Scholars have long acknowledged that the foreign language press could make a significant contribution to the shaping of the political experience of nationality groups in the United States before World War II. Yet, by focusing on five Italian-American newspapers published in Pennsylvania, this article argues that subservience to fascism, short sighted opportunism, the deference to political patrons who were not members of the Italian-American communities, and the necessity of making a living through periodicals with a small circulation generally prevented the editors and owners of Italian-language newspapers from being effective political brokers within their ethnic communities.
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