South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-12-01
An American "Loyalty Legion" Needed to
Combat the Menace Of Undigested Foreign Citizens
William Lustgarten an American Of German Percentage and the
Leader Of the Movement Against Dual Allegiance Explains How the
Hyphenaed- American Was Originated by Schemng Politicians

know what II means Here. with all
ruption, the individual fights his own battles;
he makes good by his own efforts, and when
he attains success 1t is consciously. This is
the difference between the German Socialistic
ideal and the America ideal: the difference
between nation OF people cared for and
trained as children and nation wherein every
man works out his own salvation. These are
the two ideals struggling in this war.
The hyphen constitutes danger In our ma
tional life. So long as there elements of
people cherishing a clinging allegiance to a
Foreign power, we cannot count IN times OF
trial upon the undivided loyalty OF those ele-
ments. Should the United States become In.
volved with European power. we should not
know whom to trust either in military or civil
life. If the assertions concerning the extent
Of the spy systems conducted by foreign
ernments are true to tenth degree we cannot
tell whether our neighbor Is an agent of a for.
eign government not. In of
should be compelled to suspect almost every
one whose parents came from Europe.
The point has been made that foreignborn
citizens should not be put under the suspicion
that the oath of allegiance they took in
Stunning citizenship was a perjury. This charge
has been made fear In certain cases Justly.
With the espionage systems of Europe in oper-
alton America has actually much to fear, and
In case Of trouble, so long as the hyphen
exists. we cannot tell where and when traitors
will develop.
Inasmuch as more and more. during this war.
with suspicion, 1t occurred TO me that all such
citizens should take occasion to put them
selves record cherishing loyalty to
the country Of their origin greater than that
to the country OF their adoption. and that with
them, absolutely and unqualifedly, it is Amer.
lea first" The time to start such movement
arrived. sent out my appeal The responses
have been amazing. | have received thousands
of letters from all parts of the country endors-
ing my plan and repudiating the idea of dual
citizenship. Ninety percent Of these letters
have come from citizens OF German origin.
osTRAcIZE THE HYPHEN
For the safety Of our country, for the pres.
ervation of peace. for international amity and
the strengthening of our own integrity, the
hyphen must be erased. What can be done?
The first step must come from public officials
and political leaders Public officials, as Off
Gals from the President down, should ignore
all functions given by hyphenated societies
As politicians in the past have encouraged such
organizations, now-realizing they are I'M
patriotic and might on occasion prove treason
able-they should put the ban upon them. Poll
ticians must be brought to understand that by
fostering hyphenated organizations they are
encouraging anti-Americanism.
The disapproval-as the original approval
must come first from official sources If the
mayors of cities, office holders, politicians,
political workers and al good Americans like
WISE refused to attend the functions Of hyphen-
ated societies they would begin to bring homo
to the minds OF the members that If they
wish to be Americans, they must drop the
names OF the countries whence they came
This applies TO lrish-American, Italian-Amert-
can. French-American, German-American and
all hyphenated American organizations.
/ would advocate that no corporate entity be
given societies bearing hyphenated names.
There is no room for such societies in the
United States, nor is there any reason for them.
It would De quite legitimate for citizens of a
fDra IGN vie hn~o 60 hall
organizations bearing the names OF their coun.
to parade under the name American qualified
or not. Il is proper for German citizens resid-
ing visiting here to be loyal TO their coun-
try. Those who have foresworn allegiance,
however, cannot entertain a mental reserva-
ton
To remove the hyphen we must exterminate
the root of IL. The Hohenzollern ideal OF the
divine rule OF kings crowned by the Almighty
with the Socialist ideal OF human beings
trained TO work and be cared for In the mass
must be eradicated by education And by
education those who have been trained into
the belief that these ideals are the best must
be brought 10 see the greater standards Of
America--of liberty, equality, democracy; Of
individual freedom effort and attainment
Those now holding themselves apart must be
brought to thrill with American enthusiasm
and 10 respond with q whole heart TO the
principles for which this nation has bled and
on which It bases It's future. They must see
that there be no divided citizenship and
that IL they are to be Americans In their devo.
ton. affection ae1 loyalty. America must be
frst