new Congress should see that the bill is placed near the top of the 
 calendar of proposed legislation, so that it may be carried through without 
 delay. 
 
 [Pasadena (Calif.) Star News, Mar. 26.] 
 
 Thoughtful loyalists realize that the masses of foreigners in this country nmst 
 be transformed in spirit — made into Americans in sympathies ami purposes — 
 or else they will be a standing menace to the peace and welfare of the land. 
 
AMERICANIZATION BILL. 31 
 
 [Peoria (111.) Journal, Apr. 17.] 
 
 ' One of the serious failures of the last Congress was the failure of this excep- 
 tional bill to be made Into a law. At this time, perhaps more than any other 
 time in all our history, there are false doctrines and false prophets that depend 
 upon illiteracy for their followers. If illiteracy were removed or lessened mate- 
 rially, if those who known nothing of the English language could be taught to 
 read, then the dangers that come with the false doctrines to-day would be mini- 
 mized and our national and social and industrial progress would be developed 
 more rapidly and more sanely. 
 
 The Americanization bill will be reintroduced at the next Congress session. 
 It deserves the support of those people who want America to be the real leader 
 in the worM and of those people who want to see the false doctrines defeated 
 and destroyed for all time. 
 
 [Bluefleia (W. Va.) Telegraph, Mar. 8.1 
 
 Means should be adopted to Americanize the aliens who are here and remain 
 alien and foreign because they are in a foreign environment and can not speak or 
 read our language, and that method should be applied more vigorously still to 
 the newly arrived. 
 
 [I-Iackensack (N. J.) Record, Mar. 27.] 
 
 Educators and public officials are realizing more and more that the simple 
 banning of German or any other language is not enough to solve the problems 
 created by our foreign population. Above everything else foreign-born residents 
 must learn how to speak and read our language. Only so will they be able to 
 understand what is going on about them and to take an intelligent interest in 
 their prospects as American citizens. 
 
 [Butte (Mont.) Miner, Apr. 20.] 
 
 The intention of the Smith-Bankhead bill is to appropriate money to be used 
 in cooperation with the various States for the maintenance of schools for 
 teaching these foreigners the English language and American principles. 
 
 In times past the American people have felt little responsibility for these 
 aliens; in their midst and have treated them upon the theory that they are 
 not their brothers' keepers. 
 
 This is a false doctrine, for if these people are to be invited here, they 
 should be put in a position to make the most out of their lives and they should 
 be converted into American citizens. 
 
 In the past the only element that seems to have interested itself in these 
 aliens have been the I. W. W. outfit, which has maintained a propaganda 
 among them and converted them into red socialists wherever it could do so. 
 
 It is rather a disgrace to the American people that the only helping hand, 
 which actually has been a detrimental one, should have been extended by this 
 anarchistical organization. 
 
 Undoubtedly more discriminating immigration laws are needed in this 
 country, but as long as any of those of foreign nationality are invited to make 
 their home here it is the duty of this Government and its people to take an 
 interest in these aliens and assist them to become good and loyal American 
 citizens. 
 
 This is not only due to these foreigners, but it is a matter of self-protection 
 to the Nation itself. 
 
 [Minneapolis (Minn.) Journal, Apr. 5.] 
 
 There Is urgent demand for immediate Federal aid to all State and other 
 efforts to teach English, not only to children of alien birth, but to illiterate adults. 
 It is high time that we began our Americanization movement at the very 
 fountainhead by teaching children and foreign-born illiterates how to read and 
 speak English and thus prepare them for " successful living and intelligent 
 American citizenship." 
 
 [New York Financial America, Apr. 29.] 
 
 The Smith-Bankhead bill, which was brushed aside in mglee attending the 
 adjournment of the recent Congress, could aid in making a right start. Em- 
 ployers generally .did not recognize in it the importance it bore to their prob- 
 lem. With a threatened labor shortage, they no doubt will insist upon its 
 passage by the next Congress. 
 
32 AMERICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 [Albany (N. Y.) Times-Union, May 26.] 
 
 Americanization is one of the big problems of the hour. It is a problem the ' 
 solution of which will have a most important bearing upon the future of the 
 American Nation. 
 
 [New Orleans (La.) Lumter Trade .Tournal, Apr. 15.] 
 
 One of the important things which the last session of Congress left undone 
 was to pass the bill introduced in the Senate by Senator Hoke Smith, or 
 Georgia, and in the House by Representative W. B. Bankhead, commonly re- 
 ferred to ns the Smith-Bankhead Americanization bill. 
 
 The inevitable result of ignorance is inefficiency, and as these illiterates 
 are naturally laborers the result is a serious loss of effectiveness in the ui- 
 dustries of the country, not only because of the handicap of ignorance m the 
 performance of the work actually done, but in its bar to the achievement of 
 better things. Increased efliciency works more economical productiveness but 
 greater earning power on the part of labor and greater demand for commodities, 
 the two conditions balancing each other and tending to better conditions for 
 both capital and labor. 
 
 [Kansas City (Mo.) Journal, Apr. 23.] 
 
 When legislative mortality cluttered up the floors of the last Congress with 
 defunct measures, there was real sadness among the friends of the bmitn- 
 Bankhead Americanization bill, which occupied a conspicuous place m the so- 
 called log jam in the expii-ing days of the session. As was the case with several- 
 other meritorious measures, this bill had no real opposition in Congress or 
 out of it although, of course, the American Bolshevists and other anarchistic- 
 o-roups did not favor it. But certain influences were at work that threatened to 
 defeat the idea of Americanization of Americans, and those influences are per- 
 fectly understood. ^, ,. ^ t -j. 
 
 This bill will be reintroduced, as it should be, at the earliest opportunity, 
 and every true American citizen ought to take a personal interest in securing 
 
 its passage. „, -, ^ -, 
 
 '^ [Utica (N. y.) Observer, June 2,] 
 
 The whole problem * * * arises out of the past neglect of the Republic. 
 We have not been careful about the material for citizenship, either in that ac- 
 cented from foreign shores or about the training of that born here. The country 
 heretofore has been thinking very much about building railroads and factories 
 and only incidentally about molding a great race of people. 
 
 [Practical Farmer (PMladelpliia, Pa.), Mar., 1919.] 
 
 Ignorance is the cause of the majority of national calamities, just as it is 
 the cause of so many' failures in the individual. National safety lies largely in 
 education ; Bolshevism and a score of other dangerous " isms " can not make 
 much headway against a widespread intelligence. We think with pride of our 
 own as an educated nation, and, in comparison v/ith some other nations, doubt- 
 less we are justified ; but our pride gets a jolt when we are told by our Depart- 
 ment of the Interior that there are eight and a half millions of native illiterates- 
 and non-English speaking people in this enlightened land of ours who can not 
 read an American newspaper. There's fruit for Bolshevism and other manias 
 for you! There is a bill before Congress— the Smith-Bankhead Americaniza- 
 tion bill— that seeks to meet this condition by appropriating certain amounts 
 for the training of teachers and establishing a close cooperation between the 
 State and Federal authorities to educate these people in our language, the 
 fundamental principles of government and citizenship and the elements of self- 
 support and home making. We are for any act which will tend to remedy this 
 woeful and really dangerous state of affairs. And the sooner we get action on 
 
 it the better. ^ , „ . , . , „ -, 
 
 [New Haven (Conn.) Register, Apr. 17.] 
 
 To-day there are in this land of <nirs millions of citizens who can not read a 
 newspaper, who know nothing of our institutions and laws, of the history of 
 the country, of its past, present, or its future, except what they are told by- 
 word of mouth — by some one who speaks their language. All of these are not 
 " foreigners " ; the illiterates number in their ranks a surprising number of 
 American born who have grown to manhood absolutely unable to distinguish 
 their letters, to whom a Liberty loan poster makes its appeal through the pic- 
 ture and not through the printed matter, whose knowledge of the world to-day 
 is eontined to that gained by word of mouth. All of these, both native ancf 
 
AMERICANIZATION BILL. 33 
 
 foreign born, must be educated. The war tauglit us what danger there is in 
 having alien colonies in our midst as well as the necessity for educating our 
 own American born. The Smith-Bankhead Americanization bill was before 
 Congress at Its adjournment. It should be revived and passed by Congress at 
 its coming session. 
 
 [Louisville (Ky.) Times, Apr. 26.] 
 
 The bill, as it is generally known, is a Federal aid measure for a country- 
 wide fight against Illiteracy, and rarely indeed has an appropriation bill of 
 similar character been given so general support by the representative press of aU 
 quarters as has this one. Its deserving character has been recognized on all 
 
 [Little Rock (Ark.) Gazette, Feb. 23.] "^ 
 
 The Smith-Bankhead measure would provide the means, with State coopera- 
 tion, for dealing with illiteracy in a comprehensive and effective way. 
 
 [Dallas (Tex.) News, Feb. 28.] 
 
 This .bill should be passed promptly. It is an appropriate and expedient 
 measure for the Federal Government's contribution to a need common to the 
 several States and to the United States. It will, as it should, put squarely up 
 to the States a great opportunity and an undoubted rcsponsibiliy. It will chal- 
 lenge public spirit everywhere, and should call out Ihe best constructive and 
 cooperative ability and endeavor. Its benefits can not be measured in dollars 
 and cents. 
 
 [Pasadena (Calif.) Star-News, Apr. 23.] 
 
 The United States expends hundreds of millions of dollars annually to main- 
 tain schools. Each and every State has an elaborate educational system. And 
 yet the number of illiterates in this country runs into the millions. It is ap- 
 palling. It is a scourge. It will menace the Nation and be a source of shame 
 to it, so long jis this mental darkness prevails. 
 
 The blind person is a pitiable object. Stony indeed is the heart that does not 
 melt In sympathy at sight of a sightless person. And yet fully as pitiable is the 
 mental blindness which prevails so largely in this country. It not only is a peril 
 and a shame to the Nation, but it is rank injustice to the ignorant themselves. 
 No one, child or adult, should be permitted to live in illiteracy in this country. 
 Some measure of education should be forced upon — if necessary — every single 
 human being mentally capable of receiving knowledge. 
 [Duluth (Minn.) Herald, Feb. 24.] 
 
 There is a bill in Congress, put into the Senate by Senator Hoke Smith and 
 Into the House by Representative Bankhead, making provision for Government 
 aid to States in teaching illiterates and aliens who know little or no English. 
 That bill should pass, and its passage should not be delayed one day longer 
 than is absolutely necessary. 
 
 [Gloucester (Mass.) Times, Mar. 26.] 
 
 Of every 1,000 persons living in this State, approximately 300 are foreign 
 born, and of this number 150 come from non-English-speaking countries. And 
 yet another fact, namely, that 62.5 per cent of the illiterates have lived in the 
 State of Massachusetts for six years or more. The condition is an unhealthy 
 one. There can be no unity in a country or State, no sharing of ideals, no 
 common effort for the public good unless people have a common language. 
 For the sake of the future we are considering this matter none too soon. The 
 process of education must begin at once and everywhere. 
 
 [Pittsburgh (Pa.) Chronicle Telegraph, Feb. 17.] 
 
 As the first comprehensive attempt to deal with this long-seated evil it is to 
 be hoped the legislative measure will be given effect. The financial expendi- 
 ture contemplated is modest compared with the magnitude of the benefits it is 
 designed to accomplish. 
 
 [Johnstown (Pa.) Leader.] 
 
 From every humanitarian and business viewpoint it is of the utmost Im- 
 portance to all with messages, educational or commercial, that these eight and 
 a half millions be taught at least sufficiently to read a poster or a newspaper. 
 Every user of the printed word, writer, manufacturer, merchant, and advertis- 
 ing man should immediately express his opinion of the importance and im- 
 mediacy of this legislation to Congress. 
 
 13S835— 19 -3 
 
31: AMERICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 [Newark (N. J.) News, Feb. 20.] 
 Government by the people calls for a literate people witli the intelligence 
 and fitness to govern themsehes. Those \\'ho are unable to read or write are 
 easily deceived, exploited, and mislead. The army's revelations are a chal- 
 lenge to the Nation to remove this illiteracy, both in justice to the unfortunates 
 who can not read and write and in .iustice to the whole people. 
 
 [Pittsburgh (Pa.) Chronicle, Mar. 8.] 
 
 In the meantime volunteer efforts are making in many localities to les.sen 
 the condilicm of i.miorance which is a disgrace to our country. But .splendid as 
 is the spirit of service shown by these devoted teachers, it is evident that their 
 volunteer and unsy.steniatic efforts can not cope with the situation. Illiteracy 
 is a nation-wide probkm that must be approached in a comprehensive manner. 
 The Federal and .State Governments must get together. Kentucky and some 
 other Slates have shown that the task of removing illiteracy is not impossible, 
 but what they have done must be duplicated on a vastly larger scale. 
 [Portland (Oreg.) Oregonian, Mar. 1.] 
 
 Experts testified that literacy alone would add at least $5 a weelc to the pro- 
 ductive power of the worker. The importance of this will be apparent, even to 
 the most casual observer. But even more important is the effect upon the 
 standard of citizenship of such education as would qualify all adult residents 
 of the country to be classified as literate by the measuring stick of the Surgeon 
 General. It will be agreed that the census standard does not amount to much. 
 One mfiy barely sd'awl his name without being able to do much else. But if 
 every adult could read a newspaper (or other document) printed in English, 
 and write a letter, also in English, a substantial beginning would be made toward 
 the solution of a larger problem. 
 
 [Passaic (N. J.) Herald, Feb. 28.] 
 
 The Government of the United States has undertaken to wipe but illiteracy. 
 It is an Americanization work. It is more than tliat. It is an economic, social, 
 and national necessity. 
 
 [Boston (Mass.) Transcript, Mar. 17.] 
 
 The American purpose is not to reduce or restrict the opportunity or indi- 
 vidual freedom of its people of alien birth. On the contrary, it is to enlarge 
 opportunity for them ; by teaching them English and by familiarizing them with 
 Ameritan citizenship and traditions to let down those barriers which now re- 
 strain them from making the most of their life in America. Of course, the great 
 civic object ahead is the welding of all elements of our population into an hon- 
 estly hom.ogeneous and loyal whole. 
 
 [Sacramento (Calif.) Evening Bee, Apr. 5.] 
 
 What is known as the Smith-Bankhead bill was before the last Congress, 
 designed to promote the education of native illiterates, of persons unable to 
 understand and write the English langauge, and of other residents of foreign 
 birth ; to provide for cooperation with the States in the education of such per- 
 sons in the English language, the fundamental principles of go-s-ernment and citi- 
 zenship, the elements of knowledge pertaining to self-support and home making, 
 and in such other work as will assist in preparing such illiterates and foreign- 
 horn persons for successful living and intelligent American citizenship. The 
 same measure will be reintroduced in the new Congress. Assuredly this is a 
 meritorious measure, and deserves favorable action by Congres. Whatever 
 education may be given such persons, especially if exercising the franchise, is a 
 benefit not only to them but to the States In which they live and to the Nation 
 at large. 
 
 [Chattanooga (Tenn.) News, May 8.] 
 
 It is to be hoped that Congress will try to set a new record. There is every 
 reason \^'hy it should do so. There are several appropriation measures pend- 
 ing which, at its usual rate of speed, will demand about all available time to 
 June 30, the end of the fiscal year. There are also several constructive meas- 
 ures of large importance which ought to be enacted with little delay. They have 
 been discussed to the point of nausea and there is little excuse for further pro- 
 longed consideration. Among these are the waterpower bill, the oil and coal 
 land leasing bill. Secretary Lane's reclamation proposal, and the Smith- 
 Bankhead Americanization educational bill. 
 
AMERICANIZATION BILL. 35 
 
 [Great Falls (Mont.) Tribune, Apr. 20.] 
 
 The Smlth-Bankhead bill was prepared in consultation with Secretary Lane and 
 -with his approval. It was a well thought out plan to wipe this disgrace to our 
 Republic out by a system of combined Federal and State action where it existed, 
 and a strenuous effort to Americanize all foreign immigrants entering the 
 country hereafter. It carried a yearly Federal appropriation to supplement State 
 resources in the task of wiping out the dark spots of Illiteracy wherever they 
 •existed. 
 
 We hope we may find this bill to wipe out illiteracy and Americanize for- 
 eigners who come to live in this country vrill be put on the national statute 
 book. 
 
 [Boston (Slass.) Transcript, June 4.] 
 
 The barrier of language and education is a removable thing and behind it 
 anarchy and discontent, hatred and revolution always hirk. Let this barrier 
 be removed by thorough instruction and we shall have those people with us 
 rather than against us, because they will have their full part in the common 
 American heritage. 
 
 [Petersburg (Va.) Trogress, Apr. 22.] 
 
 In every way illiteracy is the foe of representative government. It is the 
 foe of prosperity, the arch stiller of ideals. It endangers the purpose, the power, 
 :and the profits of freedom. 
 
 This, in brief, is the substance of what every loyal American must regard 
 as a necessary undertaking. To so regard it is a negative virtue, however, 
 unless that view be vitalized into usefulness by an expression of opinion in 
 the direction of .vour Congressman or Senator. 
 
 And with democracy at this moment menaced by false doctrines which feed 
 •on illiteracy we can not think of a more timely act of patriotism. 
 
 When the new Congress meets the Smith-Bankhead bill should have full and 
 free discussion and final passage for the uplift of American ideals and preserva- 
 tion of our civilization. 
 
