South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-07-05
PRO-GERNANISM AND THE A.
SAUIT On j. T. MORGAN

SAUIT On J. T.. MORGAN.
The attempted dynamiting of the
federal capital az washington and at
tack on J. Pierpont Morgan, Of New
York. by Frank Holt. a o-German
crank. is more suggestive than any
thing else OF the care We may soon
need TO assume in this country with
respect 20 the seditious teachings Of
men OF such un-American mould.
This is not saying that a man cannot
be pro-German aid still be American
but VIC have a right to draw the line.
II need be- against the open fighting
OF Germany's battles, or any other ma
tons battles. here in the United
states. as a means OF intimidating or
Furnishing the government for it's at
titude toward those other nations
on the even Of our quite nationwide
observance of Independence day. as
Americanization day. INDUCED in To-
cally at the high school auditorium
Sunday the incidents at Washington
and Glencove merely serve to empha-
size the importance Of the movement.
and the desirability of it's continuance
throughout the year. at stated inter
walls. that more of the America first
spirit may be instilled into the minds
of our newer citizenship. This is the
preferable American way of OvercOm-
ing the Frank Holt method of argu-
ment II Il can possibly be done. and
though legal cautions against misuse
of the freedom of speech and even
OF the press may seem almost neces-
sary as temporary eNpedients. it is de
sirable that the educational propa-
ganda be continued in the hope. at
leas1. such cautions may eventually
not seem so called for.
Despite the freedom that we have
allowed. we have gotten along compar-
atively well. with other nations as the
criterion. in our escape from anarchist
operations. The assassination of Lin
coin and Garfield can hardly be said
10 have been anarchistic i'm their ORR
gin. Booth having been melted TO his
rash act by the outcome Of a war and
Guiteau by assumed personal griev-
ance, but in the case Of Mckinley. OF
the attack on Roosevelt at Milwaukee.
and the whole long list of such opera
tons during the last two decades, for
eignism miscOnstruing our guarantee
OF liberty to mean unbridled license.
and a sense of personal independence
in defiance of governmental control,
has been at the foundation.
Welcome, a thousand welcomes. TO
the man OF foreign birth. who comes to
America, settles down, amalgamates,
becomes one of us; but he must learn
and we must help him To realize. that
henceforth it must be America first"
with him, and whatever may be his
native love for the home land across
the sea, and that though his right TO
such love may stand inyiolate. he has
no right whatever TO attempt to en-
force it upon others, whether by bull
let's or bombs.
Neutra. as America is i'm this war.
Mr.. Morgan, has an absolute unGaH-
fled right to act as the fiscal agent of
Britain for war munitions if ne wants
to- Mr.. Holt x-professor of German
at Cornell. may also act as the fiscal
agent of Germany. if he cares to. but
he must not employ that agency TO as
sassinate our citizens or blow up our
government buildings. To attempt 10
compel Mr.. Morgan to give up his
agency for England would be viola
ton OF our neutrality. favorable to
Germany. To say 20 Prof Holt. YOU
must not act for Germany here, would
be a lack of neutrality in favor of the
allies. that is, 10 say it with the pro-
fessor guilty OF no violation of the laws
OF the United States, which. however,
assassination and bomb planting is.
Il is not because it is MT Morgan,
that we speak thus. but because Mr..
Morgan is an American citizen. and the
assault upon him appears To have been
frenzied with favoritism for "a foreign
power. in contradiction Of Mr.. Nor
gan's rights as an American citizen.
The professor Is a right 20 his views
on the subject of munition shipments.
but u attempt 10 enforce those views
with a gun IN each hand is a different
matter Mr.. MOrgan's liberty.in other
words. is just as sacred 20 him. as is
Prof. Hunts and il is this respect for
the other fellows rights as well as our
assurances OF our own, that our Amer
icanization program needs To teach.
South BEND made a good start sun
day We should keep it going tiet
some day such "brilliancies' as Prof.
Hunt may get enough Of the American
spirit in their systems that they may
be able 20 entertain their other-land
sympathies without a resort 20 arms,
and without anticipating crown Of
martyrdom in case they do resort 10
them.