Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-05-21
GERMAN. AMERICAN VIEW
Herman Ridder Discusses Relations
Between Germans and Americans.

Herman Ridder Discusses Relations
Between Germans and Americans.
The Staatz-Zeitung in an article
signed by Herman Ridder, says:
Anyone who reads can see that a
large section Of the press Of this
country has been doing it's best dur
ing the last six days to dictate to the
president the course which he shall
follow in handling the extremely deli
cate situation which has arisen in our
foreign relations.
These papers. whose names are on
everyone's lips, have sought to oppose
the cacophony of the mob to the calm
reflection of the chief executive of
the land. They have filled their COL
umns with incendiary communica-
tions which neither represent public
lures Of logic or truth. They have
reproduced at a critical, and as they
perhaps think a psychological, mo-
ment, extensive extracts from the
British reports on German atrocities
in Belgium, seeking by the circulation
of this rehash Of stories long since
twice told and long ago disproved to
further inhame the passions Of the
people.
They have, moreover, attempted
to further their designs Of provoking
war by publishing extracts from Ger
man papers commenting on the sink
ing of the Lusitania, intended to
maintain popular passions in the
country at white heat. While the
wireless installation at Sayville is not
in operation these extracts come to us
through London and are we'll chosen
to serve the purpose Of the British
government. They are but isolated
paragraphs torn from their context
in certain Of those pestilential organs
Of which Germany has her share as
we'll as we, and in no way represent
the feeling Of the German people
over the loss Of the Americans who
went down with the i'll fated vessel.
The people Of this country are
overwhelmingly for peace, yet a large
section Of the press which claims to
serve them is clamoring for war; This
element was successful in achieving
it's designs in 1898. but in 1915, it has
to deal with president who bows to
nothing but the will Of the people.
THE American press seems to be
incapable Of understanding that this
is no time for war talk. The people
of the country have been sufficiently
aroused by events. There is no occa-
sion to further inf1ame their passions
by specious argument or baseless in
situations. The president with great
wisdom and strength Of mind, has
striven to maintain the peace Of the
country while upholding it's honor,
and if the battle goes against him and
we are plunged into a war, the full
meaning Of which no one can foresee
but the horror of which is patent to
all, it will be due to the clamor of a
few irresponsible papers.
Nor is this a time to burden mil
lions Of American people with unjust
and unnecessary anguish Of mind
The German Americans must suffer in
any conflict between the United States
and Germany, pains Of which their
fellow citizens can never know any
thing. 1t is rather a time for showing
them the greatest degree of consider
alton. They have fought to uphold
the flag in the past and they will do
it against any enemy whatsoever.
They deserve the fruits Of past loyal
ty, until they have forfeited the right
to claim them. There has never been
but one flag under which the German
American has fought. There never
can be but one flag under which he will
ever fight. And that flag is the Stars
and Stripes"