The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-09-23
GERMANS INSIST
DOCTORS ATTACK
WITHOUT GROUND :.
Leaders Try to Placate
Aroused Citizens, Declar-
ing ThurstOn Violated Will
sons Plea for Neutrality.
Alliance Declares American
Flag Led Parade and No
Resolutions DenOuncing
Allies Were Passed.

Deep resentment against the attack
of DR.. j. M. Thurston on the probity
and patriotism of German residents
Of Richmond was expressed by Ger
man-Americans today. The allegations
have stirred up the first real race feel
ing that the city has ever had.
Prominent Germans today were
busy placating the feelings of Ameri.
can citizens of German extraction who
were loud in their denunciation OF
what they termed slur at their
patriotism for the United States. In
tense bitterness was expressed against
the charge implied, as they asserted,
in the observation that persons guilty
of carrying the German flag ought to
be put on the firing line in the Europ.
can conflict.
1t was pointed out that the Ameri
can flag led the parade and that the
object of the gathering had absolutely
nothing to do with the war of Germany
and the allies. 1t was also emphasized
that almost every German in Rich.
mond is naturalized citizen Of the
United States, and that when the
Union needed men to fight for it's
preservation during the Civil war, the
Germans were Union men, and few of
them supported the southern cause.
Deny Allegations.
References in the Thurston COM
munication to the morality of the Ger
man people and the need of the Ger.
man Alliance to reform houses of i'll
fame caused tremendous opposition
Conservative German leaders made
it their object today to minimize the
effect of this allegation, and to urge
that the citizenship of Richmond knew
full well that the charge was unfound-
ed in fact.
They pointed out to German men
and women whose feelings had been
aroused, that the conservative citizens
of Richmond would not entertain ser.
iously the accusation, and that it
would be in accord with German
ideals to ignore with complacency the
insult
They also told the German citizen
ship that the great leaders of the
American people have otter said the
Germans were the best immigrants
and that the charge of being "undesir-
able citizens was perhaps made in
the heat of passion and without ju-
d1c1Ous consideration of the true facts
Charge Neutrality Violation.
The south side last night was all
agog over the Thurston letter 1t was
argued that the letter violated the
spirit of President Wilson's neutrality
communication and might be prolific
of stirring up bad feeling in Rich
mond. Prominent Germans said they
had not issued statements denouncing
the allies, but had been satisfied to
accept what the press offered them as
to the progress Of the war and said
they believed it uncalled for to de,
nounce them for the racial love which
dwelt in their breasts
1t was said if the Germans had
passed resolutions denouncing the
allies, or had made demonstration
with the German flag, the Thurston
communication might have had some
not been done, it was held there was
no provocation for the letter
There were scores of gatherings in
the south side last night where the
Thurston letter was the topic of dis
cussion.
Leaders of the German citizenship
today said they would not take public
action against the Thurston attack,
preferring to abide by President Will
sons request of the American people
that they refrain from doing anything
that would violate even in spirit the
neutral attitude which the anton
should take in the great conflict