 An illiterate proletariat is easy prey to the anarchist demagogue in the cities 
 and an economic burden to the State that carries it. 
 
 The autocrats of old France believed that the ignorance of the common people 
 was the safety of the throne. The French Revolution and the reign of terror 
 was the reply. The Russian autocracy thought to thwart liberty by refusing 
 the Russian moujik the right to read and write. The horror of Bolshevism is 
 the answer of the people. Thwe is no safety in ignorance. 
 [Pittsburgh (Pa.) Sun, Mar. 10.] 
 
 The Smith-Bankhead Americanization bill affords a practical means of 
 ussimilation. It would give every resident a knowledge of the English tongue. 
 That there is widespread ignorance of the national language is evidenced by 
 startling statistics recently compiled. This ignorance has resulted in waste in 
 industry, inefficiency in schools, and misunderstanding between native and 
 foreign born. As a mere matter of economy, Americanization is advisable, for 
 :a large number of claims for compensation for injury or death of workers arise 
 from accidents caused by illiteracy. 
 
 [Greenville (S. C.) News, Mar. 23.] 
 
 With education at the grasp of every man, with newspapers, magazines, and 
 -various other agencies at the disposal of all, is it not a disgraceful fact that one- 
 fourth of our male population is illiterate? Can we lay claim to being a really 
 ■great ISTation in a really great age when such a condition prevails? 
 [Seattle (Wash.) Post-Intelligencer, Apr. 16.] 
 
 There are not only belts of foreign-born illiteracy in the country, but also sec- 
 tions in which the native-born illiteracy is very high, largely m the Southern 
 States, where the negro population is considered in the computations. In tne 
 Northern States the negro population shows a much higher percentage ot literacy. 
 For insta'nce, among Washington's negro population the ratio of illiterates is d9 
 -per thousand, while in Louisiana the rate is 483 to the thousand. , . 1 „ 
 
 Both from the need of inducing the capacity for intelligent judgment in all 
 voters and to Instill into the illiterate foreign-born a conception of American 
 principles and ability to read, write, and speak English, Secretary Lanes educa- 
 tional bill is highly desirable. We have the best form of government that ex- 
 perience has devised and Its operation would be greatly imnroved if i"nnrnji«; 
 
36 AMERICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 were eliminated in the electorate. Many of our troubles, perhaps most of them^ 
 arise from sheer ignorance and the ability of deliberate trouble makers to deceive 
 the ignorant. 
 
 The educational bill was favorably reported by both committees of the last 
 Congress. It will be introduced in the next session and should meet no serious, 
 opposition from any source. 
 
 [The Country Gentleman (Philadelpbla, Pa.), Apr. 19.] 
 
 The bill is vs'ell drawn. We have always said that education was the founda- 
 tion of democracy, and it is, and here is the opportunity to cement every loose- 
 joint in our national foundation — the chance to make this the most intelligent 
 Nation in the world. 
 
 Just now the foundation is nothing to brag about. All told, we have 8,000,000' 
 persons who fall witMn the two classes of illiterates, a number exceeding the 
 total population of 15 States or the combined population of Greater New York, 
 Philadelphia, and Chicago. Such a multitude constitutes a national menace. 
 They must be taught to read the language of America for their protection and! 
 
 ours. 
 
 [Birmingham (Ala.) News, Apr. 17.] 
 
 It is not enough that Alabamians shall take it for granted that it ( the Smith- 
 Bankhead bill) will be dealt with favorably. It is for each and every Alabamian 
 who loves light better than darkness to express that opinion in the direction of 
 the Alabama delegation at Washington. Every Congressman should feel the- 
 pressure from Alabama in behalf of this beneficent legislation. 
 
 [San Francisco (Cal.) News Letter, Mar. 20.] 
 
 This country is a free country. W^e have welcomed the people of every 
 nation to our shores. But this country owes a duty to itself which is para- 
 mount to being the asylum for the world. 
 
 There are millions of people in this country who can not speak the English 
 language and who do not intend to learn the English language and who are 
 raising their sons and daughters to spfeak a foreign tongue. How can these- 
 people be depended upon to maintain American ideals? However much we 
 may pity these people, however much we may desire to help them improve their 
 condition and to get away from the oppression to which they were subjected 
 in their own country, we, as Americans, must recognize it as our duty to con- 
 sider America and its interest first. How can one know America and possess 
 patriotism for America and, when necessity arises, fight for America unless- 
 that person understands the English language and has some knowledge of the- 
 principles of the Government that exists in this country? 
 
 [Cleveland (Ohio) Press, May 5.] 
 
 Americanization, including a knowledge of American civics and the common; 
 tongue, is the best preventive of such Bolshevist, anti-American demonstra- 
 tions as that in Cleveland on May 1. 
 
 Those who carried the red flag of disorder in the parade that day were 
 chiefly un-Americanized Europeans. Few could understand our language, and. 
 some could not read or write any language. 
 
 They were thinking in terms of the countries from which they came, not In 
 terms of the country in which they make their living. They were acting as; 
 Europeans, not as Americans. This was inevitable. For, while some of them 
 had lived here many years, few of them had been Americanized. 
 
 Their leaders may have understood, but the duped mass of their misled' 
 followers may not even now be able to understand why their flaunting of the- 
 red flag so aroused the resentment of loyal American citizens of Cleveland. 
 [Christian Science Monitor, Apr. 1.] 
 
 What shall be done to bring these millions to know the real America, the- 
 idea as well as the place? For the country that could not long endure half 
 free half slave, can hardly continue much longer two-thirds American and 
 one-third European. 
 
 An answer has already been offered in the word "Americanization." It is- 
 a word that is on the tongues of social workers. Government agents, depart- 
 ment chiefs, municipal officials, superintendents of community centers, and 
 immigration pxperts ; it is in the reviews and magazines, in the newspapers, in 
 countless leaflets and pamphlets ; it sums up the plans of hundreds of new- 
 groups and old organizations that have seen the need and are eager to meet it. 
 
AMERICANIZATION BILL. 37 
 
 Yet, In spite of all that is being done, in spite of all the publicity that has 
 oeen accorded to the various phases of the problem since the enemy-alien dis- 
 closures of the war brought it prominently into view, the great body of Ameri- 
 ■can people as yet give no sign that they sense the situation. 
 [Springfield (Mass.) Union, Feb. 19.] 
 
 It is unfortunate that so needed a measure has been caught in a congestion of 
 legislation in Congress at this time. It is likely to get lost in such a hurried 
 shuffle, unless its friends become active. Being an unopposed measure appar- 
 •ently little time would be consumed in its passage if other matters were not 
 allowed to get in its way. The conditions are such that we can hardly afford to 
 ignore or postpone any step to develop Americanism in this country. We are 
 taking too easily the increasing proportion of people who are limited to foreign 
 languages, which do not permit them to tap the springs of America life and 
 Ideals. 
 
 [Birmingham (Ala.) News, Feb. 14.] 
 
 The world must be made safe for democracy, even if Alabama reserved the 
 right to keep her children in ignorance. Then, indeed, was the mother State 
 humiliated. The thing was grotesque. Men who could neither read nor write 
 were to be sent to foreign fields. They could not communicate with their home 
 folks simply because the intelligence of Ihe State was too ignorant to know that 
 they were committing a grievous crime in failing to give at least a rudimentary 
 ■education to every boy and girl within Alabama's confines. 
 [Albany (N. Y.) Argus, Feb. 19.] 
 
 The Smlth-Bankhead bill, for instance, proposes an appropriation of $12,- 
 500,000 a year until 1926 to be distributed among the States for educational pur- 
 poses — dollar for dollar for like appropriations by the States. Experience has 
 amply demonstrated in the last four years the need of some such action for 
 national safety. 
 
 [New York (N. Y.) Times, Feb. 19.] 
 
 The country has many great and instant problems to settle. The construction 
 .«nd reconstruction of a sound American citizensliip is not the least of them. 
 Millions of citizens who can not read a newspaper, who know nothing of our 
 Constitution and laws, of the past and present of the United States, except what 
 they are told, perhaps by demagogues interested to mislead and deceive them — 
 how can they take a useful; how can they be prevented from taking often a 
 maleficent part in Government? 
 
 [JacUsonvllIe (Fla.) Metropolis, Feb. 15.] 
 
 This measure should be passed without a dissenting vote, and if the people of 
 the United States show their interest by urging support by their representatives 
 It will pass. This should be done by all means. America can not afford to have 
 S,000,000 illiterates. 
 
 [Successful Farming (Iowa), May, 1919.] 
 
 Something must be done in a national way to see that every person with the 
 intent to make the United States home should not only be taught the English 
 language but instructed in our national ideas. It is not fair that this burden 
 fall only upon the communities wlierein these foreigners live. Illiteracy is a 
 national menace, no matter where the illiterates live. Foreign sections may be 
 the breeding places of anarchy. Radicals come to our shores from Europe and 
 put out literature in foreign languages, tearing down our institutions and try- 
 ing to put the ideas of Bolshevism and its kin in their stead. The Smith-Bank- 
 head bill which was killed during the close of the last session of Congress pro- 
 poses a plan of national expenditure to combat these very conditions. This bill 
 shoud be passed at the earliest possible moment. 
 
 [Ogden (Utah) Examiner, Mar. 3.] 
 
 The Americanization worlc is one of the greater tasks of the after-the-war 
 period and Secretary Lane's activity in that direction is of vital importanc^^, 
 wrorthy of support and approval by every person anxious to see proper national 
 development and security. 
 
 [New York (N. Y.) Times, Apr. 20.] 
 
 The shocking and intolerable conditions that have been revealed must be 
 stamped out. It is not merely that illiteracy is a reproach to any nation, but 
 
38 AMERICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 that the war has revealed it to be a positive menace to this one. Nor has the- 
 end of the vpar put an end to this demonstration ; it is being renewed daily in 
 disturbances of an anti-American character and in the hitherto unnecessary- 
 activity whicli has been imposed on the courts. One of the first acts of the- 
 new Congress should be to take up the Americanization bill and pass it. 
 
 [Macon (Ga.) Daily Telegraph, Feb. 28.] 
 
 We can not afford again to be so loose with our immigration, nor can we af- 
 ford again to be so indifferent to the attitude and training or lack of training^ 
 of the individual after he is admitted to our country. We shall have to see that 
 he is properly educated in the plans and purposes of this Government, and that 
 no effort is spared to determine in so far as possible that he is becoming a fit 
 citizen. 
 
 [Elizabeth (N. J.) Times, May 21.] 
 
 The passing of legislation requiring the Americanization and fundamental 
 training of all between the age-^ of 16 and 21 would be a big step in the right 
 direction. 
 
 [Beno (Nev.) Journal, Apr. 22.] 
 
 Americanization of those Americans who are not Americans but who come- 
 here for the purpose of making it their adopted home is a matter which is- 
 receiving serious unofflcial consideration. Officially the House Committee oa 
 Education reported favorably the Smith-Bankhead bill, which aims to reduce 
 illiteracy to the minimum. 
 
 The only logical way to stamp out illiteracy is by compulsory education. 
 Compulsion means that all laws to accomplish it shall be enforced, instead of 
 being merely winked at, as in tlie case with so many of our laws. 
 
 The accomplishment of the end sought — Americanization and the elimination 
 of illiteracy — lies in compulsory education laws enforced, not evaded ,and th& 
 stopping of concentration and colonization of the foreign born. 
 
 [Redding (Calif.) Free Press, May 7.] 
 
 Franklin K. Lane, Secretary of the Interior, has been calling the attention 
 of Congress to the fact that there are between five and six million grown-ups- 
 in this country who can not read or write English, and there is a bill before 
 Congress to provide for a great national educational program to cure this 
 fault. Public money would be well spent if it succeeded In doing away with> 
 illiteracy. Men who can not read and write do not get along well in our 
 modern industrial system. They are condemned to the hardest labor and are- 
 paid the lowest wage^. Besides they are in greatest danger, because they can 
 not read signs posted to warn them, nor do they readily understand instruc- 
 tions given them orally. And so it appears that lessening illiteracy would' 
 save lives, make better citizens, quiet discontent, increase earning capacity,, 
 make for greater efficiency and lessen waste in industry. It commends itself 
 as a national policy. One need not discuss whether English is the best lan- 
 guage in the world ; Americans must speak one language, and the only language 
 which can be made universal ,in America is English. Education of illiterates: 
 is the first .'tep in Americanization. 
 
 STATEMENT OF VAN. H. MANNING, DIRECTOR OF BUREAU OF 
 
 MINES. 
 
 Mr. Manning. This is a plain business proposition to save the 
 lives of at least 1,000 miners each year and to prevent the injury of 
 more than 150,000 miners each year. 
 
 The Bureau of Mines, whose work was originally started in 190T, 
 has had before it all the time as its most solemn duty the reduction 
 of the death rates in American mining. Its staff of experts has been 
 diligent at all times seeking the causes of these death rates and in 
 informing the mining industry and its employees as to its findings. 
 There have been many faulty methods exposed and recommendations 
 made as to the greater safety of the men. As one illustration, there 
 was woeful ignorance in the entire industry as to the menace of coal- 
 
AMERICANIZATION BILL. 39 
 
 du&t explosion. The bureau very early demonstrated that in the 
 coal mines coal dust was even a greater danger to the lives of the 
 men than the insidious gas found in many mines. The bureau, 
 through its expernnental mine, has demonstrated to thousands of 
 operators and men the danger that lurked in the coal dust. I am 
 pleased to say that this lesson has been quite thoroughly learned and 
 there is now no coal mine of any consequence that does not take the 
 necessary precautions against accumulations of coal dust. The re- 
 sult is that the great explosions with wholesale killing of miners that 
 occurred so frequently before this work was undertaken have almost 
 entirely ceased. 
 
 But this is only one of the multitude of dangers that beset the 
 miner, and the Bureau of Mines has been equally diligent in spread- 
 ing its gospel about these. The bureau has not only reached the op- 
 erators and officials of the mines, but has gone further and issued 
 from time to time miners' circulars, written in plain English for the 
 benefit of the men themselves. It has gone even a step further than 
 that in that it had some of these circulars printed in foreign lan- 
 guages, such as Italian, Polish, and Slovak. It has been the experi- 
 ence of the bureau that despite the unusual efforts it has not been 
 able to reaih these foreign miners even in their own language, and 
 this has been much of a disappointment. 
 
 However, in spite of handicaps, the death rate in the coal mines, 
 which averaged more than 4f men per 1,000 employed in 1907, had 
 been reducecl to slightly more than 3 men killed in 1915. In the 
 metal mines the early rate was nearly 4J men killed in every 1,000 
 employed, and this has been reduced to less than 3^ men per 1,000 
 employed. During the war period these death rates have again in- 
 creased, but this is undoubtedly due to the abnormal conditions that 
 prevailed. 
 
 That the deaths in American mining are still much greater than 
 they should be is evident to all of the experts of the bureau who 
 have studied and worked on this problem. They have been frankly 
 puzzled at the situation and the slowness in reducing these rates to 
 one that is more in keeping with the well-known natural hazards of 
 mining. 
 
 American mining has the greatest death rate of any of the civi- 
 lized countri&s of the world, and yet in making this statement 
 there should be a number of qualifications. The British and German 
 miners, who have a death rate not one-half as much as in American 
 mining, fnine per man about 200 tons a year, while the American 
 miner has an average between 600 and 700 tons per year. The high 
 pressure under which the American miner works and the more preva- 
 lent use of machinery evidently are factors in the larger American 
 mining death rate. 
 
 I have been considerably disturbed that our efforts have not ac- 
 complished as much for the safety of the miner as I believe is pos- 
 sible. I have sear, bed deeply for the cause of this and have been 
 forced to the conclusion that the great yearly expansion of the in- 
 dustry, which amounts to 10 per cent, and the necessity of supplying 
 the labor demand with foreigners unfamiliar with American mining 
 methods, the large majority of them small farmers before they c ame 
 to this country, is the block barring the way at present to the further 
 
40 AMERICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 rapid improvement wliith ought to be made. Thousands of raw, 
 ignorant, illiterate foreigners, many of them unable even to read or 
 ^^'rite their native language, are poured into the great American min- 
 ing mac hine each year and with most disastrous results. 
 
 I ha^e been endeavoring to find some concrete statistics on the 
 foreign born in American mining and have been amazed at the con- 
 ditions set forth in the reports made by the Immigration Commis- 
 •sion, a congressional commission, in the year 1910. In their .investi- 
 gation the commission found that 62 per cent of the miners are of 
 foreign birth. That means 620,000 men. The commission found a 
 high per cent of literacy among the Dutch, English, Scotch, Swedish, 
 and (lerman miners. AVhen it comes to other foreigners, the com- 
 mission found that there are more il liter ates-from southern and east- 
 ern Europe than from, northern Europe and Great Britain; The 
 south Italians, for example, have only 63 per cent able to both read 
 and v^'rite their own language. The remainder of these men are, of 
 course, a menace to the mines, not only to themselves, but also to 
 their fellows. The mines that employ numbers of foreigners gen- 
 erally have the precautionary rules printed in the different languages, 
 but if the foreigner can not even read his own language these safety 
 guides are of no value to him. 
 
