Congressman Sabath in the Interests of Foreigners Grievance of the Foreigners; the question of the Mother Tongue in the Census; They Will Not Take Away Our Hungarian Identity in 1930.
Magyar Tribune, Nov. 15, 1929
In one of our recent issues, we mentioned that in the 1930 census the mother tongue of American residents will not be considered.
We called the attention of the National Federation of American Hungarians, also some of our influential political friends, to this unjust procedure.
We had been notified that the Governing Council of the NFAH [National Federation of American Hungarians] wired its protest to the Department of Commerce and to the Census Board.
However, real results were obtained by our old friend, Chicago's Congressman, who has always befriended the immigrants, and whose name is nationally known, A. J. Sabath.
2We received the following letter last week from Congressman Sabath:
"Hungarian Tribune,
2207 Clybourn Avenue.
"Gentlemen: Some time ago the Director of the Census and the Board decided to eliminate from the census the question dealing with the mother tongue--information which I always have believed Americans wished. Therefore, when I learned that it was to be eliminated, I immediately took the matter up with the Board and called attention to the fact that Congress, in 1910, after long consideration and discussion, adopted my resolution providing for the inclusion of the question as to the nationality and mother tongue. I maintained that it is of even greater importance now than in 1910 because of the changed boundary lines of European countries, and I am pleased that I have this day received a communication informing me that my contention was approved and that the next census will again provide that information.
A. J. Sabath."
