The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-14
GERMAN-AMER|CAN
 WRITES ON THE WAR
R. c. Roether Replies to Some Recent Criticisms
 of Germany's Cause

them or American Dirtht take UT haNe taken advantage of the much heralded privelege of free speech and free expres- sion through press and otherwise. in the discussion and criticism of the anti-Ger- man editorials of an afternoon newspa- per, which editorials have dealt wiih the European war and its causes, has sur prised and incensed the editor of that paper; that he finds himself again com pelled to launch forth in further unfair and ungrounded criticisms, this time however, not of the war and it's causes' but of the natural and of the by all right thinking and sane men easily understood and respected defense of the sympathies which German-Americans feel, and which they would be ingrates and unnatural to deny
 We do not believe that the editor IS honest in stating that he. as the edi- torial mouthpiece of the paper of the in- dependence in thought and action or which he speaks so proudly and of whose fairness and dignity of expression he boasts, is surprised at the attitude of the German-born citizens Lr this vicinity in replying to his editorials. Evidently he is irritated at the thought that the thou sand men in Birmingham of German birth" which he generously admits are here located should attempt to argue the question with him in answer to his con demnation of the course taken by the German Emperor and the German govern ment Evidently, he also takes umbrage at the thought and expression of senti- ments by these "thousand German-born citizens of this town in defense of the war preparedness of the country of their birth
 To judge from the double column and a quarter of editorial of August Il, the fact that according to this impartial edi- tors opinion the bulk of American citizens are of English, Scotch and Irish descent precludes and takes away the right o1 the German-born and german descended American to voice his sentiments and feelings, as long as these sentiments are in favor Of and in support of the land oi their nativity or descent.
 Had this apostle of fair and frank dis cusson followed the advice which Presi- dent Wilson gave to the Washington cor respondents at the outbreak of the war namely, to avoid unjust and unnecessary expression of prejudice and nation bait ing, instead of welcoming the by him already taken or-granted ultimate de- feat of German arms and of. the German nation, then, and then only, if the Presi- dents advice had been listened to by this student of world affairs. would he, as a man supposedly mod-.is public opinion have the right to take offense at intem- perate expressions of Germanborn oi German-descent Americans. Instead, as a matter of fact, the two or three express sions of opinion by Germans, to which he evidently refers, and which have ap- peared in other papers, nave. without ex- ception. been simple expostions of the views held by the writers of the same with the possible exception of one ar- ticle. which rather ridiculed this sef-ap- pointed statesman and learned critic oi the council of the German empire
 To use his own words, he is too 'sen- stive, too excitabe, ana loses the proper perspective" whenever his editorial ex- pressions are discussed or criticised by free thinking. temperate speaking, men He evidently takes offense at the bare ex- pressions of opinion voiced by men who see the land of their birth struggling against a mighty and not to be underes- timated foe. who see It surrounded by equally we'll prepared and to-the-neck armed nations-all fighting for their va rious countries, for their countries tights, freedom and best interests. Just why this man of the press finds it incumbent upon himself and necessary to remind those, who in a level-headed and even- voiced paragraph or two. have spoken in answer to his ill tempered and biased out bursts. that he is simply taking advantage of his and his papers rights of free speech and free press, and on the other hand accuses them or sore-headedness and ver-sensitiveness in voicing their feelings-th-t indeed is hard to under- stand. However, 1t is very much in line with, and more easily understood by the final expression of his outburst, in which he lays the blame fcv the anti-German, and for the war news so far little favor- able to the apparent success of German arms, at the door "of the secretive and high headed way in which Germany re- fuses to regard the newspapers of the world as worthy of considerations
 Undoubtedly he expects German to send authoritative and authentic reports of her military doings to the press of the world by means of either under -water-bell sig nals, interrupted land or wireless tele- graph systems, flying machines, or by some other means of long distance and up-to-the-minute method of communica- ton. Perhaps he might suggest to the censors of the powers, surrounding the Vaterland and controlling all avenues of Witu 1tiIldnN, tidL they should relay and transmit official German reports of events of war and mi,itary ac- tions, so that his curiosity for direct war news from the German front might be satisfied, and the stated cause for his an- ti-German feelings removed
 Enough of this. however and may this editor continue to find pride and satis- faction in his hopes for German defeat and annhilation.
 As to the war and it's causes The writer has perhaps no more, nor Hess, real understanding of late conditions and events in Europe, than have thousands of others in this country, whether of Ger man or English, Frenuu or Russian de- scent or birth, who have for the last 1C or 70 years followed and noticed the de- velopment of the peaceful and war pre- pared condition of the world powers.
 When in 1871 the united Germany, as one of the conditions or peace and end of war took possession of Alsace- Lorraine she only again acquired territory that several hundred years before had been taken by France, and which, during thai time had naturally become natonalized by continuous and successful colonization and propaganda. What France succeeded