The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1915-05-27

cities during the last week there has
been a rush of Germans to become
naturalized citizens of the United
States. Fully twice as many Ger
mans have applied for papers in
Chicago as during any correspond
ing period this year, according to
the government authorities. In
New York the number applying for
naturalization has increased nearly
800 per cent.
In case of our declaring war it
would be necessary to imprisOn all
subjects of the enemy country. who
are of military age. War between
the United States and Germany
would result in the confinement of
nearly three hundred thousand men
in our military prisons, leaving their
families unsupported, which would
throw about one million people
upon the care of this country, as
there would be no way to send back
to Germany the women, children and
very old men. 1t would be impos-
sible for German subjects of military
age to run away, for they could not
leave our ports without the proper
papers, they could not 60 to Canada,
as that country is at war with Ger
many, and if they tried to 60 into
Mexico they would probably be put
to fighting there. So the whole
country would practically be a prison
for them before they were taken in
to custody.
This is a very serious matter and
should be considered carefully in
connection with the question of war.
No doubt large mum Der of these
people would apply for their first
naturalization papers and take the
oath of allegiance to the United
States Immediately upon war being
declared, but it would then be too
late. Nearly all the Germans who
have come to this country have
done so with the Intention of making
it their home Many of them have
expressed their feeling in favor Of
their Fatherland in the present
struggle, for which they cannot be
censured as long as they do not criti-
CHE the flag under which they are
living. In the event of a severance
of diplomatic relations between the
United States and Germany, it is
very likely that German subjects
who maintained strict neutrality
and did not do any talking would not
be arrested. If war should come,
however, the property of German
subjects should have to be taken
from them, temporarily, at least.
In one port in England there are four
hundred captured German ships.
There is one caretaker on each of
chem, preserving the property for
the owners, and with the full inten-
ton of accounting for it after the
war. However, in case Germany
should refuse to pay as large a war
idemnity as demanded by England,
the German citizens property would
be kept by the English. In all
American ports of Importance there
are to be found ships flying the
German flag which did not care to
take the hazards Of war and are in
tereSted.
There is no doubt but that the
German government has not thoro.
ughly understood the situation in
The United States and has beer
banking on stronger support in &C
lion in interfering with American
lights and interests than it will re-
ceive. This has been evidenced
Turing the last week in the resolu
lions passed and sent to Presiden
Wilson by the German-AmericaI
conventions held in various parts O
he country, and by the public state
.nents Ofleadlng German-Americans