Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 10, Number 30, DeMotte, Jasper County, 13 June 1940 — BECOMING AN AMERICAN [ARTICLE]

BECOMING AN AMERICAN

The following r.rticle i; reprint* i from “Onzie Toekomst”,.the Holland American Weekly printed in C!i; cago, where it was received from Mr. John L. Kcjoreman How I Became an American ! ‘For many years I resided in tie U.S., active in the travel,, bu me operating undef the name \ Exchange, Inc., :n j wit office 110 S. Dearborn St., Cicago. “I had taken out my first pap<but never my second. There wa ore question which prevented me from taking out my second papers. Tin question was: Have you any m< > t reservations? Well, I had. Someb' during all these years, my heart wa still in Holland, while I was it America. “With the mention of closing th business I walked in the office May Ist of lakt month and Tout d upon entering a letter from a clo c friend of mine, and this is what h« made me see:— That I never had really cared enough to give myself completely to America. I had be i, divided and being pulled in two directions. I had been here on tin-get-basis instead of on the giv. basis. This letter brought about a definite clearing of my mind, t mental reservation disappeared ami the request sos my second pape* was placed wholeheartedly. Ever since this happened I have been able to focus on what I can contribute, feel a oneness with the American people and know that I will be happy to be called an “American*’.