Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1915-02-17
AMERICANS FIRST.

| that an attack on an American ship
| carrying non-contraband by German
| naval officers would be an act for
which the German government would
be held responsible.
The United States is endeavoring to
taken the same attitude towards
Great Britain that it has assumed
toward Germany. 1t is selling goods
to the allies, as we'll as to the Teu-
tonic alliance If more american
made goods go to Britain than to
| Germany it is because Britain's
needs are greater and that country
70 ssumes responsibility for the deliv-
cry of the cargoes Germany can
purchase in this country all the sup
| plies she needs, just as other bellls-
| erents. The United States does not
contract to deliver the goods. That
! is thing for the purchasing country
to do.
An inflammatory article in the
Montag Zeitung of Berlin, cabled to
this country, says of the United
States:
"She has no army, and her fleet
would not dare to approach nearec
our shores than does the English
| The expulsion of Germans from
America would mean her ruin.
Americas threats are more than
ridiculous, and it is more than
ridiculous for us to take them In
| earnest
One of the results of such articles
has been to create in Berlin such a
| hostile attitude toward Americans
that many are leaving that city.
It is a mistake Tor German papers
to attempt to arouse prejudice
against the United States, where
Germany probably has as many
sympathizers as have the allies Ac-
cording to the 'Montag Zeitung, she
must have more.
But one thing that papers and peo-
ple Of all belligerent nations should
remember is this: No matter how
| Americans differ as to the present
war: no matter where their sympa-
thies arc placed, they arc first Amer
leans. Tho Montag Zeitung pre-
sumes when it declares "The eXpul-
sion of Germans from America would
mean her ruin" In the first place.
the Berlin paper presumes war be
tween the United States and Ger
many, and in the second it presumes
that this government would expel all
Germans here.
Nest of the Germans in the Unlte
States are naturalized citizens. ana
as such cannot be expelled. And
being citizens of the United States.
thew would be treated as such. a
| citizen of the United States cannot
oppose this country i'll war without
committing treason.
The Montag Zeitung also pre-
sumes when it intimates that citizens
of the United States Of German birth
or origin would support the Father
land against their adopted country III
the event of war between these ma
lions England placed faith in a
similar belief and was sorely disap
pointed.
There's an atmosphere in America
that makes Americans, no matter
whether they're born in England
Ireland. France, Germany or some
other country. When they become
citizens of this country, most of them
are citizens in every sense of the
| word Americas foreign-born cltl-
gems have been tried and proved true
too often for people of the United
States to believe that Geiman-Amer-
leans or Irish-Americans or an!
other kind OF Americans would prove
ANYTHING but loyal, patriotic Amer,
| leans when it is a matter between the
United States and another country.
Americans express themselves
pretty freely about all things. even
about their own government, but
when the call comes for patriotic
Americans, they're there-theyre
Americans. And because TINS s
true; because our population Is
made up of people from all lands'
because of these things is America
dom, liberty and opportunity suc'
MS they did not, could not, never
would enjoy in their native lands
| because of these things is American
areat. And it is ridiculous for the
| people of any of the belligerent ma
tons to delude themselves into the
belief they would obtain aid from
their nationals in this country IN the
| event of trouble with the United
| States.
| An American may damn nfs