 What is very important to the miner is that he acquire a rapid 
 knowledge of the English language. Then when the experienced 
 miner officials of the mine have anything to convey as to dangerous 
 places in the mine, and these officials are generally English-speaking 
 men, they will be understood. In fact one of the serious causes of 
 accidents is the inability of the foreign-born miner to understand 
 rules and suggestions that are given as to their safety. In the Im- 
 migration Commission's study of this question among the total for- 
 eign born, which included the wives and children of the miners, more 
 than half of the foreigners were unable to speak, read, or understand 
 the English language. 
 
 The Immigration Commission, which covered the ground very 
 thoroughly, says on this subject : 
 
 As it has been seoii that a very large proportion of the deaths and injuries 
 reported for the coal miners of the United States occvir among the less experi- 
 enced miners, it is clear that the employees of the races of southern and eastern 
 Europe, having had little experience in mining, either in this country or abroad, 
 are particularly liable to accidents. And as the responsibility for accidents 
 rests in most cases with the men injured, to say that they are particularly liable 
 to accidents is, in effect, to say that they are responsible for a considerable 
 proportion of all the accidents occurring in the mines. 
 
 Among the recent immigrants, on the other hand, many of the accidents are 
 unquestionably due to ignorance. Unlike the majority of the American miners, 
 almost all the recent immigrants employed in the mines are without previous 
 training or experience in their work. As has been seen, most of them were 
 farm laborers in their native countries. Upon coming to the United States they 
 decided to follow the occupation of mining because the work was better paid 
 than any other obtainable. Many of them have been here only a few months 
 and many more but a year or two. Under these circumstances it is not surpris- 
 ing that they know little or nothing of rock formations, of fire damp, of the 
 properties of coal dust, and of the handling of explosives — matters about which 
 every coal miner should be thoroughly informed. To determine whether a piece 
 of sliite or roof is or is not likely to fall often requires a considerable degree 
 of experience, and the majority of the Slavs, Magyars, and Italians have not 
 this experience. 
 
 Another element of danger is contributed by the fact that few of the recent 
 immigrants speak or understand English, while almost none are able to read 
 
AMERICANIZATION BILL. 41 
 
 or write the language. It is probable that the instructions of the mine bosses 
 and inspectors are, because of this fact, frequently misunderstood. In some 
 mines printed signs are used to indicate the presence of gas or other peril. 
 These are quite unintelligible to most of the foreigners ; because, through lack 
 of training, they are unable to recognize the presence of danger, and further 
 because of their keenness for earning money, the immigrants are often willing 
 to work in places where more experienced or more intelligent men would re- 
 fuse to work. For the same reason they will frequently be satisfied with and 
 accept mine equipment too defective for safety. 
 
 The secretary of mine industries for the State of Kansas, in a 
 letter of recent date, says : 
 
 In answer to your question will say I am convinced the high death rate in 
 mines in this State could be reduced 30 per cent if there were no ignorant 
 immigrant laborers employed here. 
 
 The chief mine inspector of the State of Oklahoma, in response to 
 a letter of inquiry, makes the following statement : 
 
 * * * Ninety per cent of the people who are killed and injured in the 
 mines of this State are foreigners. * * * r^^Q high death rate in the coal 
 mines of the United States is caused by the employment of men who are ig- 
 norant of mining. 
 
 Again quoting from the Immigration Commission report, the fol- 
 lowing statement is made : 
 
 In the course of the field investigation, expressions of opinion were also 
 secured from many people well informed relative to the employment of for- 
 eigners in the mines. Of especial interest are the views of the older generation 
 of miners — the Americans, English, Scotch, Welsh, Irish, and Germans. Among 
 these men the belief is general that the presence of the immigrants is largely 
 . responsible for the high death rate prevailing. It is affirmed that the foreigners 
 are killed in large numbers in many instances solely because of their own 
 ignorance and lack of training. The English-speaking miners further say that 
 the employmet in the industry of a large body of men who, from their intense 
 desire to earn money, are willing to work in almost any place to which they 
 may be assigned, however dangerous or unwholesome, or with any equipment, 
 however defective, retards and discourages the Introduction of better general 
 conditions for all the workers in the mines. 
 
 It is therefore with such conditions as I have outlined that I, as 
 Director of the Bureau of Mines, charged with the greater safety of 
 these million men, wish to call to your attention and to indorse as 
 strongly as I can Senate bill 17, by Mr. Smith, of Georgia, " To pro- 
 mote the education of native illiterates, of persons unable to under- 
 stand and use the English language, and of other resident persons of 
 foreign birth ; to provide for cooperation with the States in the edu- 
 cation of such persons in the English language, the fundamental 
 principles of government and citizenship, the elements of knowledge 
 pertaining to self-support and home making, and in such other work 
 as will assist in preparing such illiterates and foreign-born persons 
 for successful living and intelligent American citizenship." 
 
 Aside from the humanitarian object of saving' the lives of 1,000 
 men each year and 150,000 from injury, there is the economic problem 
 to the States, the companies, and the men themselves, involving 
 millions of dollars each year. 
 
 The statistics given by the Immigration Commission show 620,000 
 foreign-born miners in this country. It is roughly estimated from the 
 experience in certain States that about 75 per cent of these 620,000 
 foreign-born miners are non-English-speaking foreigners, or 465,000 
 immigrants with no knowledge of the English language. The best 
 
42 AMEKICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 estimates from a number of the larger mining States are to the effect 
 that the non-English-speaking foreigners suffer twice the fatalities 
 that the English-speaking miners do. This means an excess of 930' 
 non-English-speaking foreigners killed each year, and I may way 
 unnecessarily. If the average State compensation is $3,000, -which 
 is a fair figure, the total economic loss each year to the country 
 through the excess of deaths of non-English-speaking miners alone 
 amounts to $2,790,000. On the same basis it is estimated that the 
 excess of non-English-speaking miners injured each year amounts to 
 69,750 men. This is a loss in wages alone of $1,743,750. Taking the 
 excess of deaths and injuries together due to non-English-speaking 
 foreigners, the economic loss each year reaches $4,533,750. This is 
 entirely aside from the other costs to the industry in production lost. 
 
 But this does not tell the entire story, for the presence of such large 
 numbers of non-English-speaking men in the mines is a menace not 
 only to themselves but to a great many experienced English-speaking 
 miners. The ignorant act of a non-English-speaking foreigner may 
 cause an entire mine to blow up, with a loss of several hundred lives. 
 So you see that I am conservative when I estimate that the total effect 
 might result in saving the lives of 1,000 men and 150,000 men from 
 injury each year. 
 
 In the last few years there have been an everage of 3,200 men killed 
 in the mining industry, and the best estimates we have of the nonfatal 
 injuries is that perhaps one-third of the total number employed have 
 either suffered slight or serious injury. I am conservati^'e when I 
 put the injuries at 300,000 men each year in 1,000,000 men employed. ■ 
 
 There are still other important factors which should be taken into 
 consideration at the present moment. During the war there was con- 
 siderable unrest in the mining industry, especially in the western 
 copper region. Certain radical elements, whose gospel is violence; 
 interfered considerably with the output at a time when the country 
 was in dire need of their service. Outside of the leaders of these men, 
 whose intelligence consisted of cunning and preying upon the 'ignor- 
 ance of other men, this movement obtained whatever prominence it 
 had through the ignorant, illiterate foreign born, those who came 
 from the most oppressed sections of the world and whose battles 
 America was endeavoring to fight. It is evidently true that much of 
 this spirit was fostered by German traitors, but they were able only 
 to be successful through the dense ignorance of foreigners. Such a 
 bill as the one proposed would destroy any such anarchist movement, 
 as such orders do not thrive in the light of intelligence. 
 
 This bill also seeks to prepare such illiterates and foreigii-born 
 persons for successful living and intelligent American citizenship. 
 The Immigration Commission found that of the foreign-born miners 
 who have been in this country five years or over only 21 per cent were 
 fully naturalized, and only 14 per cent had taken out their first papers, 
 the remaining 64 per cent being alien. Russians show the smallest 
 proportion of fully naturalized males, only 8 per cent being thus 
 reported. 
 
 My. plea, therefore, is that such a measure as the proposed Ameri- 
 canization bill will not only save human life and suffering in the 
 mining industry but will also be a great economic benefit to the State 
 
AMEKICANIZATION BILL. 4S 
 
 the industry, and the men; it will make loyal American citizens out 
 of men who through their ignorance remain aliens ; and it will nip in 
 the bud such movements as Bolshevism, etc. 
 
 STATEMENT OF PHILANDER P. CLAXTON, COMMISSIONER OF EDU- 
 CATION, DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR. 
 
 The Chaiejian. We will now hear from the Commissioner of 
 Education, Philander P. Claxton. 
 
 Mr. Claxton. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee. Sec- 
 retary Lane and Mr. Kaufman have presented clearly and force- 
 fully the problems of adult illiteracy and of the foreign born who 
 are unable to speak or understand the English language, and who 
 can therefore know little of the opportunities, duties, and responsi- 
 bilities of life in America, and are handicapped beyond our ability 
 to comprehend in all their industrial, economic, civic, and social 
 activities. 
 
 They are both right in their claim that the actual amount of illit- 
 eracy in the United States is much greater than the census figures 
 indicate. I was long ago convinced that in some sections of the 
 country at least the number of persons wholly illiterate is much 
 larger than the number so reported in the Federal census, and it is 
 perfectly easy to understand why the census figures are too low. It 
 IS 'also easy to understand why the census figures for those unable to 
 understand or speak English are much lower than they should be to 
 indicate the actual facts in the case. 
 
 It should be remembered that there are in the census reports no 
 figures to show the number of those who, althovigh able to spell out a 
 few words of print or to write their names, are still illiterate for all 
 practical purposes — ^that is, are unable to read, with any degree of 
 intelligence, the newspapers, magazines, the constitutions and laws 
 of their States, or of the Nation, any of the thousands of bulletins 
 for information and guidance published by Federal and State Gov- 
 ernments, the Bible, or any book of ancient or modern literature, 
 and are unable to write business letters or letters to their friends, or 
 to keep their accounts intelligently. The number of such persons 
 must be three or four times as large as the number of total illiterates 
 which, as shown by investigations made in camps and cantonments 
 during the war, must be much larger than the number given in the 
 census. 
 
 The same is true as to the number of persons who have no real 
 mastery of the English language for practical everyday use as com- 
 pared with the number reported as unable to speak English. 
 
 All the economic loss, all the industrial, social, and civic difiiculties 
 and dangers, and all the lowering of American life and ideals men- 
 tioned by the Secretary and Mr. Kaufman is coming or likely to 
 come out of this condition of total or partial illiteracy and inability 
 to use the language of the country are real. And there are many 
 others. It would be difficult to exaggerate their number or im- 
 portance. 
 
 The problem which this bill is intended to serve is a double one, 
 illiteracy and inability to speak and understand English. I will 
 speak briefly of the first. 
 
44 AMERICASriZATION BILL. 
 
 Illiteracy is not confined to any one race or class or section. Of 
 the 5,500,000 illiterates as reported by the census of 1910 nearly 
 3,225,000 were Avhites, and more than 1,500,000 were native-born 
 whites. 
 
 According to this census there were than 2,225,000 illiterate males 
 of voting age, of whom more than 600,000 were native-born whites, 
 nearly 800,000 foreign-born whites, and more than 800,000 Negroes. 
 The per cent of illiteracy of the total male population of voting age 
 was 8.4; of the native-JDorn males of voting age, 4.1 per cent; of 
 foreign-born white males of voting age, 11.9 per cent ; of Negroes of 
 voting age, 33.7 per cent. 
 
 The number of those who can not read the platforms of their par- 
 ties or the principles announced by the candidates between whom 
 they are asked to choose is much larger than the census figures would 
 indicate. The total number of wholly illiterate men of voting age 
 in the entire country in 1910 was greater than the total mimber of 
 men of voting age in the States of Kentuclcy, Tennessee, Alabama, 
 Mississippi, Delaware, and Rhode Island. In the United States as 
 a whole, in some States, and in many counties illiterate voters hold 
 fhe balance of power in any closely contested election. 
 
 That illiteracy is not a problem of any one section alone is shown 
 by the fact that in 1910 Massachusetts had 7,469 more illiterate men 
 of voting age than Arkansas; Michigan, 2,663 more than West Vir- 
 ginia; Maryland, 2,352 more than Florida; Ohio more than twice as 
 many as New Mexico and Arizona combined; Pennsylvania, 5,689 
 more than Tennessee and Kentucky combined. Boston had more 
 illiterates than Baltimore, Pittsburgh more than New Orleans, Fall 
 River more than Birmingham, Providence nearly twice as many as 
 Nashville, and the city of Washington 5,000 more than the city of 
 Memphis. 
 
 With the improvement of educational conditions in the South 
 and the large influx of immigrants from southern and eastern 
 Eiirope into the North and West, the difference in percentage of il- 
 literacy in the South and other sections becomes constantly less. 
 
 Of the five and a half million illiterates reported by the census of 
 1910, nearly three and one quarter million (3,748,031) lived, in the 
 countrj' and made their living by farming and other rural occupa- 
 tions. Despite the fact that most of our foreign-born population is 
 in the cities, the percentage of illiteracy in 1910 was twice as great 
 in the n;ral population as in the urban population. 
 
 It is especially significant that of the 1,534,272 native-born white 
 illiterates reported in the 1910 census, 1,342,372, about 87.5 per cent, 
 \\ere in the open country and small towns, and only 191,900 or 12.5 
 per cent were in cities having a population of 2,500 ancl over. Of 
 the 2,227,731 illiterate negroes 1,834,458 or 82.3 per cent were in the 
 <;ountry, and only 393,273, or 17.7 per cent, were in the cities. 
 
 This tells the story: Seven-eighths of the native white illiterates 
 and five-sixths of the Negro illiterates in the country. The great 
 majority of those in the Southern States, in which public schools for 
 all the people had not been established before the Civil War and 
 where, because of poverty and confusion following upon the war, the 
 rural schools were for 40 years after the war wholly inadequate for 
 the education of all the children, either white or colored, and where 
 there were until recently no compulsory school-attendance laws. 
 
AMEEICANIZATION BILL. 45= 
 
 In most cases the illiteracy of these native-born Americans is not 
 their fault. It is their misfortune. They did not have a chance. 
 State and Nation, to both of which they owe allegiance, and both of 
 which demand of them the duties and responsibilities of citizenship' 
 and claim their services even unto death, failed to provide oppor- 
 tunity for their education and to protect them against the ignorance- 
 and avariciousness of parents and guardians. The chance denied 
 them in childhood and youth we should give them now in the fullest 
 measure possible. To do so will be only an act of tardy and partial 
 justice to these unfortunate millions of our fellow citizens. 
 
 That they would have taken advantage of the opportunities of 
 education had they been provided in adequate schools is shown 
 / clearly by the fact that the per cent of illiteracy among the children 
 of both races between the years of 10 and 20 in the towns and citiea 
 of the South, where there are now schools for all, is less than the 
 average for the country at large, and much less than in many cities 
 and towns of other sections having a large foreign-born population. 
 Here are some figures eloquent in this respect. The per cent of 
 illiterates in the total population over 10 years of age in 1910 was. 
 in New Bedford, Mass., 12.1; Dallas, Tex., 4; in Lawrence, Mass.,, 
 13.2; Wheeling, W. Va., 3.2; in Amsterdam, N. Y., 10.3; Little Rock,. 
 Ark., 6.5; in Passaic, N. J., 15.8; Augusta, Ga., 10.9; in Green Bay,. 
 Wis., 5.7; Paducah, Ky., 1.8; in Woonsocket, R. I.. 9.1; Knoxville,, 
 Tenn., 6.5 ; in Utica, N. Y., 8.2 ; Roanoke, Va., 6.9. 
 
 Within the last two decades the schools in the small towns and open 
 country in the Southern States have improved rapidly. All these- 
 States now have more or less adequate compulsory attendance laws,, 
 and there is nothing in which the people are more interested than in 
 education. The crop of new adult native-born illiterates is growing- 
 smaller every year and will soon approach the vanishing point. We 
 may therefore work at the task of teaching the native-born illiterates; 
 with the inspiration that comes from a knowledge of the fact that 
 the task has definite limits and may be accomplished within a rea- 
 sonable time and fully. I believe it can be accomplished quite fully 
 within the seven years of the life of the appropriation which this, 
 bill would provide.. 
 
 There may be those who would argue that this is a matter for the- 
 States and not for the Federal Government. A part of the plain; 
 answer to any such argument is that the Nation as a whole is inter- 
 ested. Its wealth, its strength, its prosperity, its civic righteous- 
 ness, all its higher ideals, its safety, and the happiness of all the peo- 
 ple are at stake, and no State has yet made anything like adequate 
 provision for the teaching of its adult illiterates or of its foreign- 
 born residents, nor is there any good reason to believe that many of 
 the States will make such provision soon unless Federal aid is given.. 
 Another part of the answer is that these adult illiterates and these 
 foreign-born persons are citizens and residents of the United States,. 
 of the Nation as a whole, as well as of the States in which they now 
 live or the States to which they may remove to-morrow. The Fed- 
 eral Government recognizes this as a fact in very practical ways 
 when it demands of these illiterate and foreign-born persons that 
 they leave their homes and their States and go across the seas and 
 fight for the safety of the Nation and for its ideals, and when, in 
 
46 AMEKICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 order to pay the cost of the war and of other activities and needs 
 of tlie Government, it does not ask the States to contribute of the 
 wealth of their citizens, but h\ys its hands on the property of its own 
 citizens in all the States and takes from each so much as may be nec- 
 essary, without permitting them to appeal to the authorities and laws 
 of their States for protection. 
 
