An article entitled "The Foreign-Language Press" was published in the January issue of Americanization, a monthly magazine which made its first appearance a year ago last October. This magazine is published by the Americanization Division of the Bureau of Education, which is a subdivision of the Department of The Interior, but will very likely be made an independent division of the Government in the near future, with a member of the Cabinet in charge. The daily newspapers have already referred to the article mentioned above and made its contents known. It states that 1,575 newspapers are published in the United States in thirty-eight foreign languages, and the number of their subscribers is estimated at 10,982,000. The German newspapers, numerically and influentially the leaders of all foreign-language newspapers, numbered 483 and had a combined daily circulation of about 3,000,000 before our country entered the war. Since each issue is usually read by more than one person, it is not difficult to estimate the influence which the German-language press wields in our country.

Americanization, however, fails to note the most interesting feature in the history of America's foreign-language press, since it relates nothing about the origin and development of the foreign-language newspapers. The first foreign-language newspaper which was printed in America was established by an American, Benjamin Franklin, who began to publish the Philadelphia Zeitung in 1732. He was convinced that immigrants would fully understand American institutions and American ideals only if the importance and nature of these institutions and ideals were defined and explained in the native tongue of the immigrants. Benjamin Franklin, who was intellectually one of the foremost Americans of the eighteenth century, perceived that a German newspaper was necessary at Philadelphia to Americanize the immigrants from Germany who landed in the "City of Brotherly Love". Franklin is rightly called "the first typical American". He was one of the fathers of our Republic. He was convinced that a German newspaper would be the most effective means of doing Americanization work.

And to this day Franklin's perceptions regarding Americanization of Immigrants are valid. Americanization without the help of the foreign language is simply 3impossible.

It would not do to eliminate the foreign-language press as a means of education and Americanization. The American Nation depends upon its foreign-language press to explain to the foreigners who come here to make America their home what true Americanism is. The process of fusion can be successful only if all patriotic American citizens, irrespective of their origin, do not hinder, but rather assist, the foreign-language press in its untiring and intelligent efforts to bring about Americanization. As it is impossible for even the most diligent and talented person to acquire knowledge without elementary instruction in the branch of study which he or she is pursuing, so it is also impossible for an immigrant to attain the knowledge necessary to genuine American citizenship without learning the rudiments of citizenship from the foreign-language press.

In former times it was feared that the continuous use of his native language by an immigrant would decrease his qualifications for citizenship, and thus hamper a successful process of Americanization. It was believed that a foreign language 4would split the American people into language groups. There was great anxiety lest the foreign language influence the loyalty of the immigrants and render them inaccessible to American ideas. However, the splendid participation by Americans of foreign birth or descent in the war itself, in the purchase and sale of Liberty Bonds, and in all phases of welfare activity in connection with the war, is incontrovertible proof that these fears and anxieties were without any foundation whatever.

The foreign-language press must take over the education of the immigrant before there can be any thought of teaching him the American language. The publishers and editors of foreign-language newspapers know from experience what the immigrant needs to learn about our country. And since they address themselves to the immigrant in his own native language, and explain in an apt and understandable manner whatever is foreign to the immigrant, they are the most successful instructors in Americanism. Just as the intellect of a child can be awakened and stirred only if it is spoken to and instructed in the language which it understands, just so an immigrant can develop according to American ideals only when these are described to him in his native language.

The foreign-language press is an indispensible institution in the great melting pot, America. It prevents the native country from exerting too great an influence upon our language.

