Washington Journal., 1915-09-24
The N~atiOnalities
and the Nation
Especial Correspondence for this paper
by a prominent Washingtonian).

by a prominent Washingtonian).
If those gentlemen who, in editorial
offices, as politicians furnishing inter
views, and especially in private CONVEX
%sation, do their best'to drag this country
into the war in order to save dear old
England were Americans in spirit as
we'll as in name, they would occasionally
stop to consider what is to happen in
the United States when the present
trouble is over, when peace has been
made. the millions to be earned by maxi
ing munitions have been pocketed, and
the ordinary course of life is to be re-
sumed. Even the least informed of
these strange patriots must know that
at least one-fourth of the people of the
United States are entirely of German
blood and tradition; that of those nu-
nserous persons who are in part Of Ger
man extraction a large proportion have
a natural feeling of affection for the
nation from which a part Of their an
cestry sprung. Our anti-German friends
will have to continue living in the same
community with their German-American
fellow-citizens, much as they may regret
the fact. They will have to do business
with them, meet them socially--for
strange to say, German-Americans are
found in the very best society and infest
even the most exclusive clubs. Anti
German politicians will have to depend
On them for votes if they wish TO be
elected. Would it o be prudent, to
say the least, if these disagreeable facts
were occasionally remembered?
Would it not be awkward, Eve years
irofa aow some Cerman nserlcafi
whose influence turns out TO be neces-
sary to make Jack Robinson governor,
or who is president of the bank from
which Jim Smith hopes to get funds
for his latest deal" should remember
that, in 1915, Jack and Jim used to call
his cousins "~murderers" and 'assassins"
because they did their duty. manfully
and heroically, as members OF a German
submarine crew? Would we really like
to ask any person for business or social
~fayors, such as ordinary daily life con-
stantly requires in mutual exchange, if
we knew that he remembered how we
used to say that he put the interests of
Germany above those of America, that,
in plain terms, he was at heart a traitor
to his country? Perhaps we wrote one
oil those delightfully."- clever, anonymous
letters in the pro-ally newspapers, III
which we pointed out that the numerous
German American officials ought to be
discharged on the spot, because they
were giving away state secrets to the
Germans. and that all German-American
clubs and societies ought to be strictly
watched because they were Matching
conspiracies against the country? Now
really, would it not be awkward?
To speak seriously, do these anti-Cer-
man ranters realize what an injury they
are doing to this country by arousins
hatred and enmity between the various
racial stocks of which the American
people is composed Heretofore, one
Of the most gratifying phenomena il
American life has been the almost total
absence Of antipathy between the va
rious national elements. The newly inn
migrated foreigner, as long as he was
still obviously a stranger to American
ways, has been the butt of good-na
tured pleasantly, or has been looked
upon with some mild wonderment for
his queer ways. AS soon, however, as
he has put aside some of the outward
evidences of ~alienage, and especially a
by his energy, intelligence and good
moral qualities he has succeeded III ris-
ing from the humble station in which
the mass of immigrants must naturally