The Irish standard., 1914-08-22

tending to injure the sensitive and
legitimate pride of any of our fellow
citizens whose fatherlands are en-
gagged in this stupendous conflict
The distinguished and patriotic may
or of st. Paul, the Honorable VIM
Powers, in an able and finely worded
address, has made similar appeal.
The German People and Emperor.
1t is a matter of regret that these
admonitions are made necessary by
the unjust attacks which are being
made by large section of the
American press on the German peo-
pie and their emperor. AS an Ameri-
can citizen, grateful for the splendid
service which has been rendered to
my country by members of the Ger
man race in every field of peace and
war, I protest against this conduct
as unfair, unpatriotic and un-Ameri-
can. Let us not forget the precious
contributions which German genius
and German endeavor have made to
the material prosperity of our whole
country and in particular to this
great northwest. And we cannot for
get, even if we would, that German
blood has cemented the foundation
stones of this republic and baptized
with deeper and holier red the star
ry banner of our country.
In the war of the revolution De
Kalb and Won Steuben braved Brit
ish steel and lead as they rode side
by side with Washington and charged
the oppressors of our country on
bloody fields of battle that gave lib
erty to you and to me. Let us not
forget that when the integrity of this
nation was at stake the gallant sons
of the fatherland fought and died for
the flag that shelters you and me to-
day. In the darkest days of the
Civil war when the fate of this re-
public hung upon the attitude of the
Northern states of the Mississippi
valley American citizens of German
birth and extraction answered to the
call of German leaders and under the
command of Sigel and Hecker and
Schurz swung to the Union Cause,
the mighty commonwealth of Wis
consin, Missouri and Illinois. l have
heard from the lips of respected
citizen of st. Paul, that when Lin
coin issued his first call for volun-
teers, a German Turner Organization
of the City volunteered to man, and
to a man signed the Muster Roll. The
Country which gave us such men and
the Emperor whom the sons of such
men love, are now entitled to fair
treatment and calm consideration in
the forum of American opinion. A
short time ago the columns of these
same journals teemed with eulogist-
ic editorials concentrating the
twenty-fifth anniversary of the coro-
nation of the German Kaiser. They
paid truthful tribute to his genius
and his worth, his exhalted love for
the people over whom God had
placed him, the purity of his private
life, the beauty and tenderness and
the sanctity of his family circle. And
above all with universal acclaim they
hailed him as the preserver of the
peace of Europe for quarter of a
century. These statements were
true then and they are true now. The
American people cannot be deceived,
for in the moral code of this Republic
ingratitude is the sin without for
giveness and the one that cries to
heaven for vengence.
Home Rule Assured.
When we held our Field Day a
year ago l ventured to predict that a
home rule bill would soon become a
law and that one of the great mis-
sions of the Ancient Order of Hibern-
ians and the Ladies Auxiliary, would
be accomplished. We meet to-day
in serene confidence that the dawn
of Ireland's redemption is practically
assured. This is a time for calm
speaking and for cool judgment but
think no one will blame me fol
saying that the watch-word of oul
people today was expressed more
than century ago by a great leader
in the words "England's danger is
Ireland's opportunity" If the mem
bers of this order remain true as
they have been in the troublous days
of the past, to it's high and holy
teachings, if they stand shoulder tc
shoulder behind John Redmond, the
Great Leader of the Nationalist
cause, not many months will roll
around before measure of indie
pendent government will have beer
granted and the flag of our people
will again unfurl from the historic