TO AMERICAN DEMOCRACY
 

CHAPTER XXV

SYMPOSIUM  ON  WHAT  THE AMERICAN  OF  ITALIAN

EXTRACTION SPECIFICALLY CONTRIBUTES

TO AMERICAN DEMOCRACY

WHAT DOES THE AMERICAN OF ITALIAN EX¬
TRACTION GAIN THROUGH HIS CONTACT WITH
OUR AMERICAN DEMOCRACY?—The writer decided
to gather for himself concrete ideas regarding the posi¬
tion of the American of Italian extraction in our Ameri¬
can life. Much that was written before was of a vague
and general character. The symposium which follows
contains the specific data in answer to a specific ques¬
tion from individuals who know this type of American. In
this way it was thought that by gathering concrete facts
rather than vague and general ideas, a truer conception
of the position that these Americans hold may be placed
before the entire American public. To this end 1000 of
the accompanying questionnaire on the following page
were mailed to individuals particularly fitted to judge.

It was decided to ask the American of Italian extrac¬
tion not what he himself contributed, for manifestly
personal bias could not be altogether eliminated—but on
the contrary, to ascertain what he gained. As a result
of this, we are apt to have a truer picture of what
America is really doing, not only for these people but for
all its first generation of, Americans. Taking the facts
pointing out his "gains" and placing alongside these
the knowledge we have of what the American of Italian
extraction contributes, we are able to see at a glance the
two opposite aspects of the "give and take" relation
going on in America with respect to Americans of Italian
origin.

As manifestly the American of Italian extraction is
the best judge of the gains that are effected, we can be
assured that as a nation, America is doing all of her part
and doing it well, for the statements gathered shov/
numerous gains; and these are gains that run through
the entire gamut of all possible channels of development.