AMERICANIZATION 143 AMERICAN PARTY State and city programs follow: (1) The drive against illiteracy (as in New York State, where the elimination of illiteracy has been adopted as a definite goal). (2) Improvement of facilities for im- migrant education (as in Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Delaware, Ohio, California, and other States, where teachers have been given special train- ing, methods have been standardized, attendance stimulated, and definite studies of results made). (3) Intensive training of aliens in constructive citizenship — particularly in Massachusetts, where standards have been greatly improved. (4) Home classes for immigrant women — particularly in California, where teachers are paid by the State to teach groups of women in their own homes. (5) Industrial classes in which im- migrant workers are given lessons in English and citizenship in factories and shops, either on their own time, or on the employer's, or both. This work is usually run under private auspices, but is often under the direction of State or city educational authorities, as in Mas- sachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Ohio, and other States. (6) Prevention of exploitation of the immigrant, handled by private agencies in many States and cities, but an in- tegral part of the Americanization pro- grams of California, Massachusetts, New York, Delaware, and other States. (7) Stimulation of self-expression of the foreign born and of mutual sympathy among all groups through pageants, parades, homeland exhibits, etc. This has been done by scores of city com- mittees and notably by the New York State Division of University Extension. (8) Recreational work and commun- ity organization. (Chiefly by city com- mittees and boards of education, but sometimes as a part of a State pro- gram, as in Delaware.) Pnvate Organizations. — Huge sums have been raised by numerous religious and patriotic organizations for various activities among immigrants. In some instances the contribution made by these programs to the process of American- ization, or race assimilation, is neces- sarily subordinated to the special aims and interests for which these groups were organized; in other cases the work is exactly similar to the public programs outlined above. Among the religious groups carrying on systematic pro- grams of work among immigrants are most of the larger Protestant denomina- tions, the National Catholic War Coun- cil, the Y. M. C. A., the Y. W. C. A., the Knights of Columbus, the Y. M. H. A., and the W. C. T. U. Extensive cam- paigns have been conducted by such pa- triotic organizations as the National Se- curity League, the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Co- lonial Dames of America. The National Chamber of Commerce and hundreds of city chambers have done systematic and successful work. The National Federa- tion of Women's Clubs and the National Council of Jewish Women have adopted definite and comprehensive programs of work. Incidentally, the contribution to the process of race assimilation made steadily for many years by the public libraries, countless social settlements, immigrant aid societies, and legal aid bureaus has been more widely recog- nized as the Americanization movement developed. AMERICAN LEGION, an organi- zation composed of members who served in the United States army or navy dur- ing the World War. It was incorporated Sept. 16, 1919, though it had been infor- mally organized in Paris in the preced- ing March. The preamble to its consti- tution sets forth its objects as being "to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America; to maintain law and order; to foster and perpetuate a hundred per cent. Americanism; to pre- serve the memories and incidents of our association in the Great War; to incul- cate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state, and nation ; to com- bat the autocracy of both the classes and the masses; to make right the master of might; to promote peace and good will on earth; to safeguard and transmit to posterity the principles of justice, free- dom, and democracy; to consecrate and sanctify our comradeship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness." The legion aims to be non-political and not to promote candidacy of persons seeking public office. Its first national convention was held at Minneapolis, Minn., Nov. 10-11, 1919. Col. F. W. Gailbraith, national commander for 1921, was killed in an accident on June 9, 1921. John W. Emery, of Grand Rapids, Mich., was elected on June 14, 1921, to succeed F. W. Gailbraith. The national headquarters are in New York City. AMERICAN PARTY, THE, the name of three separate organizations which at different times held a prominent place in the political affairs of the United States. The first, organized about 1852, at a time when the Whig party was near its dissolution was, in fact, a secret society, and was better known in later years as the "Know Nothings," from the assumed
