The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-02-22
GERMANY WAS GOOD
OBSERVED STRICT NEUTRALITY
DURING THE SPANISH
AMERICAN WAR
GossIPs SEVERELY REBUKED
Ambassador White Talks on the Re-
Iations of the Two Nations at
a Washington Birth
day Banquet.


BERLIN, Feb. 21.-Andrew D. White,
the American ambassador here, presid-
ing tonight at an assemblage Of 800
Americans who celebrated Washingtons
birthday at the Kaiserhof by a musical
entertainment followed by supper and a
dance, said in an address:
"Sundry writer's on this side of the At
lantic have been especially eloquent in
denouncing the general hatred Of Ger
many and the Germans which they in
sist obtains in the United States. Much
has been said of 'Deutschenhetze' Ger
man baiting) and this has been placed
in such a lurid light that one would al
most believe that on the appearance of
one of our German-American fellow cit
liens upon the streets of an American
city, the citizens of American birth were
ready to cry havoc and let loose on him
the dogs of war.
1t has been my duty for five years
to read with considerable conscientious
ness a number of the foremost American
newspapers representing the dominant
thought in various parts Of the Union,
and can most truthfully say that /
have failed to find the slightest trace OF
such 'Deutschenhetze.' I did not discover
anything like hatred or a prosecuting
spirit toward the German-Americans on
the American continent
On the other side it has been insist
ed by more or less we'll meaning peoDle
in the United States that a dark cloud
between the two countries really exists
and that In the times of which ancient
history makes mention and especially
during our Spanish war, the German gov
eminent was somewhat hostile to the
United States, or in some manner, which
nobody seems to be able to give with
precision, the German government did
something which 1t ought not to have
done, alnd left undone something which
1T ought to have done. To this answer
mas been made, if l may be allowed here
to refer to it, by myself, as one COM
petent to express opinion on the sub
Ject, with the declaration that tho con,
duct of the German government to-
ward us during the Spanish war was ex-
cellent. The German government OBJ
server a strict neutrality and showed
no unfriendly spirit. From first to last
IL never made any suggestions or pro-
posais that embarrassed us in the slight
est degree. In fact the conduct of the
German government was all that We
could desire.
Some self-constituted guardians of
the welfare of the United States have
insisted that, if not the imperial gov
eminent, it was the honored and revered
sovereign of the empire who spread this
cloud over the relations of the two ma
by joining in a league to intervene to
stop the war.
No Need of Worrying
"On this account various people have
really made themselves very unhappy.
Now, however, within a fortnight ali
this has been cleared away, and it has
been shown beyond a doubt that the re-
vered and beloved sovereign of this
country refused to take part in anything
which could be constrJ ed as interference
in the contest, and refused in such a
manner as to show that he respected
the motives and appreciated the feelings
of the American government
Tonight even at this very moment, 9TH
er exhibitions of the good feeling be-
tween the German and American gov
ernments are taking place. Thanks to
wireless telegraphy, messages of hearty
good will are flashing to and from the
Kronprinz Wilhelm which bears the hon
ored representative of the emperor to our
shores. These messages go to all parts of
our country; they also come from all
parts of cur country, for the mission OF
our royal guest is clearly seen to be one
of peace and kindness.
at is some times said that missions
and demonstrations like the one now be-
ginning in America accomplish nothing,
for the reason that they settle no really
important questions. An assertion like
this betrays a very narrow view of pub
lie affairs on the part of any person
making it, 1t is doubtless true that such
demonstrations do not directly settla
pending questions between nations. but
is it none the less true that such demon
STATIONS, hearty and kindly and arous-
ing a better feeling in both nations, are
powerful in creating an atmosphere in
which the pending questions are more
easily settled
Eve have every reason. then, this even
ing to rejoice at this restored reign of
good will. AS to the clouds of myth and
legend hanging over the relations of the
two countries we have every reason to
hope they have passed away. Certainly,
this eve of Washington's birthday may
well be celebrated joyfully.''