 Will the States respond to the provisions of this bill and cooperate 
 with the Federal Government in this great task? The response to 
 similar pro^•isions for agricultural-extension education in the Smith- 
 Lever Act and for vocational education in the Smith-Hughes Act 
 indicate very clearly that they will. Widespread interest in both 
 parts of this problem and action already taken in several of the States 
 make it quite sure. 
 
 Can the Nation afford to make this appropriation at a time when 
 large demands for other purposes are made upon its Treasury? 
 The economic loss through illiteracy and inability to use the English 
 language has already been emphasized by Mr. Kauffman. His esti- 
 mates of loss from these sources are not overlarge. They are, I feel 
 sure, much less than the actual loss. This week I attended a meet- 
 ing of the American Cotton Growers' Association at New Orleans, 
 as did Senator Smith of this committee. My going there caused me 
 to make some calculations in regard to the effect of illiteracy, total 
 and partial, upon this industry of cotton growing in the Southern 
 States. 
 
 The census of 1910 reports 18 per cent of the population of the 
 Cotton States as totally illiterate. More than 20 per cent of the 
 farmers of these States can neither read nor write, according to 
 the doubtful standards of the Federal census. More than half of 
 them can not read any one of the 125 bulletins on cotton which the 
 Department of Agriculture of the United States has at great cost 
 prepared and printed for them, nor can they follow intelligently 
 the instructions of agricultural demonstration agents which at still 
 greater cost the Nation and the States in cooperation send to them. 
 For this reason the cotton industry lags. The average production 
 stands at approximately one-third bale per acre, when it might 
 easily be made two or three times as large. Millions of acres are 
 planted to cotton more than should be necessary to produce the crop 
 of twelve millions or fifteen millions of bales ; millions of acres which 
 might be used for other crops were the farmers educated to diversi- 
 fied farming or able to profit by all the efforts of State and Nation 
 to help them. 
 
 Two and a half million farmers and farmers' wives in these 
 States are wholly illiterate, and seven and one-half million cannot 
 read the bulletins or the papers that would teach them how to till the 
 soil to better advantage or to make better homes for themselves and 
 their children. Seven and one-half million farmers and farmers' 
 wives hay-e less ability to read than the standard of ability provided 
 in this bill and which this bill would give them opportunity to 
 acquire. 
 
 If because of this fact these seven and a half millions of native- 
 born Americans on southern farms produce an average of 50 cents 
 a day, $150 a year less than they otherwise would, the loss to these 
 States, to the Nation and to the world is not less than $1,125,000,000 
 
AMEEICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 47 
 
 a year, an amount of raw material for food and clothing not to be 
 disregarded in this time of the world's need. The estimate is not 
 too high. On the other hand it is, I am sure, too low. 
 
 In conclusion, may I submit some tables taken from a bulletin 
 of the Bureau of Education, No. 20, 1913, showing the number of 
 illiterates' per thousand in the total population of several classes 
 according to the census of 1910. I call your attention to the fact 
 that a comparison with figures for illiteracy in European States 
 shows that at that time only in Austria-Hungary, Greece, Italy, 
 Portugal, Spain, Russia, the Balkan States, and Turkey wi^^ the 
 per cent of illiteracy greater than that of the native white popula- 
 tion of more than a half dozen of our States. 
 
 I also submit a table showing the amount of money which each 
 of the States would receive under the provisions of this bill. It 
 was calculated last February, and now needs revision as to dates. 
 
 Number of illiterates in 1910 ivho icere 10 years of age and over. 
 
 states. 
 
 All clas.^es. 
 
 Njti\e 
 wliites. 
 
 Foreign- 
 torn 
 whites. 
 
 Negroes. 
 
 Alabama 
 
 Arizona 
 
 Arkansas 
 
 California 
 
 Colorado 
 
 Connecticut 
 
 Delaware 
 
 District of Columbia. 
 
 Florida 
 
 Georgia 
 
 Idaho 
 
 Illinois 
 
 Indiana 
 
 Iowa 
 
 Kansas 
 
 Kentucky 
 
 Liouisiana 
 
 Maine 
 
 Maryland 
 
 Massachusetts 
 
 Michigan 
 
 Mimiesola 
 
 Mississippi 
 
 Missouri 
 
 Montana 
 
 Nebraska 
 
 Nevada 
 
 New Hampshire 
 
 New .Jersey 
 
 New Mexico 
 
 New York 
 
 North Carolina 
 
 North Dakota 
 
 Ohio 
 
 Oklaiioma 
 
 Oregon 
 
 Pennsylvania 
 
 Rhode Island , 
 
 South Carolina , 
 
 South Dakota 
 
 Tennessee 
 
 Texas 
 
 Utah 
 
 Vermont 
 
 Virginia 
 
 Washington 
 
 West Virginia 
 
 Wisconsin 
 
 Wyoming 
 
 United States. 
 
 352,710 
 32 953 
 
 142 954 
 74.902 
 23.780 
 53 665 
 13 240 
 13.812 
 77 816 
 
 389 775 
 5.4.53 
 
 168 294 
 66 213 
 29 889 
 28 968 
 
 208, 084 
 
 3.52, 179 
 24 5.54 
 
 73 397 
 141,541 
 
 74 800 
 49,336 
 
 290 235 
 111,116 
 
 14.457 
 
 18 009 
 4,702 
 
 16 386 
 113.. 502 
 
 48: 697 
 406,020 
 291,497 
 
 13 070 
 124, 774 
 
 67.567 
 
 10 504 
 354 290 
 
 33, 854 
 276 980 
 
 12 750 
 
 221 071 
 
 282,904 
 
 6,821 
 
 10 806 
 232 911 
 
 18,416 
 
 74,866 
 
 57,769 
 3,874 
 
 84,768 
 
 3 776 
 
 55 025 
 
 7 509 
 
 8, 133 
 
 3 583 
 
 3 525 
 
 960 
 
 14 871 
 
 80,203 
 
 707 
 
 40 486 
 
 40 955 
 
 11 541 
 9 472 
 
 146 797 
 
 85 359 
 
 9 824 
 
 18, 962 
 
 9,163 
 
 17 846 
 
 5 838 
 
 28 699 
 
 65,242 
 
 736 
 
 4,278 
 
 187 
 
 2 839 
 
 12 253 
 30 338 
 36,318 
 
 132 189 
 
 1 413 
 
 47 310 
 
 33 569 
 
 1 841 
 
 59 680 
 
 3 253 
 50 245 
 
 1 239 
 
 120 966 
 
 90 .591 
 
 832 
 
 4 495 
 81 457 
 
 1,836 
 
 51,407 
 
 11,468 
 
 29S 
 
 2,063 
 
 13 758 
 
 1 466 
 
 50 292 
 
 13 897 
 
 49 202 
 
 3 359 
 
 1 944 
 
 3,390 
 
 875 
 
 2,742 
 
 117,7.51 
 
 18 200 
 
 16 894 
 
 13 787 
 3 300 
 
 12 085 
 
 14 394 
 12,047 
 
 129,412 
 54 U3 
 40 627 
 1 364 
 22 631 
 8,445 
 
 12 264 
 
 1 344 
 
 13 485 
 93 551 
 
 6,580 
 
 362 026 
 
 477 
 
 9,474 
 
 66 887 
 
 3 828 
 6 120 
 
 279 668 
 
 29 781 
 
 399 
 
 4 896 
 1,488 
 
 67, 295 
 3 636 
 6 239 
 
 2 368 
 11 233 
 13 075 
 43 662 
 
 2,548 
 
 1,650,361 
 
 265,628 
 
 122 
 
 86 398 
 
 1,329 
 
 856 
 
 792 
 
 6 345 
 
 10 814 
 
 59 503 
 
 308,639 
 
 37 
 
 9 713 
 
 6 9.59 
 
 1.272 
 
 6 341 
 
 57 900 
 
 264, 148 
 
 93 
 
 42, 289 
 
 2,584 
 
 828 
 
 215 
 
 259.438 
 
 23,062 
 
 114 
 
 482 
 
 26 
 
 51 
 
 7,405 
 
 191 
 
 5,768 
 
 156, 303 
 
 26 
 
 10 460 
 
 17, 858 
 
 46 
 
 14.638 
 
 752 
 
 226,242 
 
 38 
 
 98, 541 
 
 124,618 
 
 49 
 
 69 
 
 148, 950 
 
 239 
 
 10, 347 
 
 113 
 
 102 
 
 2, 227, 731 
 
48 
 
 AMERICANIZATION BILL. 
 Illiterate males 21 years of age and over in 1910. 
 
 States. 
 
 All clashes. 
 
 Native 
 whites. 
 
 Foreign- 
 born 
 wliites. 
 
 Negroes. 
 
 Alabama 
 
 124,494 
 
 14,463 
 
 53, 440 
 
 42,787 
 
 11,343 
 
 23,662 
 
 6,272 
 
 6,082 
 
 29,886 
 
 141,641 
 
 3,416 
 
 79,433 
 
 33,583 
 
 14,204 
 
 14,716 
 
 87,516 
 
 118,716 
 
 13,070 
 
 31,238 
 
 61,909 
 
 38, 703 
 
 23,603 
 
 107,843 
 
 51,284 
 
 8,812 
 
 8,546 
 
 2,399 
 
 8,413 
 
 51,086 
 
 16,634 
 
 170.663 
 
 107,563 
 
 5,467 
 
 62,998 
 
 28,707 
 
 6,460 
 
 179,982 
 
 14,466 
 
 90,707 
 
 5,550 
 
 86,677 
 
 109,328 
 
 3,477 
 
 6,039 
 
 92,917 
 
 10,580 
 
 35,040 
 
 27,038 
 
 2,694 
 
 30,633 
 
 1,297 
 
 20,728 
 
 3,175 
 
 2,936 
 
 1,637 
 
 1,740 
 
 391 
 
 5,189 
 
 30,085 
 
 353 
 
 18,863 
 
 19,594 
 
 5,675 
 
 4,647 
 
 70,147 
 
 29, 026 
 
 5,222 
 
 8,620 
 
 3,872 
 
 9,398 
 
 2,489 
 
 11,270 
 
 30,217 
 
 394 
 
 2,044 
 
 95 
 
 1,468 
 
 6,423 
 
 8,680 
 
 17,826 
 
 49, 710 
 
 493 
 
 22, 567 
 
 14,824 
 
 914 
 
 23,625 
 
 1,260 
 
 17,599 
 
 604 
 
 47,743 
 
 31,196 
 
 372 
 
 2,561 
 
 33,680 
 
 840 
 
 21,022 
 
 6,432 
 
 157 
 
 1,028 
 
 7,447 
 
 661 
 
 28,921 
 
 7,468 
 
 21,632 
 
 1,692 
 
 810 
 
 1,439 
 
 376 
 
 2,036 
 
 55,907 
 
 10,602 
 
 7,779 
 
 7,497 
 
 1,382 
 
 5,211 
 
 7,676 
 
 6,037 
 
 66, 504 
 
 28,034 
 
 19,947 
 
 593 
 
 10,848 
 
 5,886 
 
 5,886 
 
 968 
 
 6,909 
 
 42,347 
 
 3,630 
 
 148,703 
 
 274 
 
 4,029 
 
 35,160 
 
 2,188 
 
 4,033 
 
 149,592 
 
 12, 793 
 
 206 
 
 2,323 
 
 628 
 
 28,191 
 
 1,959 
 
 3,439 
 
 1.297 
 
 6,993 
 
 8,528 
 
 20,433 
 
 1,810 
 
 92,744 
 
 Arizona . . 
 
 64 
 
 Arlcansas 
 
 32,013 
 
 California . . . 
 
 556- 
 
 
 373 
 
 Onnnpntimif; 
 
 314 
 
 
 2,829 
 
 District of Columbia. . . . . 
 
 3,801 
 
 Florida . . . 
 
 23,219 
 
 
 111,037 
 
 Idaho 
 
 16 
 
 Illinois 
 
 4,349 
 
 Indiana ... 
 
 3,312 
 
 lowa. 
 
 626 
 
 
 2,380 
 
 Eentucky , . . . 
 
 25,958 
 
 
 84,176. 
 
 
 55 
 
 Maryland . . 
 
 17,484 
 
 
 1,186 
 
 Michigan . ... 
 
 397 
 
 
 123 
 
 
 95,702 
 
 
 10,068 
 
 MnntnTiq. 
 
 75 
 
 
 231 
 
 
 15 
 
 
 29 
 
 
 3,062 
 
 New Mexico . . . 
 
 88 
 
 New Yorii: . 
 
 2,295 
 
 
 56,669 
 
 North Dalsota 
 
 16 
 
 
 5,169 
 
 
 7,396 
 
 Oregon . . . , 
 
 24 
 
 Ppnn^ylvanfpi 
 
 6,479 
 
 
 345 
 
 South Carolina. . . . . 
 
 72, 857 
 
 South Dakota 
 
 24 
 
 Tennessee '. 
 
 38,273 
 
 Texas 
 
 49,699 
 
 Utah 
 
 26- 
 
 
 38 
 
 Virginia . 
 
 57,867 
 
 
 121 
 
 West Virginia 
 
 5,457 
 
 Wisconsin 
 
 58 
 
 Wyoming 
 
 50 
 
 
 
 United States 
 
 2,273,603 
 
 617,733 
 
 788,631 
 
 819, 135 
 
 
 
AMEEICANIZATION BIIJ.. 49 
 
 Number of illiterates per thousand in the total population 10 years of af/e and 
 
 over in 1910. 
 
 I. Iow a— 17. 
 
 2. Neb raska— 19. 
 H. Ore gon— 19. 
 4. Wa shington— 2n. 
 ,5. Kan sa.'i— 22. 
 
 6. Tdah o— 22. 
 
 7. Utah — 25. 
 
 8. South Dakota— 29. 
 
 9. Minne sota — 30. 
 If). Indiana — 31. 
 
 II. North D akota— 31. 
 
 12. Ohio— 3 2. 
 
 13. Wiscon sin— 32. 
 
 14. Michiga n— 33. 
 l.'i. Wyomin g— 33. 
 
 16. Illinois— 37. 
 
 17. California — 37, 
 
 18. Colorarlo— 37, 
 
 19. Vermont— 37, 
 
 20. Maine- 41 . 
 
 21. Missouri — 4 3. 
 
 22. New Hamps hire — 46. 
 
 23. Montana-^8 , 
 
 24. District of Co lumbia— 49. 
 
 25. Massachusetts — 52. 
 
 26. New York— 55. 
 
 27. New Jersey- .56 . 
 
 28. C'rlahoma- 56. 
 
 29. PennsvU^ania— 59. 
 
 30. Connecticut— 60. 
 ai. Nevada— 67. 
 
 32. Maryland- 72. 
 
 33. Rho'le Island— 77. 
 
 34. Delaware — 81. 
 
 .^5. West Virginia— 83. 
 
 36. Tc^as— 9' 
 
 37. Kentucky— 121. 
 
 38. Arkansas— 126. 
 
 39. Tennessee — 136. 
 
 40. Florida— 138. 
 
 41. Virginia— 152. 
 
 42. North Carolina— 18.^. 
 
 43. New Mevico— 202. 
 
 44. Georgia- 207. 
 
 45. ,\ri7ona— 209. 
 
 46. Mississinni— 224. 
 
 47. Alabama- 229. 
 
 48. Smith Carolina— 257. 
 
 49. Lomsiana— 290. 
 
 138835—19- 
 
50 AMEKICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 Numier of illiterates, per thousand of the total white population 10 years of age 
 
 and over in 1910. 
 
 1. Washington — 14. 
 
 2. 
 
 South Dakota— 14. 
 
 3. 
 
 Idaho— 14. 
 
 4. 
 
 Oregon — 15. 
 
 — 
 6. 
 
 District of Colnmbia— 15. 
 Iowa— 16. 
 
 7. 
 
 Utali— 17. 
 
 8. 
 
 Kansas — 18. 
 
 n. 
 
 10. 
 
 Nehraslca— 18. 
 Nevada— 24. 
 
 11. 
 
 Wyoming— 25. 
 
 12. 
 
 North Dakota— 26. 
 
 13. 
 
 Indiana — 28. 
 
 lo. 
 
 Minnesota— 29. 
 Ohio— 30. 
 
 16. 
 
 CaUfornia— 30. 
 
 17. 
 
 Wisconsin — 30. 
 
 18. 
 
 Michigan- 32. 
 
 19. 
 
 Montana — 32. 
 
 20. 
 
 Colorado— 35. 
 
 21. 
 
 lUinois— 36. 
 
 22. 
 
 Missouri— 36. 
 
 23. 
 
 Oklalionia— 36. 
 
 24. 
 
 Maryland— 37. 
 
 25. 
 
 Vermont — 37. 
 
 26. 
 
 Maine — 40. 
 
 27. 
 
 New Hampshire— 46. 
 
 2S. 
 
 Delaware— 50. 
 
 29. 
 
 Massachnsetts — 51 . 
 
 30. 
 
 .Wississinpi — 53. 
 
 31. 
 
 Now Jersey— 54. 
 
 32. 
 
