Evening journal., 1915-09-08
WEDNESDAY SEPT. 8. 1915
THE ONE QUESTION AT ISSUE.


TT is with pleasure that we receive give publicity
to the following letter written by the Rev. S G.
Bosse pastor Of Zion Lutheran Church in this
city and an earnest advocate of the Of Germany
in the War of the Nations
To the Editor Of THE EVENING JOURNAL.
sr;-Allow me in the first place to acknowledge that
have been guilty Of an injustice to you, though in
voluntarily, by claiming that you have ignored my let
ters. gratefully remember the space that you granted
me for an article entitled why the Germans Are
Confident" Ignorance of your office ethics may account
for part Of the injustice
BY an acknowledgment Of this fact I can by no
means, however, acknowledge an error concerning my
position Koelble. was not present to be sure when
Koelhle landed but neither were YOU While have a
great respect for reporters and number my
friends among them nevertheless believe that
reporters make mistakes we all do, and that reports
which were correct may at times change their when
tney 60 70 the press Wel remember an article in the
Saturday Evening Post years ago. which described
IN detail now easily reporter may make a mistake.
Inc history or New York newspapers has been one that
will bear out this assertion The reports of special cor
respondents. no less than those OF who reported
meetings which we're held in the interest of America
have ofentmes been incorrect me Koelhles denial
OF the attitude he is supposed have sufficient
Your editorial on the subject opens large field By
defending Koehle I intended defending the atti-
tude he supposed TO have taken. position on
the Lusitana and Arabic has been that of many prom
nent Americans, and appeared in the Sunday Star
AS for German Americans, you we'll all others
In our community rest assured that Ameri-
cans first and that we know but fag the Stars and
Stripes Our whole history proves this. Defending Ger
in her battle for existence does imply that we
are disloyal to our own country No than
open championship OF the cause Of the Allies have
taken active part in what you choose the
man propaganda but Il has been merely propaganda
OF defense, as all OF the German American work was
There have been threats such appeared in Italian
papers shortly after the broke between Italy
and Austria In fact we have restricted ourselves To
waging legitimate contest in newsjo Journals ask
ing for no sympathy but fair play only If can be
convinced of our error we viii gladly retraot
All of our German Americans want Il understood that
they who have had much TO differ with the of
the administration nevertheless are good Americans
We viii support the President in his measures but
have the same rights as Others having been born here
TO protest against certain measures with millions OF
others in this country before said measures have be-
come law.
If these activities Of ours were understood in this
ght and we are only too willing have them invest-
gated since there IS nothing secreve about them then
much of the i'll feeling that now existing would van
sh But as long fathers and our kin are attacked
as Huns and barbarians shall protest and write and
speak against H. Sincerely yours,
Wilmington Del, Sept G. 1915
The Koelble matter resolves itself into question OF
veracty between Koelble, the New York lawyer. and
the ship news reporters who met him and interviewed
him when he landed in that city recently from Ger
many Mr.. Won Bosse prefers to accept the denial
made by Koelble when a storm of American indisna-
ton burst upon him following the publication Of what
hundreds OF thousands Of Americans regarded as
sonabe utterances attributed to him. not in one New
York newspaper but in all the leading papers in that
city.
preachers and lawyers. We know the ship news re-
porters in New York. We also know Mr. Koelble We
have him and interviewed him repeatedly He Is
fine fellow possessed of pronounced opinions and
prone to them when his feelings are stirred
1t is because know him and his mpuisve nature
and because know how he must have felt when he
realized what effect the utterances attributed to
him had exercised upon the American mind that we
accept the reports made by the ship news re-
porters rather than his interested denial we view
it. Koebles hindsght much better than his fore
sight and denial his only refuge in the face Of
the American temper toward him.
We do expect to convert Mr. Won Bosse IN that
view. Our sole purpose is to our own position
clear in the matter We said in our original editorial
on the Koelble incident that did not believe Koe
bic expressed German American sentiment That IL
borne out by Mr.. Won Bosse himself Who as spokes
man for many COMMUNICATIONS in Delaware saw;
that as for the German Americans you as we'll as al
others in community may assured that we ar,
Americans first and that know but one flag tn,
Stars and Stripes" He adds: I'VE will support IN,
President in his measures but have the same righ
as others. having been born here to protest agains
certain with millions of others in this coun
try. before said measures become law
All of which tends to show that the only question
at issue between is whether Koelble gave the rea
sonabIe interview which he subsequently attempted t.
repudiate
We believe he gave IT,
Mr. Bosse believes he did not give IT,
The difference Of opinion is seemingly irreconcfabl
unless the reporters who interviewed the lever admi
that they carelessly msliciously rnisouoe6 him
Mr. Bosse place in our hands such admissions
we shall be perfectly willing admit that we hav
done Koelble Injustice