Americanization—Our Problem
The gratifying accounts of the steward ship in the March issue of the Czechoslovak Review, rendered by the two major organizations engaged in alleviating the sufferings of Bohemians, illustrate very strikingly what an organization of forces with a purpose can accomplish. They are but slight evidences of what must still be accomplished. The ends contemplated are not foreign relief, but practical assistance to our Czech and Slovak people in this country.
Autocracy breeds contempt, if not open revolt, for organized governmental authority. The complete state of chaos now prevailing in Russia and Germany is but a striking illustration of the inevitable resulting reaction. Freedom of the individual, and his consequent liberty of action, makes for respect of the duly constituted governmental agencies. But it must not be assumed that freedom and liberty mean the totally unrestrained sphere of action, but, on the contrary, contemplate the unrestricted exercise of the rights, to the full measure, guaranteed by our laws, but within the bounds of the constitutional limitations. That is the cardinal underlying principle of liberty and freedom.
The United States is the haven for many Czechs and Slovaks who migrated to improve their material, political, religious or cultural conditions. In the realization of their hopes or the fulfillment of their expectations they were not disappointed.
Before, during and after the war, the Czechs and Slovaks demonstrated that they were loyal to the United States; invariably law abiding. The most of them have become citizens of the world’s greatest democracy. What is our duty to those who have failed to take advantage of the opportunities to become an integral part of the republic?
Recently the country has been swamped by a mighty wave of public opinion, insisting that all foreigners be Americanized. This applies to Czechs and Slovaks, who are aliens, those who have not accepted the responsibilities of American citizenship; and those who have become citizens, have accepted the protection of the United States, but who fail to take any active interest in our institutions, in short, the passive citizens. The terrible war is over. With the heroic struggle of our blood brothers as an example, with the superhuman sacrifices and heroisms of France, England, Italy and the United States spread before us, is it not our bounden duty, a most imperative duty, to aid these less fortunate men and women to enter properly into the spirit of America?
To a citizen of the United States there must be but one thought, one ambition and one ideal—America. We may pride ourselves upon the fact that no Czech or Slovak was guilty of a hyphenated allegiance—and indeed there is no record of such a case.
But what is expected of us all is to consecrate ourselves unreservedly to the purposes of this republic. That is Americanism. To become good Americans is our solemn, peremptory and just obligation to the United States. Those who need aid urgently are the persons who do not speak the English language, who are strangers to our scheme of government who fail to grasp our ways, who do not understand our customs and those who are ignorant of our laws. To bring to them a clear knowledge, understanding, appreciation and love of these matters is the task which we cannot shirk. We owe it to ourselves, we owe it to the land which gave us birth, and we owe it to the greatest democracy of all ages. We must not fail!
It is not intended to advocate the disuse of the Bohemian language, or to forget Bohemian history, or to stop the reading of Bohemian literature. On the contrary, we should encourage study of the achievements of the land of our fathers, a land possessed of unrivalled history, unmatchable language and an immense wealth of literature. You may inquire why? The answer is simple. Throughout the entire record of the country and its people there are outstanding, clear-cut ambitions and determination—liberty and freedom. A nation’s history that can point to such a record of accomplishments deserves study as an example of unselfish, determined and loyal patriotism.
