1923 Immigrants’ Journey to U.S.

I found William Rempel’s “Racing to America” (July 4) fascinating. Undoubtedly the stories of the immigrants included in the article can be told by thousands. Getting to America for many was not an easy journey and many experienced tragedy. Like Rempel, I am a first-generation offspring who witnessed the good and bad times of growing up in an immigrant family. Had Malamo Delianides, who was pregnant, been turned back a second time, my sister would have been born in Greece and I may not have been the second-born. Lord knows when Malamo and Aristides would have been reunited.

The Times should be commended for this story, which commemorates the 75th anniversary of the “Great Quota Race of 1923.” Every Fourth of July we Americans celebrate our nation’s birthday. Unfortunately, only citizens who have lived where hope for a better life was only a distant dream can really appreciate the true meaning of the word “America.”

THEOPHILUS DELIANIDES

Philomont, Va.

* The Saturday Journal is a great concept. Future writers will need to do a great job to live up to the example set by Rempel. It was well written and well researched. It gave an excellent account of and a human face on the hopes and trials of the non-Western Europeans’ struggles to be part of the “American experience.” All of us should read it before raising the alarm of too many “illiterate” or “Third World” or “non-employed” or “(fill in the blank)” immigrants entering our country today.

JOAN A. MAGGS

Granada Hills

* Rempel’s excellent article was extremely poignant. I could not help thinking as I was reading, substitute all the various ethnic groups Rempel writes about with Mexican and Central American immigrants and we find history repeating itself. Desperate parents will go to great lengths to feed their children.

RANDY KLAUK

Downey