 New York— 55. 
 
 33. 
 
 Florida— 55. 
 
 34. 
 
 Pennsylvania— 58. 
 
 35. 
 
 Connecticut— 59. 
 
 36. 
 
 Texas— 67. 
 
 37. 
 
 Arkansas— 70. 
 
 3S. 
 
 West Virginia— 76. 
 
 39. 
 
 Rhode Island— 77. 
 
 40. 
 
 Georgia— 78. 
 
 41. 
 
 Virginia— 81. 
 
 42. Tennessee— 97. 
 
 43. Kentucky— 99. 
 
 44. Aiibama— 99. 
 
 45. South Carolina— 103. 
 
 46. North Carolina— 123. 
 
 47. Arizona— 131. 
 
 48. Louisiana — 142. 
 
 49. New Mexico — 164. 
 
AMERICANIZATION BILL,. 51 
 
 Number of illiterates per thousand of the native-born white population 10 'years 
 
 of age and over in 1910. 
 _1. Washington— 3. 
 ^. Idaho— 3. 
 
 3. Wyoming — 3. 
 
 4. Oregon — i. 
 
 5. South Dakota — 4. 
 
 6. Utab-4. 
 
 7. Montana — 4. 
 
 8. Nevada — i. 
 
 9. Massachusetts — 5. 
 
 10. California— 5. 
 
 11. Minnesota— 5. 
 
 12. North Dakota— 5. 
 
 13^ District ol Columbia— 5. 
 
 14. N ebraska — 6. 
 
 15. C onnecticut— 6. 
 
 16. N ew York— 8. 
 
 17. Io wa— 8. 
 
 18. K ansas— 8. 
 
 19. W isconsin — 9. 
 
 20. Ne w Jersey — 9. 
 
 21. Mic higan — 1 1 . 
 
 22. New Hampshire — 11. 
 
 23. Penn sylvania- 13. 
 
 24. Illino is— 13. 
 
 25. Rhod e Island— 13. 
 
 26. Ohio— 15. 
 
 27. Colorad o— 16. 
 
 28. Vermont— 19. 
 
 29. Maine— 20 . 
 
 30. Indiana— 2 1. 
 ai. Maryland— 26 . 
 32. Missouri— 29. 
 
 33. Delaware— 29. 
 
 34. Oklahoma— 38. 
 
 35. Arizona — 42. 
 
 36. Texas— 43. 
 
 37. Florida— 50. 
 
 38. Mississippi — 52. 
 
 39. West Virginia— 64. 
 
 40. Arkansas— 70. 
 
 41. Georgia— 78. 
 
 42. Virginia— 80. 
 
 43. Teimessee— 97. 
 
 44. Alabama— 99. 
 
 45. Kentucky— 100. 
 
 46. South Carolina— 103. 
 
 47. North Carolina— 123. 
 
 48. Louisiana — 134. 
 
 49. New Mexico— 149. 
 
52 AMERICANIZATION B(LI;, 
 
 Number of illiterates per thousand of the negro population 10 years of a<je niui 
 
 over in 1910. 
 
 1. Min nesota— 34. 
 
 2. Ore gon— 34. 
 
 3. Wash ington— 43. 
 
 4. Wisco nsin — 45 . 
 
 5. Vermon t — 48. 
 
 6. Utah— (8. 
 
 7. North D akota— 48. 
 
 8. New Y ork— 50. 
 
 9. Wyomi ng — 50. 
 
 10. South D akota— 55. 
 
 11. Nevada — 55. 
 
 12. Michigan — 57. 
 
 13. Connectic ut— fi3 . 
 
 14. Idaho— 64. 
 
 15. Montana— 7 0. 
 
 16. Cnliforni'i— 71. 
 
 17. Nebraska— 72. 
 
 18. Arizona— 72 . 
 
 19. Maine— 80. 
 
 20. Massachusetts- 81. 
 
 21. Colorado— 86. 
 
 22. Pennsylvania — 91. 
 
 23. Rhode Tsland—9 5. 
 
 24. Nevf Jersey— 99. 
 
 25. Iowa— 103. 
 
 26. Illinois— 105. 
 
 27. New Hampshire— 1 06. 
 
 28. Ohio— 111. 
 
 29. Kansas— 120. 
 
 30. District of Columbia— 135. 
 
 31. Indiana— 137. 
 
 32. New Mexico— 142. 
 
 33. Missouri— 174. 
 
 34. Oklahoma— 177. 
 
 35. West Virsinia- 203. 
 
 36. Mar.vland— 234. 
 
 37. Texas— 246. 
 
 38. Florida— 255. 
 
 39. Delaware— 256. 
 
 40. Arkansas— 264. 
 
 41. Tennessee— 273. 
 
 42. Kentucky- 276. 
 
 43. Virginia— 300. 
 
 44. North Carolina— 319. 
 
 45. Mississippi— 356. 
 
 46. Georgia- 365. 
 
 47. South Carolina— 387. 
 
 48. Alabama— 401. 
 
 49. Louisiana — 484. 
 
AMEKICANIZATION BILL. 53 
 
 Numher of illiterates per thousand of the total male population 21 years of age 
 
 and over in 1910. 
 
 1. Iow a— 21. 
 
 2. Wash ington— 24. 
 
 3. Nebr aska^24. 
 
 4. Oreg on— 25. 
 
 5. Kansa s— 29. 
 
 6. South Dakota— 31. 
 
 7. North Dakota— 31. 
 
 8. Idaho— 31. 
 
 9. Utah— 33. 
 
 10. Minneso ta — 37. 
 
 11. Wisconsi n — 40. 
 
 12. Indiana— 41. 
 
 13. Wvomini; — 41. 
 
 14. Ohio-^2. 
 
 15. Colorado— 42. 
 
 16. Michigan — 44. 
 
 17. Illinois— 16 . 
 
 18. California — 46. 
 
 19. District of Co lumbia— 49. 
 • 20. Missouri — 53. 
 
 21. Vermont— 53. 
 
 22. Maine— 55. 
 
 33. Montana— 57. 
 - 24. New York— 60. 
 
 35. Nevada— 60. 
 
 36. Massachusetts— 6 1. 
 
 37. New Hampshire — 62. 
 
 38. Oklahoma— 64. 
 
 39. New Jersey— 66. 
 30. Connecticut — 68. 
 ■ 31. Pennsylvania — 78. 
 
 32. Maryland— 85. 
 
 33. Rhode Island— 88. 
 ■ 34. Delaware— 101. 
 
 35. West Virginia— 104. 
 
 36. Texas— 109. 
 
 37. Arkansas— 135. 
 
 38. Florida— 140. 
 ■ 39. Kentucky— 145. 
 
 40. Tennessee — 157. 
 
 41. New Mexico — 176. 
 -42. Virginia— 177. 
 -43. Arizona— 195. 
 
 44. North Carolina— 213. 
 
 45. Georgia— 223. 
 
 46. Alabama— 243. 
 
 47. Missis-sippi- 2,53. 
 
 48. South Carolina— 271. 
 
 49. Louisiana— 286. 
 
54 AMERIGANIZATIOir BILL. 
 
 Number of illiterates per thousand of the total white male popiilation 21 
 
 of age and over in 1910. 
 1. District of Columbia— 16. 
 
 2. 
 3. 
 
 South Dakota— 17. 
 Washington— 19. 
 
 4. 
 
 Iowa— 20. 
 
 6. 
 
 Oregon— 20. 
 Idaho— 22. 
 
 7. 
 
 Nebraska— 23. 
 
 8. 
 
 Utah— 23. 
 
 9. 
 
 Kansas — 25. 
 
 10. 
 
 North Dakota— 26. 
 
 11. 
 
 Nevada— 29. 
 
 12. 
 
 Wyoming— 33. 
 
 13. 
 
 Minnesota^-35. 
 
 14. 
 
 Califomia^SS. 
 
 15. 
 
 Indiana— 38. 
 
 16. 
 
 Wisconsin— 38. 
 
 17. 
 
 Colorado— 39. 
 
 18. 
 
 Ohio— 40. 
 
 19. 
 
 Montana— 42. 
 
 2a 
 21! 
 
 Michigan— 43. 
 Oklahoma^43. 
 
 22. 
 
 Illinois— 44. 
 
 23. 
 
 Missouri — 45. 
 
 24. 
 
 Maryland — 45. 
 
 25. 
 
 Florida— 53. 
 
 26. 
 
 Vermont — 53. 
 
 27. 
 
 Maine — 55. 
 
 28. 
 
 New York— 60. 
 
 29. 
 
 Massachusetts— 60. 
 
 30. 
 
 New Hampshire— 61. 
 
 31. 
 
 Mississippi— 62. 
 
 32. 
 
 New Jersey — 64. 
 
 33. 
 
 Delaware— 65. 
 
 34. 
 
 Connecticut— 68. 
 
 35. 
 
 , Texas— 71. 
 
 36, 
 
 . Arkansas— 75. 
 
 37 
 
 . Pennsylvania — 77. 
 
 38 
 
 . Georgia— 86. 
 
 39 
 
 . Rhode Island— 88. 
 
 40 
 
 . West Virginia— 94. 
 
 41 
 
 . Virginia^96. 
 
 42. Alabama^lOe. 
 
 43. South Carolina— 107. 
 
 44. Tennessee — 112. 
 
 45. Kentucky— 117. 
 
 46. Arizona — 134. 
 
 47. New Mexico — 139. 
 
 48. North Carolina— 140. 
 
 49. Louisiana— 143 
 
AMEKICANIZATION BILL. 55 
 
 Number of illiterates per thousand of the native-born white male population 21 
 
 years of age and over in 19X0. 
 ^. Washington— 3. 
 2. Montana — I. 
 _3. Idaho— 4. 
 
 4. Wyoming. 
 
 5. Nevada — 4. 
 
 6. Oregon — 5. 
 _7^ Utah— 5. 
 
 8. North Dakota— 5. 
 ^ South Dakota— 5. 
 
 10. C alifornia— 6. 
 
 11. D istrict of Columbia— P. 
 
 12. M assachusetts — 7. 
 
 13. Mi nnesota — 7. 
 
 14. Ne braska — 8. 
 
 15. Con necticut — 9. 
 
 16. New York— 11. 
 
 17. Iowa — 11. 
 
 18. Kans as— 11. 
 
 19. New J ersey — 12. 
 
 20. Wiscon sin— 13. 
 
 21. Colorad o— 15. 
 
 22. Rhode Island— 15. 
 
 23. Pennsy lvania — 16 . 
 
 24. New Ha mpshire — 16. 
 
 25. IlUnois— 17. 
 
 26. Michigan — 17. 
 
 27. Ohio— 20. 
 
 28. Indiana— 28. 
 
 29. Maine— 28. 
 
 30. Vermont— 29. 
 
 31. Arizona— 33. 
 
 32. Maryland— 34. 
 
 33. Missouri— 38. 
 
 34. Oklahoma— 40. 
 
 35. Delaware— 40. 
 
 36. Texas— 43. 
 
 37. Florida— 49. 
 
 38. Mississippi— 60. 
 
 39. West Virginia— 75. 
 
 40. Arkansas— 75. 
 
 41. Georgia— 87. 
 
 42. Virginia— 97. 
 
 43. Alabama— 106. 
 
 44. South Caroluia—108. 
 
 45. Tennessee— 113. 
 
 46. New Mexico — 114. 
 
 47. Kentucky— 119. 
 
 48. Louisiana — 136. 
 
 49. North Carolina— 140. 
 
65 AMERICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 Number of illiterates per thousand of the Negro male population 21 years of aye 
 
 and over in 1910. 
 
 1. Or egon— 31. 
 
 2. Min nesota— 36. 
 
 3. Wyo ming— 3S. 
 
 4. Was hington— 39. 
 
 5. Verm ont— 39. 
 C. (Jtah— 46. 
 
 7. Idaho- ^9. 
 
 8. Heiy Y ork— 50. 
 
 9 :\Tortli Dakota— 51. 
 
 10. Wiscon sin — 54. 
 H. Michigan- 63. 
 
 12. Connectic ut— 66. 
 
 13. Ne/ada— 56. 
 
 14. California- 68. 
 
 15. South Dak ota— 70. 
 
 16. Nebraska— 72. 
 
 17. Arizona— 84. 
 
 !■;. Colorado— 87 . 
 
 19. Montana— 88. 
 
 20. Massachusetts— 94. 
 
 21. Fenns.Ylvania— 1 01. 
 
 22. New Jersey— 107. 
 
 23. IlUnois— 109. 
 
 24. Rhode Island- 112 . 
 
 25. Iowa— 115. 
 
 26. Maine— 116. 
 
 27. Ohio— 132. 
 
 2j. Kansa,s— ISI. 
 
 29. NcvT Me.'<ico— 137. 
 
 30. District or Oolumhia— 138. 
 
 31. New Hampshire — 145. 
 
 32. Indiana— IflO. 
 
 33. Missouri— 190. 
 
 34. Oklahoma— 201. 
 
 3i. West Viririnia- 240. 
 
 3l^^. Fiorida-^2"9. 
 37. Mary!.Md— 273. 
 
 35. Arkansas— 2S7. 
 
 39. Texas— 299. 
 
 40. Delaware— 313. 
 
 4). Tennessee— 321. 
 
 42. Kcntuc'.-y— 343. 
 
 43. Viri'inia- 363. 
 
 44. North Carolina— 31 
 
 45. Mississippi— 410. 
 
 46. Georiria— 416. 
 
 47. South CaroUna— 431. 
 
 4S. Alabama— 434. 
 49. Louisiana — 4S3. 
 
AMERICANIZATION BILJL,. 
 
 57 
 
 
 Illiter- 
 ates 1 
 
 Number 
 or per- 
 sons 
 
 
 rer 
 cent ot 
 
 Amounts to which States would be entitled— 
 
 
 For salaries of teachers, 
 supervisors, and directors. 
 
 For preparing teach- 
 ers, supervi.sors,and 
 directors. 
 
 Slates. 
 
 years 
 o! ape 
 and 
 over. 
 
 who can 
 not 
 
 Total. 
 
 total 
 num- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 speak 
 English. 
 
 
 ber. 
 
 Year 
 ending 
 
 Years 
 endin? 
 
 Year 
 
 endinc 
 
 June 30, 
 
 1919. 
 
 Years 
 ending 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 June 30, 
 
 June 30, 
 
 June 30, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1919. 
 
 1920, to 
 
 1920, to 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1926, 
 
 1930, 
 
 Continental 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 TJnitcd States, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 e'ccludjnc Dis- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 trict otroliira- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 bia 
 
 5,502,351 
 
 3,089,723 
 
 8,592,074 
 
 100.0000 
 
 $5,000,000.00 
 
 $12, .500, 000. 00 
 
 ,-250,000.00 
 
 ?7SO,000-00 
 
 
 Alabama 
 
 352,710 
 
 3,04!^ 
 
 355,7.58 
 
 4.140 
 
 207,025.00 
 
 .517,562.50 
 
 10,351.25 
 
 31,0^3.76 
 
 Arizona 
 
 32, 933 
 
 39,246 
 2,757 
 
 72 199 
 
 .8403 
 
 42, 015. 00 
 84,79.i.00 
 
 105 037.50 
 
 2,100.75 
 4, 239. 75 
 
 6,302.25 
 12,719.25 
 
 .\rV-ansaS 
 
 142, 9M 
 
 145, 711 
 
 1.69.59 
 
 211,987.50 
 
 California 
 
 74,902 
 
 109,877 
 
 184,779 
 
 2. 1508 
 
 107, .530. 00 
 
 268,82.5.00 
 
 5, 376. 50 
 
 16,129.60 
 
 Colorado 
 
 23,7S0 
 
 24,417 
 
 48, 197 
 
 ..5610 
 
 28, OSO. 00 
 
 70,125.00 
 
 1,402.50 
 
 4,207.50 
 
 ■Connecticut ... 
 
 53,66.=> 
 
 64,327 
 
 117,992 
 
 1.3733 
 
 68,66.5.00 
 
 171,662.50 
 
 3,433.25 
 
 10,299.76 
 
 T)ela\\are 
 
 13, 240 
 
 4,832 
 
 18,072 
 
 .2103 
 
 10, .U5. 00 
 
 26,287.50 
 
 525. 76 
 
 1,577.25 
 
 Florida 
 
 77,816 
 
 15,234 
 
 93,0 
 
 l.OMO 
 
 54,150.00 
 
 135,375.00 
 
 2,707.50 
 
 8,122.50 
 
 Ooorcia 
 
 389, 775 
 
 1,00 
 
 390, 780 
 
 4.5481 
 
 227, 40'. 01 
 
 568, 512. 50 
 
 11,370.2^ 
 
 34,110.75 
 
 Idaho 
 
 5,453 
 168,294 
 
 7,920 
 
 13,373 
 435, 667 
 
 .1556 
 
 7, 780. 00 
 
 19,460.00 
 633.825.00 
 
 389. 00 
 
 1,167.00 
 38,029.50 
 
 luinois 
 
 267,373 
 
 5.0706 
 
 253,530.00 
 
 12,676.50 
 
 Indiana 
 
 66,213 
 
 40,827 
 
 107,040 
 
 1.2458 
 
 62,290.00 
 
 155,725.00 
 
 3, 114. 60 
 
 9,343.50 
 
 Iowa 
 
 29,889 
 
 37,355 
 28,601 
 3,834 
 
 67,244 
 57,569 
 
 .7826 
 
 39,130.00 
 33,500.00 
 123,320.00 
 
 97,826.00 
 
 83,750.00 
 
 308,300.00 
 
 1, 956. 50 
 
 6,869.60 
 6, 026. 00 
 
 Xansas 
 
 28,968 
 208,084 
 
 .6700 
 
 1,676.00 
 6,166.00 
 
 Kentucky 
 
 211,918 
 
 2.4664 
 
 18,498.00 
 
 Louisiana 
 
 352,179 
 
 29,147 
 
 381,326 
 
 4.4381 
 
 221,905.00 
 
 554,762.50 
 
 11,095.25 
 
 33,285.76 
 
 Maine 
 
 24,554 
 73,397 
 
 19,630 
 17, 682 
 
 44,184 
 
 .5142 
 
 25,710.00 
 53,000.00 
 
 64,275.00 
 
 1,285.50 
 2,650.00 
 
 3,856.50 
 7,950.00 
 
 Maryland 
 
 91,079 
 
 1.0600 
 
 132,500.00 
 
 Massacliusetts.. 
 
