The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-01-22
STOP SALE DE- arms
STRONG PLEA IS MADE
From Friday's Daily.


vast movement of American wal
supplies that is now going on from
this country into the hands of those
engaged in the awful conflict. was tho
position unanimously taken at tn,
mass meeting OF German-Americani
in the Mankato Theatre last even
ing.
The resolutions that were passed
did not specify the sale of arms Il
any particular nation or group o
nations, hut. as was pointed out II
the address by Professor Henry ID
Funk OF Manchester college, st. Paul
whose speech was i'm the English
language, the country ruling the seas
has the control of that commerce In
the war supplies. Mr.. Funk ridiculet
the idea OF praying for peace and al
the same time supplying the means
of carrying on the war. He said u
was folly to take the position thai
this traffic should be allowed because
Il brought money into the pockets 81
those who sold these supplies. VI,
declared that this consideration wai
more than offset by the fact that In
prolonging the war this country was
injuTing her own general business.
Help Gees to Allies.
Mr.. Funk stated that the country
that controlled the ocean was able
10 dictate which OF the warning ma
lions should buy the munitions OF
war manufactured In America and
which~~slour1 not have them. Thu.
the help Of America went to tho
n hns roll
ity on The part OF America. II was
prolongins the war. II was ridicu
lOus To pray for peace and to com
nit acts that were directly against
peace.
The speaker declared that Il was
The duty Of this country either "a
keep its war goods at home by an
embargo act. and thus treat all OF
the warning nations alike, or %
send it's own wnrships along with
tho merchant ships TO insist on all
nations getting an equal chance
NJ trading with this country.
Attendance Was Large.
Tho meeting was vast one Early
in the evening II was estimated that
the gathering amounted at least Ia
fifteen hundred and still the people
kept coming. They filed all the
seats. upstairs and downstairs, stood
in the aisles and lobby. and made a
balcony out of the stairway to the
left of the Main entrance. Tho
gathering was held under the aus
pieces OF the various German church
as and societies OF the city.
\ Red Cross collection was taker
up. aggregating $2O03O. After paying
the expenses OF the meeting. the re
mainder will be forwarded to the Red
Cross authorities.
Copies OF blank petition were cir
culated broadcast, calling on the ma
tional government to take steps 10
stop the sale of war supplies to the
fighting nations. These will he pre-
scented all through the city and vicin
ity to get signers. They will then be
representatives.
FLAGS Of Three Nations.
Back on the stage hung the flags
Of three nations. In the center was
the largest banner. that of the United
States. At the left was the German
flag with lis well-known black, white
and red. ana at the right was tho
Austrian flag with the stripes of red
white and green.
The stage was well-filled with those
who rendered the program. The Man
kato hand was there together with a
chorus OF twenty picked male voices
in the movement.
The meeting was called to order
by Rev. Carl Kruger, whe presented
the speakers. Two of the principal
orators OF the evening. Professor 4.
Ackermann OF the German Lutheran
seminary OF New Ulm and George
Sickle of Minneapolis. formerly Il
professor i'm the Cathedral school al
st. Cloud. addressed the gathering in
the German language.
Causes Of the War.
Professor Alderman outlined the
causes OF the war The main causes
he declared To be Pan-SIavism. the
desire OF France FOR revenge and
the envy and greed of Great Britain.
The professor declared that many
years ago England was imbned with
the idea that Germany must be
crushed. He said The London Satur.
day Review OF September. 1897. ac.
tually declared that Germany must
ba crushed. lie said the same utter.
ance was made by Lord Arthur Lee
OF the British Admiralty In 1905. and
the speech was published I'm The
London Daily Chronicle. Speaking OF
the possession OF Aisace. the profes.
sor said that territory was German
for SEQ years before France ever
got hold of Il. The names of many
OF the ancient towns. as could be
seen by looking at the map, were as
German as "sauerkraut."
Reached Back into History.
Professor Alderman went back
more than a century in history. He
called TO mind that in 1913 there
went forth the cry i'm Germany.
The Fatherland is in danger"
Then there poured into the German
ranks a multitude OF patriots. Re-
ligious and political differences were
forgotten. They rallied TO defend
their country from Napoleon.
The professor extolled the posi-.
ton taken by President Woodrow
Wilson I'm keeping this country neu-
trail But the German-American
should contribute to help the Wild
ows and orphans of those who had
fallen inthe battle for the Father
land. The speaker declared that
he stood for the great American
principle, fair play for everybody.
n. s.1