Evening star., 1914-08-14
FA|TH|NF FAIRNESS
OF LOCAL PRESS
United German Societies Not
Planning to Found News
paper in Washington.
RAISING FUND, HOWEVER,
FOR SUFFERERS BY WAR
Will Cooperate With American and
German Red Cross Societies,
President Wiegand Says.

Expressing confidence in the belief that
the German-Americans of Washington
will be accorded justice and fair play by
the local press and that as soon as con-
ditions are clearly understood there will
be no further cause given for complaint.
Martin wiegand, president Of the United
German Societies. today said that his or
ganization had no intention. at least for
the present. of establishing newspaper
here for the dissemination of German
war news.
Mr.. Wiegand also said that Washing
ton German-American citizens. respond
ing to the call Of their national president.
Dr. Hexamer. would quickly and gener-
ously raise a local fund for the relief OF
German sufferers by the war in Europe
TT is not precisely RED cross .uha,
SOLELY for the relief Of the wounded. but
il viii be a general relief fund for all suf-
ferers in Germany from the war. we
shall work in cooperation with the
American and German Red Cross socie-
ties. but with an additional aim OF our
own. The fund is not in any sense to be
war fund"
Plan Considered in Baltimore.
Certain German Americans OF Baltf-
more, Mr.. wiegand said, had conceived
the idea of founding and publishing
newspaper that would fairly publish
the war news. We were approached
to lend our assistance, although 1t was
explained that the Baltimore enter
prise is well backed. There has been
considerable talk among our people
about such an enterprise. but on the
whole we are inclined to the pellei
that we in Washington will not need
such paper.
Our local papers, as rule. have
been fair to us. But the war condi-
tions have developed a situation that
has been a surprise and extremely
painful in many respects. 1t is not true
that We object to the publication OF
news received from French. English,
Belgian or Russian sources. We must
expect that. and we must also expect
that those people will naturally color
their news so as to make it favorable
10 their armies and cause.
Frivolous Comment Condemned.
What We do object to. and that most
strenuously. is frivolous comment and
malicious criticism tending to reflect
upon the German character. people and
their emperor. We know that feeling
runs high at such a time, but We look
to the American press to see that 1t
does not creep into their war accounts
and that preposierous things that re-
fleet upon our native country and our
people are not circulated through the
ignorance. frivolity or malice Of news
paper employees. The news columns
are not the proper place for the ex-
preston of hostile opinion against
things German.
This war is very serious matter
to most of us who have relatives and
friends battling for what they believe
is right. II Is not kind. IT Is inhuman,
10 us to permit those who think diff
q n
kinsmen and our native land through
the public press. American fair play
is above such a thing. and we believe
we are going to have IL now that our
protest is known
Mr.. Wiegand said that a big COM
mittee for the collection Of relief
names We're daily being added to 1t of
volunteers both from our own nation
aIity and others. He said meeting
would be held some time during the
perfect Getails of operation and action.
nuI the date of the meeting was as yet
ncertain.
-1e.ntcrs OF Relief Committee.
sae FoIlowing residents have been
rolled members of the committee:
Representative Bartholdt of Missouri
Or Ernest Drunken. Martin Wiegand,
august schmidt. George W. Spier.
". i. Guic. Ernest Gerstenberg, Cuno
II. rudolph. Albert Lepper. Leo Schen-
kel WolfanG RucSdaeschel John
Weber. krri Braun, Fred Imhof. Ed
Droop. Oliver Metzero-. u. J. Kauf-
man, Joseph St-asbuseer. e. j. Cooke
Ter. secretary Board of Trade; Emil
Beri:ner ChaS. Beurich, Simon Wolf,
DIR. Bartsch. A. Lceff1er. y. Auth H. H.
Bergman. John Waldman, A. Eberly's
Sons. Gustav Bender. John n. Sterzer
VI. kletzsch. Library of Congress; Rep
resentative Esch Representative Barch-
field. Reginald Schroeder press gallery
United States Capitol: Prof Schoen-
field. George Washington University,
Prof Gleis. Catholic University: c. r.
Schwerzer. Joseph Berberich, Repre-
sentative Baltz. Kurtz Voelkner Phillip
Dittes. A. F. Jorss. Gus Hartman Gus
Brahler. c. NJ. Weiss, John Meinberg.