Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-09-19
ASK FAIRNESS
FOR GERMANY
German-American Citizens to
Present Their Side in the
Present War.

Prominent Newarkers of German
birth or extraction Will meet next
Thursday evening in the Sunday
school hall OF st. Pauls Evangelical
Lutheran Church to formulate plans
for the placing of Germany's story in
the present crisis fully and fairly be-
fore the public.
At a meeting at which nearly 200
were present last night committees
We're appointed for the preliminary
work.
Almost at the outset of the meet
ing Rev. DIR. r.. w Hook said that
the meeting was not one Of Germans,
but that they were all Americans
and as such were taking up the cudgel
in the name of fair play and justice.
Rev. DIR. M. A. l.. Hirsch, pastor
of st. PauPs Church, who was chosen
chairman, read a letter from August
Goertz in which the latter expressed
regrets at not being able to be pres
ent and In which he stated that he
was entirely in sympathy with the
movement He also had enclosed a
check for 500 and stated that he
would contribute more for the cause.
Rev. I1irsch laid before the meet
ing the draft OF q letter which he
recommended should be sent to the
ministers and in which he asks them
to take a stand against any villifica-
ton of Germany. The letter was final
~ referred to an agitation committee
Rev. DR.. Bernard Pick forcibly ex-
pressed himself as being opposed to
sending such a letter, as 1t would
have no effect. Rev. DR.. Hook said
that the two clergymen represented
two extremes, and that he did not
think that DR.. Hirsch's letter would
be very effective. The point was,
however, to show just what is what
For instance, when certain papers
talk about Germany's militarism,
which England says 1t will eliminate
because OF the danger of peace, let us
ask the question:: What about the
English nation, which always must
have the strongest fleet?
Without mincing his words Mr..
Hook said that the Germans In this
country did not present united
front and assert themselves. He
added:
II guess my friend, Major Lentz,
can tell a story about that. If the
Germans in this town had always
been united there would have been
a different political story to tell"
Two points were decided on to be
taken up in committee, both of which
refer to possible violation of
Americas neutrality by England. The
one is the reported refusal on part
of England to honor passes of Ameri-
cans of German birth, and the other
the reported taking prisoners of Ger
man sailors on the Holland steamer
Commerwyne, just off the port of
New York The committee will try
to ascertain whether this was done
after the steamer was within the
three-mile limit.
The officers chosen besides the
chairman were: Treasurer, Christian
Fleissner, president of the Broad and
Market National Bank; correspond
ing secretary, Greverus Langgaard,
The committees appointed were: Press
committee, Otto A. Stiefel, Robert
Metzger DIR. Franz Lehmacher. for
mer Police Judge Friedrich Kuhn,
Wilhelm Riehl; agitation committee,
Rev. DR.. Pick, Rev. DR.. Hirsch, Rev.
DIR. Hook. Major Carl Lentz. former
Mayor William II. f. Fielder; COM
mittee on nominations, Major Lentz,
August Goertz, Wilhelm Won Katzler,
Benedict Prieth, Edwin Prieth; ways
and means committee, August Goert2,
Johannes Kaulke, DR.. William Runge,