 141,641 
 
 172,774 
 
 314,315 
 
 3.6582 
 
 182,910.00 
 
 457,276.00 
 
 9,146.50 
 
 27,4,36.50 
 
 Michigan 
 
 74,800 
 
 103,480 
 
 178,280 
 
 2.0749 
 
 103,745.00 
 
 259,362.50 
 
 6,187.25 
 
 16,561.75 
 
 ■ Minnesota 
 
 49, .3.36 
 
 91,701 
 
 141,037 
 
 1.6415 
 
 82,075.00 
 
 205,187.50 
 
 4, 103. 75 
 
 12,311.25 
 
 Mississippi 
 
 290,235 
 
 1,935 
 
 292,170 
 
 3.4005 
 
 170,025.00 
 
 425,062.50 
 
 8,501.26 
 
 25,503.75 
 
 Missouri 
 
 1U,116 
 
 38,115 
 
 149,231 
 
 1.7368 
 
 86,840.00 
 
 217,100.00 
 
 4,342.00 
 
 13,026.00 
 
 Montana 
 
 14,457 
 
 18,624 
 
 33,081 
 
 .3850 
 
 19, 250. 00 
 
 48,125.00 
 
 962. 50 
 
 2, 887. .50 
 
 Nebraska 
 
 18,009 
 
 30,478 
 
 48,487 
 
 .5643 
 
 28,215.00 
 
 70,537.50 
 
 1,410.75 
 
 4,232.25 
 
 Nevada 
 
 4,702 
 
 5,017 
 
 9,719 
 
 .1131 
 
 5,655.00 
 
 14,137.60 
 
 282.75 
 
 848.25 
 
 Now Hamp- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 shire 
 
 16,386 
 
 26,794 
 
 43,180 
 
 .5026 
 
 25,130.00 
 
 62,825.00 
 
 1,266.50 
 
 3,769.50 
 
 New Jersey 
 
 113, .TO 
 
 1.54,262 
 
 267,764 
 
 3.1164 
 
 1.55,820.00 
 
 389,550.00 
 
 7,791.00 
 
 23,373.00 
 
 "New Mexico 
 
 48,697 
 
 23,0127 
 
 1,709 
 
 .8346 
 
 41,730.00 
 
 104,325.00 
 
 2,086.50 
 
 6,269.50 
 
 New York 
 
 406,020 
 
 600,769 
 
 1,006,789 
 
 11. 7177 
 
 585,885.00 
 
 1,464,712.50 
 
 29,294.25 
 
 87,882.75 
 
 North Carolina. 
 
 291,497 
 
 1,247 
 
 292,744 
 
 3.4071 
 
 170,355.00 
 
 425,887.50 
 
 8,517.76 
 
 26,553.25 
 
 ^orth Dakota.. 
 
 13,070 
 
 35,582 
 
 48,652 
 
 .5662 
 
 28,310.00 
 
 70,776.00 
 
 1,415.50 
 
 4,246.50 
 
 Ohio 
 
 124,774 
 67,567 
 
 163,951 
 16,067 
 
 288,725 
 83,634 
 
 3.3604 
 .9734 
 
 168,020.00 
 48,670.00 
 
 420,050.00 
 121,676.00 
 
 8, 401. 00 
 2,433.50 
 
 25,203.00 
 
 Oklahoma 
 
 7,300.50 
 
 Oregon 
 
 10,504 
 
 16,944 
 
 27,448 
 
 .3195 
 
 15,975.00 
 
 39,937.50 
 
 798.76 
 
 2,396.25 
 
 Fennsylvania . . 
 
 354,290 
 
 467,595 
 
 821,886 
 
 9.5656 
 
 478,280.00 
 
 1,195,700.00 
 
 23,914.00 
 
 71,742.00 
 
 Hhode Island... 
 
 33,854 
 
 37,267 
 
 71,121 
 
 .8278 
 
 41,390.00 
 
 103,475.00 
 
 2,069.60 
 
 6,208.50 
 
 South Carolina. 
 
 276,980 
 
 459 
 
 •277,439 
 
 3.2290 
 
 161,450.00 
 
 403,625.00 
 
 8,072.50 
 
 24,217.50 
 
 South Dakota.. 
 
 12,750 
 
 24,295 
 
 37,045 
 
 .4312 
 
 21,560.00 
 
 53,900.00 
 
 1,078.00 
 
 3,234.00 
 
 Tennessee 
 
 221,071 
 
 1,669 
 
 222,740 
 
 2.5924 
 
 129,620.00 
 
 324,050.00 
 
 6,481.00 
 
 19,443.00 
 
 Texas 
 
 282,904 
 
 127,030 
 
 409,934 
 
 4.7711 
 
 238,555.00 
 
 596,387.60 
 
 11,927.75 
 
 36,783.26 
 
 Utah 
 
 6,821 
 10,806 
 
 10,961 
 8,355 
 
 17,782 
 19,161 
 
 .2070 
 .2230 
 
 10,350.00 
 11,150.00 
 
 26,875.00 
 27,875.00 
 
 617.50 
 567.60 
 
 1,552.50 
 
 Vermont 
 
 1,672.50 
 
 Virginia 
 
 232,911 
 
 4,050 
 
 236,961 
 
 2. 7579 
 
 137,895.00 
 
 344,737.60 
 
 6,894.75 
 
 20,684.25 
 
 "Washington 
 
 18,416 
 
 33, 164 
 
 51,580 
 
 .6003 
 
 30,015.00 
 
 75,037.50 
 
 1,600.75 
 
 4,602.25 
 
 West Virginia.. 
 
 74,866 
 
 27,516 
 
 102,382 
 
 1. 1916 
 
 59,580.00 
 
 148,950.00 
 
 2,979.00 
 
 8,937.00 
 
 ■Wisconsin 
 
 57,769 
 
 121,945 
 
 179,714 
 
 2.0916 
 
 104,580.00 
 
 261,450.00 
 
 5,229.00 
 
 15,687.00 
 
 Wyoming 
 
 3,874 
 
 7,553 
 
 11,427 
 
 .1330 
 
 6,650.00 
 
 16,625.00 
 
 332.50 
 
 997.50 
 
58 AMERICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 STATEMENT OF MR. F. C. BUTLER, DIRECTOR AMERICANIZATION 
 DIVISION, BUREAU OF EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF THE IN- 
 TERIOR. 
 
 The Chairman. Mr. Butler, we will be very glad to hear from you 
 now. 
 
 Mr. Butler. As Mr. Kaufman has said, the Bureau of Education 
 recognized the national need for the education and assimilation of 
 our foreign-born people a number of years ago, and, through a special 
 division, has paved the way for the inauguration of a great national 
 program. 
 
 This work has been done under great difficulties. Out of the scant 
 budget of the Bureau of Education it has been possible to devote to 
 this problem only an insignificant amount. The war intensified the 
 problem so greatly and demonstrated so plainly the pressing impor- 
 tance of the work that a few thousands of dollars were secured from 
 the President's national security and defense fund. This, however, 
 ceased on July 1, 1919, in the midst of the most urgent part of the 
 work. Previous to July 1, too, I have been able to beg assistance 
 from various patriotic organizations, in the way of printed matter, 
 paper and supplies, rent of rooms, office equipment, and other mate- 
 rial for which the Government had made no provision. The services 
 of some 15 or 20 people were loaned to the division by private organ- 
 izations because of their great interest in this work. On July 1, 
 however, the provision of the law which was enacted by Congress 
 and directed to the Bureau of Education became operative, and since 
 that date it has not been possible to use the services of any one whom 
 we have not been able to pay directly. 
 
 Notwithstanding these difficulties a great deal of work has been 
 accomplished. Investigations of the problem have been conducted 
 in 20 States, committees have been appointed and organizations co- 
 ordinated, State programs have been initiated, in a number of States 
 official action has been secured from the legislatures, with the crea- 
 tion of bureaus and the provision of funds. In these 20 States co- 
 operative contacts have been made so that a national program can 
 be initiated almost at a moment's notice. The work can be quickly 
 extended to the other States and Territories. 
 
 Last May a national conference was held in Washington devoted 
 to a study of the methods of Americanization which have been fol- 
 lowed in the past. At the invitation of the Department of the 
 Interior, nearly 500 expert workers came to Washington at their 
 own expense to lay before the department their experience in this 
 delicate human field, and their opinions as to methods. This confer- 
 ence was an epochal one. The proceedings have been printed and 
 made available to Americanization workers everywhere. The ideas 
 presented have been digested and a manuscript upon " Community 
 Americanization, a handbook for workers," prepared ready for 
 publication. 
 
 If we are to educate successfully the ten or fifteen millions of 
 people in this country who are practically illiterate — at least in the 
 English language — ^we must recognize that this is a new science in 
 education. The methods and materials used for the teaching of chil- 
 dren are utterly useless in the teaching of English to adults- It has 
 been necessary to evolve a new art. 
 
AMEKICANIZATION BILL. 59 
 
 The Bureau of Education has recognized that the education of the 
 human mind is a science. It has, therefore, called scientists to its 
 aid. At the Americanization conference two committees were ap- 
 pointed. One of these was given the task of studying the problem of 
 teaching English to a non-English-speaking person and of deciding^ 
 upon the fundamental principles underlying such a process. The 
 personnel of this committee will give an idea of the scientific way in 
 which the problem has been approached. The chairman was the 
 assistant superintendent of the Chicago schools and director of the 
 work in that city of teaching the immigrant. The members were, 
 respectively, an instructor in methods of teaching English to for- 
 eigners of Columbia University, State director of immigrant educa- 
 tion in Massachusetts, director of immigrant education of Kochester, 
 director of immigrant education of St. Louis, and the head of the 
 immigrant work of the International Y. M. C. A., who is the author 
 of some of the leading textbooks upon the subject. 
 
 Another committee was given the task of ascertaining the under- 
 lying principles in the problem of training teachers for the educa- 
 tion of the foreign born in English. This committee was also com- 
 posed of the leading experts of the normal schools, colleges, and pub- 
 lic schools of the country. 
 
 Each of these committees has now submitted its report to the 
 Bureau of Education as representing the best thought of the scientists 
 of the country upon this subject. Based upon these reports, two 
 manuscripts have been prepared and are ready for publication, one 
 Training Teachers for Americanization and the other Teaching Eng- 
 lish to the Foreign Born. These, when published, will be available 
 for the instruction of classes in the normal schools and colleges and 
 for the actual use of teachers in their work with the foreign born. 
 
 Another manuscript is in process of compilation, " The education 
 of the native illiterate." This will be based upon the best methods 
 of the education of this class of our people as demonstrated in certain 
 States of the South. 
 
 Thus it will be seen that the Bureau of Education lacks only a 
 definite act and appropriations to begin immediately the task ol 
 the education of our native illiterates and non-English-speaking 
 foreign born upon a great national scale. If the Nation does not 
 take up this work properly, it will be taken up by volunteer forces 
 perhaps improperly. Already scores of agencies have invaded the 
 field endeavoring to "Americanize" these newcomers according to 
 their own varied ideas. That some of these agencies should have 
 ulterior ends to serve is inevitable. The methods in use are at best 
 questionable ; at worst they are a potential source of trouble for the 
 Nation. Meddling incompetence, even though it be well meaning, 
 can create resentment, engender bitterness, aggravate racial animosi- 
 ties, and sow a whirlwind which the Nation must reap. The task of 
 transforming an immigrant into a loyal, enthusiastic American is a 
 delicate one. It is the most human problem before the Nation. 
 Blundering here would be a tragedy. 
 
 There is a tide moving in the Nation. We can take advantage of 
 it, but we can not stop it. The millions of men and women who 
 learned to love to serve the country during the war can not be stopped 
 from serving. They should not be stopped. They constitute the most 
 helpful and the most healthful reaction of the war. But they must 
 
60 
 
 AMERICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 be directed. And that direction must come from the Federal Gov- 
 ernment. Of all the tasks the war has left, that of Americanization 
 is the one which carries the appeal of service for the Nation and for 
 the flag. Therefore the great force of these millions is attacking the 
 Americanization problem. Properly directed and led they can serve 
 as effectively and fruitfully as in the food, fuel, Eed Cross, and 
 Liberty loan work. The whole Nation can be set definitely at the task 
 of bringing into full fellowship in our communities everywhere the 
 vast numbers of people who were born in other lands. 
 
 Undirected and unled, this great force must prove useless or worse, 
 for an army without leadership is but a mob. 
 
 Appendix. 
 
 ScoviLL Manufactuking Co., 
 
 Waterbury, Conn. 
 
 Mr. Hekbbbt KArFMAN, 
 
 Special Assistant Secretary of the Interior, 
 
 Washington, D. C. 
 Deab Sib : We have your telegram asking our opinion " as to the relation be- 
 tween illiteracy and turnover, illiteracy and wages, illiteracy and production, 
 and illiteracy and industrial unrest." 
 
 ILLITEEACY AND TUBNOVEE. 
 
 We have made no very thorough study on these questions. Generally speak- 
 ing, we believe that there is a relation between illiteracy and labor turnover, 
 primarily because illiteracy usually goes with ignorance, and ignorance is 
 usually gullible and is easily persuaded by the agitator or propagandist. 
 
 A study of several hundred employment cards from our employment bureaus 
 of the "throughs " disclosed that 8 per cent of the throughs were illiterate. 
 In December, a factory census showed that 5 per cent of the employees on our 
 pay roll were illiterates. Our illiteracy test is that of ascertaining whether a 
 man or woman can read and write in any language. If not, they are called 
 illiterate. These same through cards, guaged on the test as to whether they 
 could read or write English, disclosed that 20 per cent were illiterate in this 
 respect, while the census taken in December disclosed that 12.8 per cent of 
 all our employees could neither read nor write English. At that time we 
 liad a little over 9,000 employees on our pay roll. 
 
 ILLITEEACY AND WAGES. 
 
 The largest per cent of illiterates, of course, are on common labor jobs with 
 respect to both men and women. The record cards of the employees show that 
 while these types of jobs are filled by employees classed both as illiterates and , 
 literates, that the literates show a rapid advancement with corresponding in- 
 crease in pay, while the illiterates rarely receive advancement or increases in 
 pay, excepting of course, such increases as go with the increased cost of living 
 and have no relation to the relative service rendered. 
 
 ILLITEEACY AND PRODUCTION. 
 
 Most of our department heads feel very postively that illiteracy Is a hindrance 
 to production, due to the fact that the illiterates are apt not to fully understand 
 or comprehend instructions. This tendency to a lack of understanding and com- 
 prehension, of course, intereferes with quality as well as quantity. 
 
 ILLITEEACY AND INDUSTEIAL UNEEST. 
 
 We have had no industrial unrest in our organization and have, therefore, 
 no date with respect to our own organization. Generally speaking, however, we 
 should say that the natural gullibility of the ignorance which is so closely re- 
 lated to illiteracy would make for industrial unrest should the agitator, dls- 
 
AMERICANIZATION BILL. 61 
 
 turber, and the propagandist be directing their efforts that way in a community 
 where there was a large per cent of Illiterates. 
 
 With relation to this whole question of the effect of illiteracy on production 
 we have come to the conclusion that it is necessary for us in these days to take 
 ou to our pay roll a certain per cent of illiterate employees and that it is 
 good business for us to pvit these employees through classes in English, simple, 
 reading and writing and arithmetic, and we have had as high as 250 in classes 
 of this kind at one time, with an average attendance of between 90 per cent 
 and 95 per cent. The classes cover periods of one hour and are given on the, 
 company's time and taught by teachers employed by the company. This is, 
 done both for the reason of inducing a large percentage to attend and in order 
 that we may control the studies involved iti the course and make thus a better 
 rounded out course for their needs, because if the subjects to be taken were, 
 optional, they would take only those subjects they were interested in. 
 
 These classes are made up of non-English-speaking as well as illiterate Em- 
 ployees. Some of the illiterates make good progress. Most of the illiterates 
 who are not English speaking make very rapid progress, and we find that 100. 
 lessons of one hour each makes a very great difference. 
 
