TaÌˆgliche Omaha tribuÌˆne. [volume] (Omaha, Nebr.) 1912-1926, 1915-03-12

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are a. Enfiith atlaia in ihe political
senat4 hat in ihe fUa and iuNustflal
Aensc sfemendnua Influences 4stt been
brought b best ifdm other countries
and. h lhat respect The German may
claim 10 have dome his share No The
Political field bis prominence has not
been particularly distinguished III is
ffnf at least tn say that prominent
positions have not bFt8 represented
81 him with any degree Of frequency.
But that Is natural and normal tt
was wise Is have Institutions ~ Eng
lish oriein kept within The charge 81
the representative 81 those people
who might BE expected o. have the
better understanding 81 these insli-
tuti0ns. But when We consider our
country apart from the strictly polit-
zeal phase, and include the industrial
and social, Il must be said that the
German branch Of Cur citizenship has
done Is share. / know It Is custom
airy 20 point to the contributions Of
German science and art and music
and learning. But let us look for once
in another direction.
When, for Illustration, WI ask who
does the farming, II will not be denied
that foremost among the real tiilers
Of the soil are the German, the Boz
herman, the Swede, the Norwegian,
the Pole and the Italian. II we ask
about the composition Of our people,
we will find that the English, the
Scotch and the Irish stock do not
represent substantially more than
fifty per cent Of the population Of
this country.
These are facts, and we ought to
congratulate ourselves that they have
not been made more prominent in the
consideration of our questions than
has been the case. Every eontribu-
ton has been made to the common
Indignation, which, in my Judgment,
is SO complete that there should
Be no room for the terms that
we hear banded about. which
are perhaps not intended to mean as
much as they seem, but which, in my
opinion, are to be avoided.
Our sympathy we cannot deny. Forl
many 1t must be difficult to restrain
il within the confines Of patriotism.
But we who glory in an independent
citizenship must be careful that no
word and no conduct may tend to
commit our country to a false posi-
ton. We must keep in mind a dis
tinction between sympathy for a par
ticular beiligerent, or even an opinion
about the right and wrong Of the
war, and the position which we ask
our Government to take as a neutral
country. In my opinion there should
Be III our citizenship no German
Americans, no Irish-Americans, no
Italian-Americans, and no English
Americans. The use of the hyphen
as | see it really defeats the very
idea for which we stand. And / say
this fully approaching hat there are
English synIpathizers who might we'll
employ the hyphen TO identity them
selves as Americans. There is just
one platform upon which all the prin-
ciples and traditions OF all the races
here represented must be assembled,
and from which must be announced
every rule for our guidance. That is
the platform Of the United States.
But, standing upon 1t, every citizen
has the right to ask questions Of him
sell and Of others; and he MAJ even
be under the obligation to express his
convictions as they come to him, upon
every problem Of moment to this MAJ
ton.
| know that ii has been said that
the foreign war does not concern us.
Eminent authority in our nation has
made that statement. How monstrous
a propositionl The foreign war con-
Germs us, not only now in the most
material sense; but the consequences
Of that war, no matter what the re-
suit may be, will be Of vast signih-
-ance to this nation for years to come.
The mere cutting Of communication
between Germany and Austria and
this country has brought anguish and
sorrow to homes here and there, has
deprived people here Of the privilege
of communication, and Of the right
q give support ofttimes to those dear
est and nearest to them So pro-
are we interested in this
means OF communication, that its de-
stFuction may well present the ques-
lion Of our right to protest, and how
The situation is to be remedied. Civil
ICED peoples are SO closely related
today that the consequence Of such a
war cannot be escaped by Us, priv
or officially.
Some Of the questions forced upon
ia are ~ nublic mameu and concern (,