The record-union., 1898-06-01
AMERICANS OF ALIEN RACE.
THEIR ATTITUDE IF CALLED
UPON TO FIGHT.
South American Sympathy for
Spain and Probability Of Gem
era1 European War.


the United States in the event of a
conflict between the latter and their
mother country, and likewise discussed
the system of the expulsion of aliens
in times OF war, as well as in those
of peace. To-day it may be of inter-
est to briefly consider what the prob
able attitude of the Spaniards estab-
lished under the shadow of the stars
and stripes will be should hostilities
now SO imminent at length by inaug-
urated.
The question is all the more trite in
view of the fact that Spain is not the
only European Power that is imbued
with sentiments of ill-will toward the
United States, that war with some
other nation of the old world is not
beyond the bounds of possibility. and
that large percentage of the popula-
ton OF this country is either foreign
born or the children, or else the grand
children, of immigrants. Thus there
are no less than 100000 of Germans
of European birth settled here, while
there are at least twice or three times
that number whose parents or grand
parents were citizens of one or another
of the sovereign States comprised in
the confederation known by the name
of the German Empire. If called upon
to assist in the defense Of their adopted
country against any Spanish. English
or non-Teuton foe, these German born
or German descended citizens might be
relied upon to fulfill their duty to the
American flag with as much valor and
patriotism as in the Civil War. But
it remains to be seen what their at
titude would be if summoned by the
United States to bear arms against
Germany itself.
1t is not a pleasant question for
native American to consider, nor one
that is altogether gracious toward those
German fellow-citizens of his who have
contributed so much to the develop
ment and prosperity Of this country,
and who stand pre-eminent among
most American citizens of foreign ORR
gin or ancestry by reason Of their re-
spectability, their obedience to the
laws, their thrift and by their intel
lectual capacities. And yet it is one
that cannot but recur to the mind
whenever one reads in the American
and foreign newspapers of the animos-
ity manifested by the Kaiser and his
Government toward the United States,
an animosity which just at present
thy for Spain and the exclusion of
American produce and manufactures
from German markets Moreover, it is
rendered timely by the astonishing
monster petition which has just beer,
sent to the Reichstag at Berlin by the
German-born and German-descended
population in Australia, who urge upon
the Imperial Parliament to increase the
German navy in order ''to prevent
Great Britain from remaining the
strongest and predominant Power in
the Southern Seas" The most extra
| ordinary part Of this petition is as fol-
lows:
Apart from the fact that we are
the first Power Of the world, 1t is un-
worthy that in the hour Of danger the
protection Of Germans should be rele-
gated to q rival; if it becomes the prin-
ciple Of Germany's policy to rely on the
good services Of another Power to pro-
tect our interests, we must forego any
serious opposition to that Power in her
efforts at commerce and colonization"
Yet the siGners Of the petition are
Australian citizens, possess the fran
chise, enjoy all the benefits and advan-
tages that are afforded by the British
Colonial Government. and have until
now been regarded as part and parcel
of the Australasian Empire and as a
very important element in it's develop
ment and prosperity. BY their petit
tion they show, however, that if they are
lin" the colony they are not of it, and
that neither the freedom nor the mani
fold privileges which they have received
in the antipodes have put an end to their
sentiments of allegiance to their mother
l or, try nd To ifc,C
it demonstrates that, no matter how
long they or their parents may have left
the Fatherand. they still remain Ger
mans in heart, as they are in race. when
ever any issue arises between the land
of their origin and the land Of their
adoption.
| AUSTRALIANS ANALOGY WITH
AMERICA.
| Australia presents many points Of an
alogy with America. 1t is, as far as
the Aryan race Is concerned. a relatively
new country, from which are absent
most of those prejudices and obstacles,
anarchronic relics of mediaeval ages
that tend to hamper progress and en-
lightenment in the Old World.
There, too, as in America. we
find breadth of view, an animation
and an amount Of resourceful activity
that are almost unknown in Europe
while the conditions Of life are very sim
| liar, the full-fiedged Colonial" being
possessed of much the same spirit Of in
dependence and sense of the equal rights
of man as the native American citizen.
Moreover, large percentage of the
population is made up Of aliens, and,
although / have no statistics before me,
know that the German-born and Ger
man-descended element in the anti
podes is very large, prosperous and ex-
tremely influential. If. therefore, the
citizens of Australia who happen to be of
German birth or parentage assume to-
ward the land of their adoption an at
titude such as is manifested in the pc
| tition just presented to the Reichstag,
what, 1t may be asked, would be the po-
sition which the American citizens
of German birth or parentage
would take up were this country to be-
come involved in a conflict with EN-
peror William?
There seems to be an impression here
that from the moment an immigrant, no
matter whether he has come to this
country in the steerage or as a first
class passenger, takes out letters of
naturalization and forswears his alle-
glance to the land of his birth, he ipso-
facto cuts himself adrift from all asso-
Citations with the latter, from it's preju-
dices, its tastes and it's interests. In one
word, people appear to think that the
| taking of an oath, the solemnity Of