 AVe are now attempting to devise a plan which will enable us to give all of 
 our employees of that character at least 100 lessons and cover the whole number 
 of non-English speaking and illiterates within two years. We are also seriously 
 considering, in case of all new employees of any kind, letting them understand 
 thoroughly that we may call upon them, at any time we see fit, to take any 
 course of study which we may see fit to ask them to take on the company's time, 
 and thus be able to, if thought wise, exercise some degree of compulsion. 
 
 We do not feel that we are rendering toward the community the proper spirit 
 if we refuse to employ illiterates and non-English-speaking employees. Many of 
 them are of good character and will make good citizens and we are endeavoring 
 to do our share in this work, not because It is philanthropy, but because we 
 believe it is good business. The classes are held during the regular working 
 schedule in the daytime and include both men and women. 
 
 We are sorry we are unable to give you more specific answers to the specific 
 questions you have asked, but have done the best we can and trust that it will 
 be of some assistance to you. 
 Yours, truly, 
 
 ScoviLL Manufactuking Co. 
 John H. Goss. 
 
 Herbert Kaufman, 
 
 Special Assistant to Secretary of the Interior, 
 
 Washington, D. C. 
 
 Illiteracy increases turnover 30 to 85 per cent, decreases wages at least 30. 
 per cent in normal times, and confines illiterates to common-labor class. At all, 
 times holds back and lowers quantity in production, necessitating greater super- 
 vision Illiteracy is responsible for industrial unrest almost wholly. 
 
 Detroit Board of Commerce. 
 
 Herbert Kaufman, 
 
 Svecial Assistant to Secretary of the Interior, 
 
 Washington, D. C. 
 
 Have delayed reply to your wire for benefit of conference with Profs. Froth-, 
 ingham and Thompson, and Mr. F. H. Richards. Industrial and social condi- 
 tions seriously affected by general ignorance. Crymg need exists for education 
 
 n our basal ethical conceptions recently much diluted by immigration from 
 localities where conduct is regulated by compulsion rather than by conscience. 
 All classes need to be taught that privilege carries obligation, power carries, 
 
 iLnSmv and to think as much about their obligations as about their 
 f^^fiP^P, Some elementary economic education also essential. People should, 
 privileges , ^ome eiememary purchasing power and that reduction 
 
 ^' ^Tcnn^mnrove livYng conditTons as effectively as increased wages. While 
 iS "^ LtPr should have I larger share of the benefits of improved industrial 
 *ffip-lcv than here ofore^ he should be taught to fully recognize his obUgation, 
 L contribute to that" coordination of effort by which alone that result can be 
 
 obtained. Hayden Eames. 
 
62 AMERICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 Herbeet Kaufman, 
 
 Special Assistant Secretary of the Interior, 
 
 Washington, D. 0. 
 
 Our intelligent labor represents very small turnover. Illiteracy greatly re- 
 fluces production, anrl illiterate labor, being easily influenced by agitators, is 
 almost constantly in condition of unrest. Above conclusions are result of ex- 
 perience in nine manufacturing plants, located in Cliarlotte, N. C. ; Atlanta, Ga. ; 
 •Greenville, S. 0. ; Savannah, Ga. ; Augusta, Ga. ; and Chattanooga, Tenn., all 
 under charge of writer and employing about 7,000 men under war conditions, 
 which total force is now reduced to about 2,000 men, no women being employed. 
 
 As a complete illustration, submit that in case of American Machine & Manu- 
 facturing Co., Atlanta, Ga., which employed about 1,500 men on shell machining, 
 it was actually necessary for us to induce the senior supervisor of the Depart- 
 ment of Labor at Atlanta and the business agent of International Association 
 of Machinists to resign their respective positions and enter our employ in order 
 to control these men, who practically through illiteracy and influenced by agi- 
 tators had gotten beyond control of our superintendents. I confidently assert 
 that a careful investigation by your department of this particular situation 
 and numerous other similar situations will conclusively prove that the work you 
 are undertaking to do represents one of the most urgent and important phases 
 of the reconstruction program. 
 
 J. W. Conway, Atlanta, Oa. 
 
 STATEMENT OF MR. HERBEET KAUFMAN, SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE SECRETARY OP 
 
 THE INTERIOR. 
 
 [Hearing, House Committee on Education.] 
 
 Mr. Bankhead. .Just give the stenographer your name and permanent address. 
 
 Mr. Kaufman. Herbert Kaufman, special assistant to the Secretary of the 
 Interior, Interior Department. My local address is 1302 Eighteenth Street. 
 
 Mr. Bankhead. Where do you live, Mr. Kaufman — where Is your home? 
 
 Mr. Kau^fman. Tarrytown, N. Y. I have here a brief digest of the bill, and 
 I was wondering if you wanted me to read it into the record. 
 
 Mr. Donovan. Yes ; go ahead and discuss it in your own way, and we will 
 ask questions as the sub.iect is developed and considered by you. 
 
 Mr. Kaufman. In re the Smith-Bankhead Americanization bill, a bill to pro- 
 mote tlie education of native illiterates 
 
 Mr. Donovan (interposing). That is practically your statement, is it not? 
 
 Mr. Kaufman. Yes, sir. 
 
 Mr. Donovan. I was wondering if you could not just submit it for the record 
 without reading it, and then We could take it up at our leisure and study it 
 and discuss it whenever we have the opportunity. 
 
 Mr. Kaufman. That matter is entirely at the discretion of you gentlemen. 
 I have brought this down to four pages, and I thought, as each part was read, 
 if you wished to enter into any phase of the matter upon which I have touched 
 I woultl be able to give you more complete and satisfactory answers. I thought 
 -we could have our discussions as we proceeded. 
 
 Air. BanivHead. These figures are based upon the census of 1910? 
 
 Mr. Kaufman. On the 1910 census. 
 
 Mr. BanivHE.\d. Taken from the official figures? 
 
 Mr. Kaufman. Yes, sir. 
 
 Mr. DoKovAN. Have you finished, Mr. Bankhead. 
 
 Mr. Bankhead. Yes, sir. 
 
 Mr. Kaufman. Mny I explain one thing about those figures? 
 
 Mr. Donovan. Pardon the interruption, Mr. Kaufman, but I wish to ask 
 you a question about this matter. Have you any approximation or estimate on 
 these figures as to what proportion are native born and what proportion are 
 foreign born of these illiterates, or can you supply Ihat? 
 
 Mr. Kaufman. If you will look in that photostatic sheet there you will see 
 the number of illHerates 10 years of age and over is in column No. 1. 
 
 Jlr. Donovan. Yes. 
 
 Mr. Kaufman. Column No. 2 are those who can't speak English. 
 
 Mr. Donovan. Those who were foreign born? 
 
 Mr. Kaufman. Yes. In doiermining the total number of illiterates, however, 
 these figures would be slightly exceeded. That 8,500,000 is more than net, 
 
AMERICANIZATION BILL. 63 
 
 because in the last five years preceding the war there was an enormous immi- 
 gration, and this immigration was very largely from the countries where illiter- 
 acy predominates. 
 
 There is somewhat of a duplication of figures. Some persons who are in 
 this country are not only foreign born and unable to talk our language, but 
 are also unable to read or write any language. 
 
 Mr. Donovan. I see. 
 
 Mr. Kaufman. Therefore, while these figures In 1910 could hardly have 
 been considered net figures, still the subsequent immigration from countries 
 where illiteracy prevails has more than validated the estimate. 
 
 Mr. Bankhead. Well, now, is this statement here which you have filed as 
 an exhibit the same as the one Mr. Manning wrote and -s^'hich Mr. Hilliard 
 has introduced? 
 
 Mr. Kaufm ^n. Yes ; a part of it is. I have an exhibit here— Exhibit B — 
 which practically duplicates yours. 
 
 Mr. Bankhead. There is no use in duplicating the publication of that in this 
 hearing. 
 
 Mr. Donovan. Suppose you take out yours and let Mr. Hilliard's go in. 
 
 Mr. HiLLiABD. One of these should go in. How about it, Mr. Bankhead? 
 
 Mr. Bankhead. I think Mr. Donovan's suggestion would be best, because 
 Mr. Manning's letter came from the chairman of the committee, and was intro- 
 duced first, and we do not want to publish in the record two identical docu- 
 ments. 
 
 Mr. Kaufman. Gentlemen, may I introduce a letter which I received this 
 morning from the editor of the Springfield Union as indicative of a number of 
 comnmnications which I have received lately? 
 
 Mr. Donovan. I do not think there is any objection to its going into the 
 record. 
 
 Mr. HiLLiATSu. I do not think so. 
 
 The Spkingfield Union, 
 Springfield, Mass., Febrwary Ut, 1919. 
 Mr. Hebbebt Kaufman, 
 
 Special Assistant to the Secretary, 
 
 Department of the Interior, Washington, D. G. 
 
 Dear Mb. Kaufman : Thank you for yours of the 11th, and we shall be very 
 glad to support the Americanization bill. There is no question whatever as to 
 the necessity for carrying on such a work, but as to the means that should be 
 employed opinions may differ. The essential thing, however, is to get this 
 work started in earnest, and the bill in question seems to serve that purpose. 
 I will try to remember to send you such editorials as we may have on the 
 subject.- 
 
 Yours, very truly, 
 
 M. S. Sherman. 
 
 Mr. Donovan. I have several letters from the chambers of commerce of four 
 or five different cities, and with the permission of the committee I will submit 
 them for the record. 
 
 Mr. Bankhead. Go ahead ; I think they should be put in the record. 
 
 Mr. Donovan. I have about four or five letters. 
 
 (The digest submitted by Mr. Kaufman is as follows:) 
 
 DIGEST IN BE SMITH-BANKHEAD AMERICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 "A bill to promote the education of native illiterates, of persons unable to 
 understand and use the English language, and of other resident persons of 
 foreign birth; to provide for cooperation with the States in the education of 
 such persons in the English language, the fundamental principles of govern- 
 ment and citizenship ; the elements of knowledge pertaining to self-support and 
 home making and in such other work as will assist in preparing such illiterates 
 and foreign-born persons for successful living and intelligent American citi- 
 
 ^ This bill directs the Secretary of the Interior, through the Bureau of Edu- 
 cation, to cooperate with the several States in the education of above-mentioned 
 nerson's and the preparation of teachers for this work. 
 
 For the present fiscal year ending June 30, $5,000,000 is provided, and an- 
 nually thereafter until 1926, $12,500,000. . , . . v. 
 
 For the purpose of cooperating with the several States and preparing teach- 
 ers supervisors, and directors there is immediately appropriated for the use 
 
64 AMERICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 Of the several States for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1919, $250,000, and 
 thereafter $750,000 annually. 
 
 To secure the benefits of this act each State shall equal Its Federal appro- 
 priation. 
 
 No State shall participate until it has required the instruction for at least 
 200 hours a year of illiterate and non-English-speaking minors of 16 and over. 
 
 Federal money shall be used solely for salaries and training of teachers, 
 and no Federal money shall be used by the States for the purchase or upkeep 
 of buildings or land or equipment or for the support of religious or private 
 schools. 
 
 Each State receives money in proportion to the number of its illiterates and 
 of persons unable to speak, read, or write English. 
 
 Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars is provided for the fiscal year ending 
 June 30, 1919, and $1,000,000 annually thereafter to administer and enforce 
 the provisions of this act, for cooperative work hereunder, for investigations, 
 studies, and reports, salaries, office, and incidental expenses, equipment, and 
 for the stimulation of national unity. 
 
 According to the last census report there are of native illiterates or personi* 
 above 10 years of age living in America who do not speak our tongue and can 
 not read or write our language over eight and a half millions. Five and a half 
 millions were born here. The majority of those who do not know English are 
 uneducated in any language. ( See tabulation by States, Exhibit O. ) 
 
 Mr. Kautman. There are some corrolary facts which I should like to in- 
 troduce. 
 
 Mr. Bankhead. Well, now, how about this summary here [indicating] ; 
 have you incorporated that in the record? 
 
 Mr. Kaufman. In the bill we have made special provision for the education 
 of the illiterates up to the age of 16. The various States are rapidly approach- 
 ing a 16-year standard for compulsory education. 
 
 Mr. Bankhead. As the maximum? 
 
 Mr. Kaueman. As maximum ; yes. This bill provides for the compulsory 
 education of illiterate minors of from 16 to 21, does it not, Mr. Bankhead? 
 
 Mr. Bankhead. Yes. 
 
 Mr. Kaufman. Now, this is the most dangerous age 
 
 Mr. Donovan. Excuse me, Mr. Kaufman, it is not from 16 to but it is from 
 16 up. 
 
 Mr. Kaufman. Sixteen to 21 for ;eompulsory education of illiterate, mipors* 
 
 Mr. Donovan. The other is elective. 
 
 Mr. Kaufman. The 16 to 21 year age area is the most perilous area of ignor- 
 ance and misunderstanding. The percentage of venereal Infections in this group 
 is excessive. In this group the greatest number of irresponsible marriages, are. 
 made. There is a greater percentage of bastardy in this group, and it is this, 
 group, the 16 to 21 year old group, which contributes heaviest to prostitution. 
 
 The purpose of this bill is not only to give these illiterates of frQm 16 tp 21 an 
 education in English but also to provide opportunities for wholesome, improving 
 contacts, to teach them the fundamental principles of government and citizenship,' 
 and the elements of knowledge pertinent to self-support and home. making. 
 
 In other words, if the State may maintain a contact with illiterate'.and, foreign 
 born from 16 to 21, at reasonable intervals, we believe that the problems, the, 
 main problems, which arise out of illiteracy and inability to read, write, andi 
 speak our language will soon be overcome. Of course, it is our purpose, as far 
 as possible, to stimulate, to reach in every possible way the adult illiterate as 
 well. 
 
 Mr. Donovan. Those are the ones we want to reach. 
 
 Mr. Kaufman. Those are the ones we want to reach, but what I want to say, 
 sir, it would hardly be constitutional to impose any restrictions, upon their 
 liberty of election. Am I correct? 
 
 Mr. Donovan. I believe you are. 
 
 Mr. Hilliakd. I believe that ought to be a sound exposition, of law. 
 
 Mr. Kaufman. Our main endeavor shall be to arouse the whole country to a . 
 realization of this situation. 
 
 Of late years we have been absorbing immigration at a rate. far beyond the 
 digestive capacity of the average community and we are liable to ,become dyspep- . 
 tic with alienism. The figures which were presented in my statement indicate . 
 that more recent types of immigrants have been least assimilated., 
 
 Mr. Bankhead. Mr. Kaufman, while I have the matter here before me, there . 
 is a provision that no State shall be entitled to participate in the benefits of this 
 
AMERICANIZATION BILL. 65 
 
 act until it shall by appropriate legislation require the instruction for not less 
 than 200 hours per annum of all illiterate minors or minors unable to speali, read, 
 or write the English language, more than 16 years of age. Under that provision 
 no State could accept the benefits of this act to remove illiteracy unless they had 
 by State regulation adopted that system. I want to get your view on that ques- 
 tion. I want to discuss that question in connection with the apportionment sec- 
 tion here, that the sum herein authorized to be appropriated shall be appor- 
 tioned to the several States annually in the proportion whicli the total number of 
 resident illiterate persons 10 years of age and over 
 
 Mr. Kaufman (interposing). That is merely a basis for figuring. We had to 
 take the Federal census figures for a basis. 
 
 Mr. Bankhead. Well, now, why do you provide that this shall have application 
 to those 16 years of age and over and apportion it on a basis of 10 years of age? 
 
 Mr. Kaufmak. We have no basis of calculation for illiteracy except that of 
 the last census, and the last census is of 10 years of age and over. We have no 
 figures at the present time on 16 years of age and over. 
 
 Mr. Bankhead. What is the theory of apportioning this on a basis of 10 years 
 of age and applying the benefit of it to those over 16 years of age? 
 
 Mr. Kaufman. Because of the progress various States are making with regard 
 to compulsory education. 
 
 Mr. Donovan. They are rapidly approaching the 16-year age limit. 
 
 Mr. Kaufman. They are rapidly approaching the 16-year age limit them- 
 selves, and will, we are quite sure, as interest develops in this situation and 
 the values, the economic as well as the civil values Invo'.ved in the education, 
 generally provide for compulsory education up to 16 years. 
 
 Mr. Bankhead. But do not these figures, being based here on the census of 
 10 years of age and over, show that there are a very vast number of illiterates, 
 according to the census of 1910? 
 
 Dr. Claxton. There were comparatively few in 1910, only about a half mil- 
 lion persons In the United States between the ages of 10 and 20. 
 
 Mr. Bankhead. My object in asking those questions was to clear up this 
 situation, so there would be no confusion about it when we come to consider it 
 later. 
 
 Dr. Claxton. There are, however, no exact figures of the persons in the 
 United States between 10 and 16 who are illiterate. Now, in the last few 
 years before the war, there were a large number, a very large number, of 
 foreign-born people came in. In addition to that, many States have provided 
 by law for compulsory attendance at school for children under 16. Practically 
 all States provide compulsory attendance for children under 14. 
 
 Mr. Bankhead. All right. I did not mean to interrupt you. 
 
 Mr. Donovan. That was a good interruption. 
 
 Dr. Claxton. Yes; very good. 
 
 Mr. Donovan. And a good solution of the interruption. 
 
