| Show I II i l I Ignorance and Illiteracy 1 A nationwide movement has been inaugurated to get support supt sup- sup Smith Smith-Bankhead Americanization bill now pending port p rt t for the Smith Smith-B I before congress Senate bill was introduced by Senator bill a companion measure by ConI Congressman Congressman Con Con- Hoke Smith and house I I gressman gressman William B. B Bankhead The general purpose is t to remove re- re move illiteracy and ignorance norance from this hi country county The bill directs directs' the secretary secretary o of the interior through the l. l bureau of education to cooper cooperate te with the he several states in the edu- edu of illiterates more than years years of age find and ind in the pre preparation para para- I tion Hron of teachers for the work Appropriations to carry carryon on the I work are to begin at once nce and end in 1926 The federal gov- gov government I nt is to pay half the cost th the states the other half f x Government stat statistics evidence the need for such legislation j laud land The Telegram believes it can tr truthfully assure c congress that that l every SeVery V rY person in Utah who possesses even common sense favors its enactment t. t I r There are five and a half million persons in the United States f more 1 than 1 10 0 years of o f age age who cannot re read d anything in any ally i language There are eight and a half million who cannot read a ape pe 1 newspaper 1 billboard car card sign ign booklet or letter in the American AmerI American Amer- Amer I ican Ican language 1 These illiterates and aliens outnumber all tt the people in Nevada Wyoming Delaware Arizona Idaho Mississippi Rhode Island 1 Worth North No h Dakota South Dakota Oregon Maine Florida Connecticut t V i Washington and Utah combined As voters their ballots will j t 1 outweigh o the influence of all aU these thes states They T y exceed d the total I population of the dominion of Canada l I I Uneducated Une illiterate ignorant they form poor citizenship l I I They y have been dumped into the melting pot but they have not noti i melted They are are civic and economic seconds and are beyond I it ii all taU all help from printed warnings or r advice e in the English language t 1 Their Their ignorance and inaccessibility to essential essential- public information i are constant dregs upon progress Brought within the reach of the tl printed word ord these stragglers should be worth at least five dollars a week more to themselves land and and to the nation which increased earning power it is pointed out would provide a year toward toward- the welfare of the country j Assuredly c congress will see the wisdom of the proposed le leis legis- is- is lation and w when en the nation has acted th the edu educational ati nal dep departments of our states will take advantage of the offer and attempt to bring jot light to th those these se us who now can only hear |
