The Immigrant Tide, Its Ebb and FlowSteiner, Edward Alfred
History
The Immigrant Tide, Its Ebb and Flow
Steiner, Edward Alfred
United States -- Emigration and immigration
The building over which his descendant, Gabriel, watches, is as safe as
a fortress. There are only two things which this brave fears. One is the
steam boiler which provides the building with heat. Steam is an unknown
force in his native land, which even the fiery horse has not yet
invaded; so, no matter how often Gabriel is instructed, no matter how
often he is reassured, when the steam bubbles and hisses he flees for
safety; and to this day, valves, screws, wheels, and radiators are
terrifying mysteries to him.
Gabriel's other dread is--women. Not that he dislikes them; on the
contrary, you should see his face all aglow from pleasure when a woman
looks at him, and yet "trembling takes hold upon him as upon the
inhabitants of Philistia," and he returns to his task as if beaten by an
enemy, all discouraged and distraught.
Rightly used and wisely directed, men like Gabriel can become a power
among us. Over the various nationalities of Southern Europe now coming
here in great numbers, such men can wield an influence more potent,
perhaps, for the peace of the world than the Hague Tribunal.
Nine men of nine nationalities grasped hands in that Young Men's
Christian Association lobby at Hazleton, Pennsylvania, and formed a
circular chain like unto the chain formed by the ancient Slavic heroes
when they swore fealty to old "Duchan." Thus did we pledge our faith to
this new country as we exhorted one another to patience, to justice, and
to love.
In leaving Hazleton I was asked by one of its citizens, "What will these
foreigners do to America when they get the power?"
My answer was, "They will help you save it, or they will aid you in
destroying it. It is very much in your own power whether they shall be
'leaven' or 'dynamite.'"
P. S. Gabriel has left Hazleton. He is now in New York, a valuable
member of the Immigrant Department of the Presbyterian church, and they
say that this Montenegrin is "leaven" and not "dynamite."
XVIII
THE JEW AND THE CHRISTIAN
Of all animals, man is the most brutal. Naturalists still disagree as to
the reason for his cruelty, but whatever it be, he has not often stopped
to ask himself the cause. He hates and smites and slays, simply because
he hates.
It is true that man's historic brutalities are hidden under the gloss of
what he calls patriotism or preservation of the race; but if the average
man were asked the cause for his own unbridled hate of other races, he
could give no intelligent answer.
That race hatred is a primitive passion is no doubt true, that it is
seemingly ineffaceable is also true; for neither education nor religion
has obliterated it; indeed both, strange to say, seem to have
intensified it. Even the religion of Jesus Christ, whose main endeavour
was to break down the tribal prejudices and hate of races, has not only
failed to accomplish its object, but in its historic manifestation has
in many cases aggravated it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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