The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-31
Is the Parallel n Fair Sample Of Kul.
tural Enlig htenment?

To " EDITOR OF THE SCN-Sir. The
violent attack on the Presidents fairness,
logic and justice by Herman \ Hertwie
may be pall'ated. perhaps. by assuming
him to be one OF our citizens of recent
German origin had II come from a
person OF longer lineage among US It
would mark him as wholly degenerated
from an original inheritance Of decent
Amcrican!sm
The ahsurd!ty OF the example which
he puts forward as a parallel OF our ma
tlonal situation Is sublime in its blind
p~art!sansh!p. He SAYS: Il am attacked
on the street with a knife and pistol by
Mr.. Jones, and | wound him seriously IN
self-defence, | am taken TO court on a
charge OF assault and battery and enter
Il plea OF self-defence. II Mr.. Wilson
were sitting upon the bench M plea
would be rejected"
What wild freak OF the Imagination
leads this similist 70 fancy Mr.. Wilson
sitting In Judgment on the injuries lone
his English Mr. Jones? Our President
has not concerned himself officially with
what Germany may do to England, nor
has he presumed to display his private
feel ngs In the matter. Surely Mr.. Hert-
wig knows this,
The American citizen passing by IN
the street in pursuit OF his lawful bust
ness has been stabbed by one OF the
fighters Mr.. Wilson is protesting tho
Injury done this innocent passerhy,
whom Mr., Hertwig does not even mem
ton. Mr.. Hertwlg must know this also.
and in Ignoring the essential and sole
cause of our difference with Germany
his intended parallel is utterly and lud!-
crously name.
1t IL true that in addition 10 being
stabbed by ono OF the antagonists the
American citizen has been jostled by the
other. But IL Mr.. Hertwis's blindness
50 complete that he believes any rational
person or intelligent nation can he mis-
led into making no distinction between
"jostlcd' and 'stabbed"?
II the Illustration quoted and the rea-
sonlng accompanying II are q fair sam
pie of kultural enlightenment the less
we have of II IN this country the better
for all concerned. If It Is an examine OF
deliberate misrepresentation II STAMPS
the species OF kultur inspiring Il as
grossly lacking In a sense OF Justice. In
either case II man who IL capable OF
Offering an argument concerning the
American contention from which a COM
slderation OF America Is wholly excluded
is totally unit to address the public on
any aspect Of tho controversy.
If those German Americans who arc
so ready to discern British influence in
American international conduct would
AmcricaniZs themselves sufficiently to
learn how a~ntagonlstic to such Influences
the real American stock OF this country
has been from the beginning of its his
tory they possibly might abandon, at
least In public, a little OF their puerile
delusion that their Vaterland Is the Vie
tim OF a Br!tish-American conspiracy,
Such symptoms of alienation are dis
,tl ~ ~ ~ - ffapet ,sa . - A,,, .I-l. nj
respect In which England now Is held
by genuine and unperverted Americans
has been earned by her worthy and
friendly conduct toward US through scv.
eral generations, and has established It.
self among us In spite OF strong hcredi-
tary prepossessions. FRED METcALy.
PLANFIELo. N. j. July 80.