The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-08-28
WILSON AND THE GERMAN NOTE
washington Evening Starr

Summing up political conditions
as / found them in St. Louis ant
Kansas City, / should say they are
largely the same as in the East
That is to say, dependent in grea,
measure upon the duration of the
European war and this country's
continued disentanglement from
that debacle.
In the present situation with the
country, except one element of the
population, standing solidly back OF
President Wilson, politicians are
adrift and the channel buoys are
missing. The President has all the
best of it.
In st. Louis l found very inter-
esting political situation, the crux
of which is the attitude of the Ger.
man Americans, with side issue re-
lating to prohibition and national
preparedness. In that city 20 per
cent of the population i s German
extraction. and feeling runs high on
the question of shipments of NUM-
tions to the allies.
Intense bitterness is manifested
toward President Wilson, and he is
held responsible by them for con-
tinuance of the traffic. But, more
than that, the Stars correspondent
was told by impartial and unbiased
residents in position to observe, that
the feeling is extending to native
born Americans, and is being shown
in business and social life by a spirit
of German clannishness. However,
the latter phase is of local interest,
and need only be referred to in pass
ing.
The political significance is i'm
portant in this way: The German
element is certain to oppose Presi-
dent Wilson in the next national
campaign. But the Germans in St
Louis are Republicans, anyhow. St.
Louis is Republican stronghold,
made so by the German vote. SO
President Wilson will not lose very
much.
The point is this (and here is
where the significance comes I'M:
The German-American's purpose to
make a political issue out of the
Presidents attitude is serving to
anger the American element, and
Republicans are saying that if the
German-Americans raise the issue on
the administrations policy they will
support the President regardless Of
politics.
| may add that this condition is
not confined to Missouri. The Stars
correspondent heard the same thing
in New York, New Jersey and Penn
sylvania, and heard it from Repub-
licans of lifelong fealty to their
party.
My observations and inquiries in
the course of extreme travelling in
the past three months lead me to
the conclusion that this is the most
important phase of political condi-
tions in this country today, namely,
that the increasing bitterness of the
German-Americans toward the
President on account of his notes to
Germany and his refusal to violate
neutrality by advocating the prohi-
bition of munitions shipments is an
asset of incalculable value to the
Democratic party and serious me-
naces Republican autonomy.
II must be remembered that west
of the Ohio river party lines are
rather shadowy at best. The days
of rock-ribbed Republication and
Democracy are past. Men are be-
coming more independent in poll.
ties, especially in this bounding
west.
Republican leaders and party
managers realize that the German
Americans are playing directly into
the hands of President Wilson, and,
through him, the Democratic party.
because, while not adding to the Re-
publican strength in opposing him.
since they are Republicans already,
they are turning good Republicans
over to support of the President. The
condition is source of grave con
Germ to the Republican managers.