The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-18
LEON REPLIES TO
HIS HOUSE CRITICS
Hints BarthOldt, VOllmcr and
Lobcck Try to Deceive
Congress.
QUOTES FROM GERMAN LAW

The following is the reply OF Maurice
Leon to the attacks made upon him yes
terday in the House Of Representatives
by Congressman Bartholdt, Volimer and
Lobeck.
"All the vituperation of Mcssrs. Bar.
tholdt, Nollmer and Lobeck will avail
them nothing. Such epithets as liar and
'scoundrel' which they find II convenient
10 utter in the shelter of the House Of
Representatives. have become u sort OF
Iron Cross which Pan-Ci rmans bestow
upon their opponents and are gratefully
accepted as such. II is amazing TO fud
that these Pan-,;ermans In Congress have
been driven to such desperate devices az
actually to Try 10 deceive the House Of
Representatives concerning the tenor and
effect Of the German citizenship law. The
text ~ that law. which was adopted by
the Reichstag and Bundj srath and signed
on July 20, 1918, ny the German Emperor
At Biholm on board the yacht Hohen-
zollern. is found in the supplement Of
the American Jounai 81 International
Bdw OF July. 1914 Paragraph in Ar
ticle % of that law reads as follows:
Citizenship is not lost by one who.
before acquiring foreign citizenship, has
secured on application the written con-
sent OF the competent authorities OF his
home state to retain his ctiz ,nshir. Be
fore this consent Is given the German
Consul is to he heard
secret German Allegiance.
"Tnat same law has provisions whereby
one who. like MIR. vollmer. was born IN
Iowa of German father may secretly
contract German allegiance without es-
ttbiishinr German residence These
provisions are contained In Article II.
sanctionng the REORGANIZATION OF a
former German who has not taken UP his
r, ,dence in Germany with the provis"
The same applies to one who is de-
seconded from former German or has
been adopted As a child OF such
There Is reason TO believe that the
law merely sanctioned an existing prac-
tice. Now these Congressman even deny
the existence Of SUCH a law.
According TO the newspapers Mr. Bar
tholdt made Yesterday tho tollovin,
statement concerning the Eject OF that
law:
THE facts are simply these: GER
many. like every other country, has law
which makes II possible for those who
ar, away from the Fatherland to reta n
their citizenship by reporting within ten
wears TO a German Consul, but when 50
reportinE they must make Ga h that they
have not acquired or taken steps to av'
qu.re citiz uship in any other country.
Let unhyphenated Americans compare
Mr. Bartholdts words with tho words OF
the law and judge tor themselves whether
Mr. Bartholdt was or was not endeavor-
ing TO deceive his colleagues in the
House of Representatives concerning a
matter of vital consequence 10 the Amer
lean Government.
Mr.. Bartholdt makes a denial that he
has been comforting with the German
Ambassador. a charge that has not he u
made but he cannot and does not denN
tho fac. that his activities as . con-
i'll A.
man Ambassador.
Alleges Work Tor GermaUy In House
The newspapers have published dur
ing the last week items 20 IN" effect nrNt
that the German Ambassador has cNaTg' d
American manufacturers with deliN' rms
dundum bullets to tho British Govern
mont by the milton second, mat ''s
American manufacturers ramel los tl'
German Ambassador save ah.o'It''' 10
ned that there Is any truth 'n MS ''s"''
ton AID have invited hIm "a rctirct q
or furnish proof th''d. that the 'i"rn'''
Ambassador replied that ne had mo proof
hut ma not furnished 3D. While TINS Va'
going on Representatives Earthold' Vol
I NOR and I.ohsrk were actually engaged 1
/ their c0dea, or to lIue NJ the German
Americans behind tho attempt - 'or''
, through congress legislation tho erect &"
which would he practically to enlist t0'
Of GERMANY. Austria aud Turkey. u II
( fact OF puhli, uotor.eiy that ~ that ~
dcavor they are enjoying the tive sup
nor, OF MIR N!ercck. editor OF IN organ
which may he regarded as the mouth
niece OF an invisible government estth
lished hv Germany D. these United Sta'''
TO ruiz. Over tho German American popu
/ latiou, the head Of which is Mr., R"rnhar'
/ pcunurg. former German tahln'' MIN
/ is,or, now acting ~ = Sor; of Local wee
! rov over numerous organizations 100 ih'
country embraced no tho pcu'Srho Nm"
! icanische Nerhurd
"I., NJ take this opportunity - Assure
/ these German American representative
that tho view winch I have expressed an'
| am expressing ! hold very positively II
my personal capacity as an unhyph""dte'
/ American citizen. aud that In any sve-t
do not draw pay from the Treasury OF TN
| Tinted states for the purpose 90 dom,
! IL, This country tho labor OF love Wnicl
| consists in opposing agents Of P1U-'irr
manism IA congress who draw pav from
/ that Urea Jury Ny sentiments IN that re-
spect do not differ IN an wise from thns'
| OF practically all Americans who do no
come under tho effect ~ tho German r'''
zanship law 20 which reference has 81
, ready been made. ana ! shall continue a
: long As necessary TO do my shdr" tuwdr'
defeating every eNdciNor TO Use TINS Cuur
trv and the Influence ~ its ,ioVernmeu
f,r di.tinctiy German ends all vitupcra
ton from this German trio of Congress
men Notwithstanding