The sun., 1914-08-16
THE BATTLE-GROUND NOT HERE.
The Attempt To Divide This into the Pro-
and the Antt-Germau Nation.

and the Autl-ocrmau NnttOn.
To THE EprroR OF THE suN--sir: Your
paper and others are daily publishing
protests from German societies and let
ters with German names and with only
initials rabidly protesting against the
war news items and editorials and threat
ening all sorts of dire reprisals
I have been for years great admlrer
OF the German nation and people. and the
German Kaiser, both as war lord and
as commercial leader. propaganda, and
I know and believe that the Germans are
equal to the best OF our American citizens.
but what does the present pro-German
uproar mean?
Never mind the causes leading to the
war and who is to blame or whether the
news items and editorials be fair or
unfair, true or false: history will fix all
that; but the protests on the part OF
pro-Germans raise a vital question. This
is the United States OF America we are
the American people and nation OF some
ninety millions, consisting OF all nation
alities and their descendants. probably
90 per cent. of the former are naturalized
American citizens who voluntarily and
deliberately forswore their mother and
father lands and did so either TO escape
compulsory military service or to better
their financial condition, or both.
Are these American citizens to make
this country the cockpit of their for
sworn nationaiities because of a European
war? II so, the sooner the American
nation recognizes this the better.
Fully 20 per cent. Of native Germans
came to this country to escape military
service: at least. they never performed
their military service. and under German
law they are deserters. BY what mental
process do these German Americans up
hold the German Kaiser. Government and
people in this war. when they fed from
the Kaiser's military service and Govern
ment forswore their allegiance to their
fatherland and are American citizens, de
jure and de facto? The same holds good
but In lesser degree even with German
Americans who served their military term
and are American citizens. II these men
want to fight the German Kaiser's battles
by land and sea. let them once more
become German subjects. cease TO be
American citizens. and go to Europe and
fight on the firing line" and not embroi
other nationafities here with their oral
and pen fighting.
To forswear ones allegiance to ones
native land and to fly from compulsory
military service is neither legally nor
morally wrong, as all things are relative.
To do one or either or both ought TO
make better American citizens; but has
IT.
Apart from the military party. the Ger
mans and the German Americans are
believers in democracy yet II we are to
believe the resolutions and letters they
pass and write. they are rabid believers
In autocratlc military government. Until
August I, 1914. ! was believer in auto
crate monarchical government, and the
German Kaiser was my ideal autocrat,
but this war has converted me instanter.
Now ] believe that no man can safely be
entrusted with autocratic power over any
thing, sooner or later he Is bound to
go to pieces mentally No matter how
| this war ends. autocratic monarchies are
| doomed.
In France. Germany. Austria and Rus
sia there are tens OF millions OF helpless
| women and children who were dependent
| for their daily bread on their men rela-
tives, who over night have been driven
like cattle from their homes to fight and
take their places In this European slaugh.
ter house. All for what? Damned II
any one knows. STEWART BROWNE.
| New YORK. August 16.