American Congress is conducted largely for the purpose of arriving at conclusions after full discussion of each subject presented. It follows the European procedure and requires the submission in advance, not only of papers, but summaries of the authors' conclusions. These conclusions are announced, discussed, and adopted, amended or rejected by vote of those attending. Such action of the section meetings must be approved at a general session before it can represent the position of the Congress. Of necessity this procedure provokes lively discussion. At Montevideo, physicians, lawyers, educators, clergymen, and social workers from Argentina, Brazil, Chili, Uruguay, and other Latin-American countries came together and a few North Americans were present. The Congress was divided into four sections — medicine, hygiene, education, and sociology. Infant mortality, vital statistics, diseases of childhood, education, eugenics, sex education, dental work, treatment of the crippled, prevention of blindness, poor relief, abandoned children, industrial education, mini- mum wage, international co-operation, and the prevailing social system were all passed upon. The Congress summed up the general attitude as expressed in its con- clusions in the following formal statement: "As all conclusions relative to individual and social problems of childhood — to wit, birth, death, crime, vagrancy, alcoholism, tuberculosis, degeneracy, education, treatment and hygiene — recognise the economic factor as a primary cause because it is present in all . . . . all efforts for the welfare of children should, with due regard to the special solution which each problem may require, be directed toward modifying the bad economic organization of the present social system." The section on education urges that "American governments aid in every possible way in promoting excursions within each country and from one country to another, for purposes of study as arranged by scientific institutions, learned bodies, and educational establishments." — Dr. Edward N. Clopper, The American Child, November, 1919. O. B. Y.
Does Americanization Americanize? — There are three methods favored at various times as means of converting the alien into an American: (1) naturalization, (2) as- similation, (3) Americanization. The latter method involves two distinct processes: divesting one's self of a deep-rooted patrimony of old ideas, sentiments, and traditions, and whole-hearted acceptance of and participation in a new set of ideas, sentiments, and standards. To remedy our past errors and prevailing unrest we have adopted Americanization as a quick means of making Americans out of mixed immigrants. This shows much loose thinking on the subject of Americanization. And the fact the first professorship of Americanization in this country was fitted into a department of political economy indicates how even trained minds tend to look at the process from too narrow a standpoint. Human experience, history, and science show that mass or speedy Americanization is impossible by any of the methods suggested or applied. The legalistic Americanization or naturalization has increased undesirable voters in our electorate and some of our Congressmen propose legislation which will add to our un-American or pseudo-American vote. Americanization is a spiritual process and to become Americanized one, must conform his whole moral character, his speech, vote, thought, hope, and plan to America and its institutions. This nation has two func- tions in history and toward mankind: to disseminate principles of democracy, freedom, and humanity throughout the world and to be a nation characteristically American. It is this latter function that we have sacrificed or endangered by our accelerated Americanization. — Gino Speranza, The Atlantic Monthly, February, 1910. C. N.
The Russian Problem in the United States. — Few problems have been brought so forcibly before the public in this country as that of the proper method of handling the "red" menace. The exigencies of life make Americans of foreign children, without regard to blood or family tie, but leave their parents and other adults too often outside the pale, misunderstood and misunderstanding, unassisted in their struggle for the betterment of their social condition. The cause of this lies in the lack of proper edu- cational provisions and sympathy of the Americans toward them. Night schools, as they are at present, help the Russian workman but little. He has no patience, no time to spend a year to learn English alone; he wants to learn productive skill at the same time. Then teachers too often neglect to study or to take into account his peculiar psychology. Few Americans realize how many Russians there are in this country and
