Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1915-08-14
eERMkN.AMsRlcAN kuLruR.

est is to land"
SO Spoke Dr. Hexamer, president of the National Ge
man-Amerlcan Alliance on German Day" at the sa
Francisco Exposition
Here is something for Americans to think about
Ancient Greek civilization was the worlds standard
Greece the teacher Of Rome to the latest day
Of the Empire There little original Roman ltei
ature; science or art Nearly everything worth Will
in the intellectual artistic life Of the Roman peopl
was borrowed from the Greeks
Is it true that whatever culture we have is made il
Germany" Is our American culture really nothing blu
German-Amercan Kultur?
Our citizens Of German origin or rather their racia
leaders sincere in their belief that they have gye
this nation whatever it has that is while
and that they the true custodians Of our institution
and traditions.
Prof Julius Goebel of the University of Illinois de
clared in a recent book that America would be essen
TALLY barbarous without the infusion into our natona
life of German Kutur and ideals German sense OF homo
and duty" He urged the German-Americans to hold to
gether and resist our native tendencies lest America
destroy everything that noble "n their Che Germans
national character"
The San Francisco convention took the same view
It declared for program calculated to foster anC
preserve German influence There is to be a new nation
al holiday, first of all American Day" oct 19th-h,
anniversary of the surrender of CORVALLIS symbol o.
liberation from British rule There are to be league.
organized every state to establish the German Ian
guage and literature in the public schools and to pro
mote every Of German activity. There are to be
classes everywhere in school and outside instruction
in German songs. German poetry and German history
There to be German Libraries and history to be
taught from the German point of view. There be
greater emphasis everywhere German Kutur and
of there is to be greater personal liberty"
All this to that German citizens have
decided to be more German than Amercan-that they
are resolved to be clannish avoid merging
mon life to keep clear of the American type" They
are eaven the of American life with their
own virtues and attanments, but they to distribute
Kultur to the other Americans
Now some aspect of this Kutur no American will
question. From Germany particularly from the old
Germany-we have learned much in the realms Of phios
ophy science history criticism poetry and above all
the art of a happy industrious and contened life From
modern Germany, whose ideals lower than those
century ago we have learned municipal adminisra-
ton business organization and natural sciences partc
uIarIy chemistry. From both old and new Germany we
borrowed much appreciation of nature, our
love of flowers, skill in gardening, and above ALL
knowledge and appreciation of music.
But in most Of the higher and finer aspects life and
culture. the Germany loved and admired has sadly
changed Our borrowed German ideals are those that
swayed Germany before most Of our present German
citizens to America to escape from intoerabe
militarism and lack of opportunity which they now
seem to have forgotten
At the present day the realm OF art it is probably
that while Germany excels in the serious drama and
forms of criticism. there is better painting scup
ture, poetry fiction and architecture in America than
there is in Germany, and truer appreciation of it,
When it comes to American politics German citi-
zens need not boast unduy DR. Hexamer declares that
the GermanAmerican asks political ayors and
stitutes his vote one" Unfortunately the German
Americans vote has been too often dictated by du-
bious deals-the teaching of German in the public
schools and an unrestricted liquor traffic The former
while it perhaps does no harm is special privilege and
to demand it as right is indefensble The lat
Ter is demanded the personal liberty, which
to other citizens often seems to than The
liberty to buy and drink beer wherever and whenever
one chooses
'rhe German.Amercan with his culture brings to his
new home sturdy integrity and pure and happy fam
ly life" says Dr. Hexamer The personal integrity and
the admirable family life are realities for which Amer
lea can never be too grateful But that the German
American a type has made is likely to make more
important contributions composite culture than
our other great racial elements Is hard admit And
from standpoint of the older American the German
American himself sometimes appears little suscept
ibe Of certain characteristic and valuable elements Of
our own culture.
group Of girl students at the Harvard summer school