The sun., 1916-01-17
EVERYWHERE THE HYPHEN.
A Philosophlc Survey Of the Foreign
Prejudice Of Certain Citizens.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN--Sir. All
Americans have "A hyphen, concealed or
very visible Almost all OF my friends
are members of the St. Andrews or st.
Something Society, and are proud OF be-
ing members OF these friendly hyphen
clubs Every one of my friends IL proud
OF his descent from some great European
stock. and Is by no means slow in tell.
ing about 1t. | myself am very we'll
content to have more Scotch blood than
any other.
ASK the next dozen men you meet what
they would do II the United States was
foyced into war with England. They
will all thank God that that is impos-
sible But most of them will add that
II It were possible they would not volun-
teer very readily to fight. Almost GER
tainly there will be mentioned the fact
that blood Is thicker than water" This
is indeed true. But It applies as well
TO fSutonic blood as to English blocd
or French blood.
1t Is only decent that the men and
women of German blood In this country
should be devoted to tho German rather
than TO the Allies side in this conflict.
II they were not they would be IN some
degree that worst of things. "a renegade.
The loyalty to their own that keeps them
on the side OF Germany is the very
voted Americans at bottom. Their pro-
Germanism is not one bit more hyphen-
ated than our anti-Germanism The
whole quarrel over hyphenism IL mat
ter OF the pot calling the kettle black.
The war goods supplied by this coun-
try to the Allies are "a vital part OF the
Allies ability to ight German sym
rathizers would be more thar human II
they did not oppose this commerce and
nee ,t,f .s.s
who are not American citizens should 30
to III advised lengths often TO oppose
this commerce is only natural. Just as
the efforts OF our Government 10 restrain
these foolish devotees are natural.
II ] were an American OF German
blood | should be exceedingly proud OF
the manner In which men of my rae"
were holding the rest of the civilized
world at bay. even driving VI back at
many points II | were a German and
not citizen Of this country II is very
likely that | should he carried by my
feelings TO the commission of some fool
ish act to help my countrymen.
What all Americans ne d to eliminate
the wrong part OF hyphenism Is strong
national Government, truly Jealous -
American honor and American rights 10
which they could give their best loyalty.
France has not made her people glorious
through 1Utlr ueNbllUU DN T~-IIG Nfdh'
pacific. futilely wordy. Germany has
not united her people by neglActing the
call OF German individual rights when
infringed by foreign nations
You have to give every man some
thing TO be proud Of before you can call
forth his deepest loyalty. France and
England and Russia and Italy give anti
German Americans more TO be proud OF
than their own Government gives them
Certainly Germany and Augtria and
Turkey give Proc rman Americans
more 10 be proud OF than does our own
Government The hyphen is IN the soul
OF Us all II Is the strength and the
pride of u, all. the best pa. OF our
Anne ricanism. Give us an Am icanism
to be proud o. and the hyphcn will be
for US all q strength in our American
ism rather than a reprOach. \ man has
got to have pride in something. When
he cannot be proud OF his own Govern
ment. what is more natural than for him
to be proud OF the people from which he
came? More common sense and calm
ness devoted 10 the needless problem OF
hyphcnated citizenship, less rhetoric on
that subject, would hep considerably.
ARTHUR MOORE
GrrESwfcH, Conn, January 10