 Mr. Kaufman. In addition this law is really a law to validate the estate of 
 8,000,000 Americans, and potential Americans, in all the facilities, in all the 
 instruments of progress in the United States. When you build a post office, you 
 I)ulld a share of it -for them ; when you build a congressional library, you build 
 a share of it for them ; every forward movement, and every institution to ad- 
 vance democracy and to uplift men, predicate their pro rata use of it ; and we 
 have hundreds of millions of dollars invested for them of which they are un- 
 aware and to which they can not take title until we certify their title by making 
 them' literate and aware of it. If this act will validate and bring to use hun- 
 dreds of millions of dollars' worth of national facilities for each of us, the 
 education of these 8,500,000 will lower the national overhead on every product, 
 which they learn to utilize. For example, to-day these people are not potential 
 customers for any of the forms of merchandise which are sold through adver- 
 tising. They are not customers for any publishers ; they are not customers for 
 the magazines, for the newspapers, for any product of the printing trades. They 
 can not even read a moving-picture title. 
 
 The elimination of illiteracy also means the gradual elimination of falsified 
 merchandise and the reduction, the practical elimination of cheating manufac- 
 turers and retailers who rely mainly upon illiterate customers for their sup- 
 port. What boots it to pass a pure food and drug act to protect the user against 
 deleterious mixtures or an adulterated product, when, as far as the illiterate 
 person is concerned, the package may read, " Poison, filled with the most per- 
 nicious of preservatives." He can not read it. 
 
 138835—19 5 
 
66 AMERICANIZATION BIEi,. 
 
 We passed the pure food and drug act for these people as well as for our 
 literates, but for them it does not exist. Thus most of the greatest benefits 
 which our democracy has conferred upon its people are lost to these. 
 
 If ignorance reduces potential earning capacity by a minimum of $5 a week, 
 as compared with that of a literate, this bill is almost a validation of our 
 promise of betterments, of haven, of opportunity, because it translates it into 
 terms of humanity and of protection. 
 
 I was talking with Dr. Frankel, president of the National Health Association. 
 And Dr. Frankel said their work, the work of raising the health average of the 
 country, will be advanced not 10 per cent but far beyond tlnit ratio If some 
 means is afforded, means that do not now exist, of reaching these people and 
 bringing them to an appreciation of the values of sanitary surroundings and 
 self-protection. This is the area which affords them the greatest amount of 
 difficulty in carrying on their program. It is the source of most all health 
 menaces with which we are dealing, because, living in ignorance, they live in a 
 very, very benighted state. They do not know, they do not understand, they 
 are medieval in their habits and in their practices, and this bill validates their 
 estate, their health estate. 
 
 The Secretary of the Interior yesterday mentioned the percentage of illiterates 
 with which the War Department had to deal. Well, the War Department and 
 every other department of the Government carrying on any national work will 
 be forced to deal with these handicapped laborers, these inferior, economically 
 inferior, laborers themselves if we do not take the situation in hand, and ^^•hen 
 they are bing instructed under Federal auspices the United States is paying for 
 overhead, too. 
 
 This bill provides means to deal with all this at the root. It will save us, 
 for every national dollar that is invested in this work, at least 10 national 
 dollars that otherwise will have to be expended by various departments them- 
 selves as they meet with such phases. You can see that, can you not, Mr. 
 Donovan? 
 
 Mr. Donovan. Yes ; I think that is far-reaching. 
 
 fir. Kaufman. You can appreciate that, Mr. Hilliard? 
 
 Mr. Hilliard. Yes. 
 
 Mr. Donovan. If you will excuse the interruption, I would like to ask if there 
 will be any other gentlemen to be heard this morning? 
 
 Mr. Kaufman. Yes. 
 
 Mr. Donovan. I do not want to limit you, but it is getting close to quarter 
 to 11 o'clock, and I thought if there were others who wished to speak you might 
 allot your time a little better. 
 
 Mr. Kaufman. I am reaching my conclusion. Our war debt will probably be 
 about $20,000,000,000. The war was mostly fought for this class of people. 
 Theirs is the larger share of victory; their share is greatest in the guaranty 
 of a secure democracy because they have the furthest to go to realize it, and 
 if we are to prorate their share of the victory and prorate its cost we have 
 expended over one billion and a half dollars to keep the door of opportunity 
 safe for them and to keep the road leading to it clear, and this is merely a 
 bill to give them a key with which to open the door to greater opportunity. 
 
 LETTER OF JAMISON HANDY. 
 
 My Dear Mr. Kaufman : In reply to your request for a statement of my 
 sistei- Rozelle's experience with the Synepuxent community. 
 
 You are generally familiar, by your own observation, with conditions as 
 they were there, and I will aim only to supplement what you already know. 
 
 In 1900, my sister's health failing, she went to recuperate on a farm near 
 the shore of Synepuxent Bay, in Worcester County, Md. Raised in a metro- 
 politan and literary atmosphere, she was astounded to discover that numbers 
 of her white neighbors were unable to read or write, and had never heard of 
 Chicago, her former home. Although highly intelligent native Americans, 
 whose ancestors had been among the first settlers on the continent, many of 
 them knew nothing of the laws of their country or its history. Books were 
 looked upon as a mysterious curiosity and Government publications almost 
 unknown. Further, the people were utterly unorganized, and even the children 
 were growing up in the same unlettered way. The boys and girls spent their 
 Hummers farming and their winters fishing, seldom taking mere than two or 
 
AMERICANIZATION BILL. 67 
 
 three months a year of schooling, which began late and seldom lasted until 
 they were 14 years old. Many spoke the language of Shakespeare without 
 ever having heard of his name. 
 
 Beginning with neighbors and highly pictured magazines, Miss Rozelle P. 
 Handy began to awaken a local interest in the outside world by lending and 
 relending current periodicals. Taking advantage of a widespread religious 
 feeling and the Sunday idleness, she started a Sunday school in her own house. 
 The few scholars who came at first included grown-ups as well as children. 
 
 Few of them had attended church or Sunday school, the nearest ones being 
 4 or 5 miles away, over bad roads. For three years the little gatherings met 
 each Sunday, learning to read and studying nondenominational Bible lessons. 
 In 1903 a schoolhouse was built, which has gradually become the center of 
 numerous and varied neighborhood activities. 
 
 In the years intervening between then and the present time the entire neigh- 
 borhood has been transformed, and to-day the whole countryside is alive to 
 the blessings of letters and alive to all great national interests. 
 
 When the United States entered the war and various bureaus, committees, 
 and commissions began to call on the country for volunteer workers, they found 
 in Synepuxent neighborhood and near-by Worcester County a people highly 
 developed in civic spirit and able to read posters, pamphlets, and all other 
 literature. The extreme outlying districts had become related socially and 
 otherwise with the near-by towns, and the district, one of the mostly highly 
 organized in the State, receptive and exceptionally responsive to every appeal 
 for distant charities and local betterments, " over the top " by exemplary mar- 
 gins in every campaign and usually leading the State. 
 
 The lending of magazines had grown into a private but free Friendly Library 
 of over 5,000 books and pamphlets and 8,000 annual borrowings of volumes read 
 by entire families, including alike children and grandfathers who had recently 
 learned to read. (The activities of this remarkable Friendly Library are told 
 in the attached copy of an annual report. ) 
 
 From the darkest depths of ignorance and separateness this typical group has 
 developed until, together with the near-by town, it enjoys the following active 
 organizations, many of whose leading spirits were unable to read until an exten- 
 sion of the ordinary school system brought the printed word within their under- 
 standing. 
 
 Neighborhood Sunday school. 
 
 Farmers' club. 
 
 Neighborhood improvement society. 
 
 Two school-improvement associations. 
 
 Committee on library and art. 
 
 Worcester County Sunday School Association. 
 
 District Sunday School Association, 19 schools. 
 
 Sunday school teacher training (has taught and graduated three Sunday 
 school teacher-training classes). 
 
 Friendly Library. 
 
 Library association. 
 
 Women's club — civic and patriotic. 
 
 Garden and canning club. 
 
 Commission of the Council of Defense. 
 
 Educational propaganda committee. 
 
 Public information committee. 
 
 Education League of Worcester County. 
 
 Women's club (to forward reconstruction, repatriation, and patriotic educa- 
 tion). 
 
 Auxiliary of the Red Cross. 
 
 Home service section of the Red Cross. 
 
 As au example of the development possible to our native illiterates throughout 
 the Nation, this Synepuxent district of Worcester County is splendidly illustra- 
 tive. Its progress under one woman's private leadership is indicative of how 
 much we have been withholding from our millions of uneducated countrymen in 
 neglecting to teach them to read English and understand their citizenship. 
 
 Jamison Handy. 
 
68 AMERICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 The Friendly Library of Worcester County, Md., annual report for the year 
 
 ended October 14, 1918. 
 
 Number of volumes (about one-half nonaction) 4,500 
 
 Increase over last year 1, 000 
 
 Number of times books were lent, not including those from 5 stations, 
 
 which have not yet reported (about one-third nonaction) 200 
 
 Increase over last year 1,700 
 
 Number of magazines lent and given away 800 
 
 Number of pieces of patriotic literature and thrift literature distributed 5, 305 
 
 Number of pictures and picture postcards given and lent to schools 2, 383 
 
 Increase over last year 1, 548 
 
 Number of educational calendars given away 52 
 
 Globe lent to school 1 
 
 Encyclopedias lent to schools (72 vols.) 4 
 
 Unabridged dictionaries lent to schools 2 
 
 Encyclopedia lent to Berlin Library (20 vols.) 1 
 
 Books given away 52 
 
 Number of lending agencies 45 
 
 Increase over last year 8 
 
 Number of borrower's, reported -. 1, 460 
 
 Terms of use, free. 
 
 ILLITERACY IN THE UNITED STATES AND AN EXPERIMENT FOE ITS ELIMINATION. 
 
 The Federal census for the year 1910 shows that at the time the census was 
 taken there were in the United States 5,516,163 persons 10 years of age and 
 over unable to read and write. This was 7.7 per cent of the total population 10 
 years of age and over. The full meaning of these figures will be better under- 
 stood when it is remembered that the number of illiterate persons 10 years of 
 age and over in the United States is less by only a few thousands than the 
 total population 10 years of age and over in all the New England States, or 
 in the States of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, 
 Nevada, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and California, and more than the popula- 
 tion 10 years of age and over in the cities of Boston, Baltimore, Washington, 
 Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Louisville, 
 New Orleans, St. Louis, Kansas City, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Seattle, Spokane, 
 San Francisco, and Los Angeles. In-double line of march, at intervals of 3 feet, 
 these 5,516,163 illiterate persons would extend over a distance of 1,567 miles, 
 more than twice the distance from Washington City to Jacksonville, Fla. 
 Marching at the rate of 25 miles a day, it would require more than two months 
 for them to pass a given point. A mighty army is this, with their banners of 
 blackness and darkness inscribed with the legends of illiteracy, ignorance, weak- 
 ness, helplessness, and hopelessness — too large for the safety of our democratic 
 institutions, for the highest good of society, and for the greatest degree of 
 material prosperity. 
 
 Their ignorance is not wholly nor chiefly their own fault. To a large degree 
 it is due to the lack of opportunity, because of the poverty or negligence of the 
 States and communities in which they spent their childhood. 
 
 Of these illiterates 3,184,633, or 58 per cent, were white persons ; 1,534,272, or 
 28 per cent, were native-born whites ; and 1,650,631, or 30 per cent, foreign-born 
 whites ; 2,227,731, or 40 per cent, were Negroes. The remaining 2 per cent were 
 Indians, Chinese, Japanese, and others. 
 
 Of the total number of illiterate 1,768,132 lived in urban communities and 
 3,748,031 in rural communities, in small towns, villages, and the open country. 
 Of the urban population 5.1 per cent were illiterate, of the rural population 10.1 
 per cent. 
 
 Of the total rural population of the United States 4.8 per cent of the native 
 white persons and 40 per cent of the Negroes 10 years of age and over were 
 illiterate. 
 
 Of the urban population 0.8 per cent of the native white persons and 17.6 
 per cent of the Negroes were Illiterate. The per cent of illiterates among the 
 foreign-born whites of the urban population was much larger than that of the 
 native white population. In the New England, Middle Atlantic, and East North 
 Central States the percentage of illiteracy was greater in the urban than in the 
 
AMEKICANIZATION BILL. 69 
 
 rural population. For the rest of the country illiteracy in the rural population 
 was from two to five times greater than in the urban population. 
 
 The following tables show that the per cent of illiteracy in the population 
 from 10 to 20 years old was much less than in the population over 20 years 
 of age. Of the total 5,516,163 illiterates only 818,550 were between the ages 
 of 10 and .20, while 4,697,613 were over 20. 
 
 Illiterates hy age periods. 
 
 10 to 14 years of age : Per cent. 
 
 Total 370,136 4.1 
 
 White 144, 675 1. 8 
 
 Negro 218, 555 18. 9 
 
 15 to 19 years of age : ' 
 
 Total 448, 414 4. 9 
 
 White 226, 432 2. 8 
 
 Negro 214, 860 20. 3 
 
 Males nearly 50 per cent. 
 
 20 to 24 years of age : 
 
 Total 622, 073 6. 9 
 
 White 367, 669 4. 6 
 
 Negro 245, 860 23. 9 
 
 25 to 34 years of age : 
 
 Total 1, 102, 384 7. 3 
 
 White 702, 962 5. 2 
 
 Negro 380,742 24.4 
 
 35 to 44 years of age : 
 
 Total 940, 510 8. 1 
 
 White 569, 403 5. 4 
 
 Negro 152, 132 27. 7 
 
 45 to 64 years of age : 
 
 Total 1, 436, 907 10. 7 
 
 White 821, 957 6. 7 
 
 Negro 584, 514 52. 7 
 
 65 years of age and over : 
 
 Total 573, 799 14. 5 
 
 White 342, 420 9. 4 
 
 Negro 219, 255 74. 5 
 
 The census reports show that in 1910 there were 2,273,603 illiterate males of 
 voting age — that is, 21 years of age and over — of whom 617,733 were native- 
 born whites, 788,631 foreign-born whites, and 819,135 Negroes. The per cent 
 of illiteracy of the total male population of voting age was 8.4 ; of the native- 
 born white men, 4.1 ; of the foreign-born white men, 11.9 ; of the Negroes, 33.7. 
 The total number of illiterate men of voting age in the entire country was 
 greater than the total number of men of voting age in the States of Kentucky, 
 Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Delaware, and the District of Columbia. In 
 some States, and in many counties, the illiterate voters hold the balance of 
 power in any closely contested election. 
 
 The problem of adult illiteracy is no longer one of race or of section. In 
 1910 the total number of white illiterates was greater by 956,902 than the total 
 of Negro illiterates, and the number of illiterate white m'en of voting age was 
 greater by 585,229 than that of illiterate Negroes of voting age. Massachusetts 
 had 7,469 more illiterate men of voting age than Arkansas; Michigan, 2,663 
 more than West Virginia ; Marylnd, 2,352 more than Florida ; Ohio, more than 
 twice as many as New Mexico and Arizona combined; Pennsylvania, 5,689 
 more than Tennessee and Kentucky combined . 
 
 Boston had 24,468 illiterates over 10 years of age ; Baltimore, 20,325 ; Pitts- 
 burgh 26,627; New Orleans, 18,987; Fall River, 12,276; Birmingham, 11,026; 
 Providence, 14,236 ; Nashville, 7,947 ; Washington City, 13,812 ; Memphis, 8,855. 
 
 The per cent of Illiterates in the population over 10 years of age was : In 
 "New Bedford, Mass., 12.1; in Dallas, Tex., 4; in Lawrence, Mass., 13.2; In 
 Wheeling, W. Va., 3.2; in Amsterdam, N. Y., 10.3; in Little Rock, Ark., 6.5; 
 
 1 The proportion of Illiterates among males 15 to 19 years of age was nearly 50 
 cent greater than that among females of the same age. 
 
 per 
 
70 AMERICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 In Passaic, N. J., 15.8; In Augusta, Ga., 10.9; in Green Bay, Wis., 5.7; in 
 Padueali, Ky., 1.8 ; in Woonsocket, R. I., 9.1 ; in Dubuque, Iowa, 0.9 ; in Bayonne, 
 N. J., 9.1; in Knoxville, Tenn., 6.5; in Utica, N. Y., 8.2; In Roanoke, Va., 6.9. 
 
 These figures indicate that if all classes of population are considered no sec- 
 tion can claim even approximate freedom from adult illiteracy. 
 
 The tables following show: (1) Number of illiterates in 1910 who were 10 
 years of age and over; (2) illiterate males 21 years of age and over in 1910; 
 (3) per cent of Illiteracy in cities having 100,000 population and over in the 
 United States, 1910; (4) per cent of illiteracy in cities having 25,000 to 100,000 
 population in the United States, 1910. 
 
AMERICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 71 
 
72 
 
 AMERICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 > 
 O 
 
 a 
 
 < 
 o 
 
 02 
 
 rt 
 
 <! 
 H 
 
 y, 
 o 
 
 » c^ 5 
 
 <! 
 ►:? 
 t> 
 Ph 
 
 o 
 
 Ph 
 
 s 
 
 M 
 
 3 
 
 (-4 
 
 P4 
 
 o 
 
 p<q 
 o 
 
 u 
 
 P4 
 
AMERICANIZATION BILL. 
 
 73 
 
 S g 
 
 m « 
 
74 
 
 AMKKICANIZATIOK BILL. 
 
 
 o 
 
' Syracuse, N. Y. j 
 : Stockton, Calif, j