It lends a more general and unprejudiced character to foreign politics and enables us better to understand the disposition and attitude of the various nations from which our immigrants hail. Genuine, true, unadulterated Americanism can exist only if no nation of the earth exercises too much influence upon our philosophy and our political principles. And in this respect, also, the foreign-language press is of great advantage to America and to American thinking, feeling, and acting. In the cradle of our native language (England) there lurks more danger to Americanism than in any other quarter. This must be kept in mind when the entire subject is under discussion. It is not the foreign-language press which endangers Americanism, but the native-language press, which is governed and influenced by foreign views and ideals. It is more than doubtful that the so-called "American" press could conscientiously subscribe to the declaration of principles subscribed to by the foreign-language press. These principles are:

"To help preserve the ideals and sacred traditions of this, our adopted country, the United States of America. To revere its laws and obey them. To strive unceasingly to quicken the public's sense of civic duty. In all ways to aid in making this country greater and better than we found it."

This declaration of principles is not merely recorded on paper. It is the creed of the men who publish the foreign-language newspapers, magazines, and books in America. These men know of no better way to discharge the debt of gratitude which they owe their adopted country than by placing all their knowledge and endeavors at the service of American ideals.

"Americanization" has become a favorite expression. The great patriot, Benjamin Franklin, was the first American who attempted to Americanize immigrants by establishing a German-language newspaper, through which he addressed himself to immigrants in their native language, explaining to them what their duties were in the country of their choice. Millions of inhabitants of the United States of America have received the knowledge necessary to secure American citizenship 7through the foreign-language press. They were introduced to American customs and were imbued with American ideals. Immigrants would remain ignorant of American life and American aims if they were not informed about them through newspapers, books, or magazines, which are printed in the native language of the immigrants. And this process of Americanizing is of utmost importance.

The fact that the second generation is entirely merged in Americanism, at least as far as language is concerned, is unquestionable evidence of the able and thorough manner in which the foreign-language press is doing its patriotic duty. That is a fact which is almost completely overlooked in estimates of the foreign-language press. American-born children of immigrants are taught at home to think, feel, and speak American, and to consider nothing more important than love for the land of their birth, and loyalty to the glorious Stars and Stripes which wave over the country upon the portals of which is written in flaming script: "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity". Children receive the foundation of their thinking and feeling at home. The immigrants who have become citizens of the United States 8teach their children to love their fatherland and what it stands for. And the fact that they were, and are still, successful in imparting the spirit of patriotism to their children is due to the foreign-language press, which owes its origin to the first typical American, Benjamin Franklin.

It is significant that Franklin's Philadelphia Zeitung was founded only twenty-eight years after the appearance of the first English-language newspaper, Boston News-Letter, established in Boston in the year 1704 by John Campbell. Two papers which were printed prior to the publication of the Boston News-Letter were soon discontinued. They were: The Present State of New-English Affairs, established by Samuel Green in Boston, in 1689, in order "to prevent false reports" and "to banish the spirit of falsehood which is prevalent among us"; and the Public Occurrences, published by Benjamin Harris in 1690. The Philadelphia Zeitung was the seventh newspaper published in the colonies. It was preceded by the Boston News-Letter (1704); the Boston Gazette (1719); The American Weekly Mercury (1719, Philadelphia); the New England Courant (1721), founded by James Franklin, a brother of Benjamin Franklin; the New York Gazette (1725), owned by 9William Bradford; The Universal Instructor in All Arts and Sciences, and Pennsylvania Gazette (1728), which was taken over by Benjamin Franklin and Hugh Meredith in the following year, and was published under the name Pennsylvania Gazette. Franklin later became sole owner of this paper. In 1733 Peter Zenger established the New York Weekly Journal, which became famous through the fact that its founder, who was born in the Palatinate, Germany, helped establish the freedom of the press in the colonies. In 1744 the name of Zenger's paper was changed to New York Evening Post. It is still published under this name.

In 1739 Cristoph Saur founded a German-language newspaper in Germantown. Its title was The High German Pennsylvania Historian, Or Collection of Important News From The Realm of Nature and The Church. Saur's son changed this name to Germantown News, Or Collection of Plausible Information From The Realm of Nature and Church, and Whatever Is Considered To Be Beneficial Instruction, As Well As Remarks. Next Sunday we will publish an article about the development of the German-language press in America.