During the war, for example, the community became aware of the fact
that within these national groups there had developed more or less
powerful and efficient organizations formerly active in behalf of
political interests in the old country, capable, at least, of
fostering a spirit of clannishness, of perpetuating the language,
customs, and ideals of an alien population in the midst of American
life, and of keeping alive in this country national and racial
antipathies brought from Europe. Leaders in the European struggle came
to these groups and obtained pecuniary support and political
adherence. Recruiting for military service among the foreign born was
successfully carried on.
Leaders of active societies among the different Slavic groups have
stated quite freely that a spirit of unity and of nationality has been
consciously fostered in America by these societies, so that, when the
time came for the oppressed nation to strike for freedom in the
European struggle, the representatives of the race in this country
might stand solidly behind such efforts. It is impossible, after the
exhibition of the generous support given among foreign-born groups
during the war to the efforts of the United States, to raise the
question of their loyalty; but their separateness has been far
greater, their exclusion from many community efforts and activities
far more complete, than the leaders among them had realized.
The leaders among the foreign born do not wholly blame the leaders of
the "American" group; they seem to feel that immigrants who came at an
earlier date are in part to blame. These earlier arrivals knew what
immigration meant, and might have been expected to help open the way
for those who came afterward, but were, in fact, chiefly concerned to
get ahead and to leave old associations behind. This was the opinion
expressed by a Bohemian business man prominent in both local and
national organizations. He also said that the reason that had in the
past led to the formation and support of these organizations had
ceased to exist; but now that the European struggle against oppression
had ended for his people, and leaders understood how separate the life
of the foreign-born groups had been, these very societies could be
used to establish a variety of contacts and to develop among the
foreign born a wider interest in the United States and its problems.
Particularly the ability to act together learned during the war should
be used to develop effective co-operation.
As the organization of these societies is discussed in another volume
in this series, they will not be described here, except as they affect
the position of women and so exercise an influence upon the adjustment
of family life.[51]
Possibly the most significant fact revealed in the course of the
study has been the extent to which foreign-born groups have been
inaugurating and developing educational and social movements, and
establishing institutions and agencies, quite independent of the
Federal, state, or local agencies at work along the same general
lines. On the other hand, the national educational and welfare
movements carried on by the "American people" have ignored the
organization and leadership in the foreign-born community. This has
been the case to an amazing extent, even when the public efforts have
been ostensibly based upon studies of conditions existing in cities
with a population that is largely of foreign birth.
When no channels of communication between the immigrant and the larger
community seem to have been established, we have been concerned to
inquire how such channels can be most effectively created. The
barriers that through ignorance, indifference, and misunderstanding on
either side have been allowed to grow up must be broken down. We have
tried to follow up such avenues of communication as have opened
naturally before us, after becoming acquainted with some of the
leaders in the different groups.
The organizations with which we have become somewhat acquainted are
representative of the types found in all the main Slavic groups and
among the Lithuanians, Hungarians, Rumanians, and Greeks. Suggestions
applicable to them indicate a basis of co-operation with a very large
proportion of our foreign-born population.
A list of the principal racial organizations in the United States is
included in the Appendix. Information about local branches of these
organizations can usually be secured by correspondence.