Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1916-02-10
THEN HANG HIGH AND, THERE
FORE. ARE SOUR.

I
every American Of German blood will
subscribe to, and also every other
true American:
The support OF the German Amer
leans is the greatest danger that
threatens the Republicans in the
coming campaign" says The New
York Tribune's Washington correa-
pondent, quoting one Of the most
influential Republican politicians in
the country"
If the country once gots the idea
that these voters think they can
gain anything by supporting the Re-
publican nominee, he might as well
quit running. / see the President is
trying his best to win their favor
and that some Of the Republicans
are also playing that game. l hope
he wins and they lose"
The correspondence closes with
these significant words, summing up
the present aspirations of the Re-
publican leaders,: Their hope at
present is that they can get the Ger
man support without the country
! knowing it--that it will come un-
asked and uncourted, and that even
II it becomes apparent that the Ger
mans are to back the Republican
ticket it will be so evidently for re-
venge and not in hope Of reward that
I the rest Of the country win not be
| influenced The leaders would not
reject such support, but they are
afraid that the dangers are greater
! than the chance of reward
They need not fear The German
! American vote is not under the ham,
mer. 1t is not for sale to the Demo-
cratic or the Republican or any other
party. 1t will be cast for the candi-
! date whose past performances give
| the greatest assurance that he will,
If elected to the high Office Of our
Chief EXecutiveship, stand solidly
and unequivocally for America first.
America first is an ISSUE" says
/ The Tribune, which will override
even the strongest political ties in
many cases and win swing the great
I body Of independent voters all one
way. We 80 q step further, and
say: IL is an issue that should over
, ride the strongest political ties in
EVERY case.
The Tribune finds itself in the
difficult position Of one compelled to
1T the square Of to-day to the round
\ hole or yester-exprossion The Trib-
une docs not like Mr. Wilson, for
partisan reasons, and Il does not like
Germans and German Americans, for
reasons which it has never divulged, ,
but which can be surmised. SO long
as il could find in Mr.. Wilson's
policies any suspicion Of anti-Ger-
manism il was his ardent supporter
| What Aaron held up the Moses
hands Of Mr.. Wilson with greater
! steadfastness in those days when the
/ press was urging the President into
war with Germany than this same
genial contemporary? When, how
ever, Mr.. Wilson discovered his firm
ness in maintaining peace with
honor what more bitter and un-
bridled defamator Of the President
than this same Tribune?
The Tribune does not stand for
/ America first" and never has--un-
less 1t were when Republican Ad-
ministratlon held the reins Of gov
! ernment in Washington. When Gro
yer Cleveland stood for America
| first" in the Venezuelan controversy
with Great Britain The Tribune
fought him tooth and nail as Il Is
now lighting Mr.. Wilson There Is
! something higher in q democracy
than party politics. Something which
seems to have escaped The Tribune
and those Republican leaders who
would not reject" the support Of
/ German Americans If il could be
! smuggled in through side door
| without the knowledge of their fell
J low citizens That something is
loyalty to America before loyalty to
party enlblems. We were born
( Americans, or became naturalized
| Americans. before we became Repub-
leans or Democrats. We are not go
ing to be smuggled TO the support Of
any nominee behind tho backs of our
i fellow citizens, aud We resent the
suggestion that il is possible to SO
( use us. We vote as Americans, and
/ tho world is priviledged TO know how
! we have voted.
The true inwardness Of the game
1 which certain political leaders are
( contemplating playing is discovered
4 in The Tribune's correspondence,
whcn 1t says Another element
which the politicians are figuring in
I to this situation is the non-German
( foreign-born vote. The figures
which The Tribune gives are OF no
( consequence. The principle involved
is everything, The Republican lead
( ors, if thoy are correctly represented
( by Mr. Roosevelts local organ, do
not want the German American vote,
! unless they can secure it sub rosa
when it would be quite acceptable;
but they are already counting up the
number Of ballots which they can OBJ
tain from Anglo-Americans, Franco
J Americans, Russo-Americans, Belgo-
( Americans, Servo-Americans and the
( Lord only knows what other Amer
! leans. They seek, in other words,
1 TO align one element in the American
citlzenry against another 1t is not
! the "hyphon" as such which they op-
Z pose. II is only tho "hyphen" which
I they foarwhich the British feared
in the War OF Independence and the
South in tho War Of the States.
The party which enters the COM
ing political struggle on o platform
Of "anti-hyphenism" is doomed to be
4 beaten. We are all hyphenates in
one sense OF the word or another.
] Only 9 day or SO ago J observed in