The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1916-10-18
Everybody's Column

S ~O1uH1 III +
Communicate that I
leaders Of this Column. 7
I*++*&$+% %%+++++++ +++++++s4''
them who would not give the last
drop of blood in defense OF Ameri'
ca if this country were at war with
Germany or Ireland or any other coun
try on earth That is the test, the
supreme test of patriotism, and 1t is
la test which both the German-Ameri,
cans and Irish.Americans met bravery
during the Civil war and in every
war this country has ever had. There
were German-American regiments In
the Union army. but did you ever hear
Of a Brittsh!American ! regiment?
The statistics show that there were
fifty men of German birth and fifty
men of Irish birth in the union armies
to one of British birth, and that while
Germany never failed in its stand for
the Union, England was doing all 1t
could to help the rebels. ~ ~.
That a man should be willing to
offer his life for the country is the
supreme test OF patriotism and no
man has a right to ask that any %citi.
zen should not freely express his sym
patty or his friendliness for any nat
ion at war with, a country not his own.
This question was not raised when the
people Of the United States were al.
most unanimous. in their sympathy
with Japan in it's struggle with Rus
STA, it was not raised when thousands
expressed their hope that the, Beers
would be able to/defend their homes
against invasion and conquest, 1t Is
not raised against the man who en-
lists in the British ranks today, 1t is
solely directed against the man who
hopes and prays that Der Vaterland'
will be successful against its encirc.
ling foes. nsss ~, an s1,4 sy5 If :
The .German.Americans are the
truest neutrals in, the United States
to-day. They ask not favor. but fair
ness. They insist that neutrality does
not mean to Kiss the King and Kick
the Kaiser, but that it means absolute
and answering loyalty to America
First, with no course Of action for
which the press either Of Germany or
of England shall feel called upon to
thank US. .-.Sl IT, II:
All this abuse of the "hyphenated''
American, directed solely against the
German and the Irish-American, has
had most pernicious influence thru
out the whole country. Splendid Ger
man-American and 1risti American
citizens, men whose whole lives have
given proof Of their. loyalty and good
citizenship have been made objects
of suspicion and Of ill-will. Recently
/ was in north eastern Iowa, and
there man Of high standing and
superior education, but Influenced by
these trades, whispered to me with
awe and terror. that there were at
least twenty German spies in that
county "A He, told it in the same blood
curdline way in which We used to
be told thatsevery catholics church was
an armory and that some morning we
should all wake up to find ourselves
dead in bed. l asked him what on
earth German spy would spy out in
Clayton county, was he to secretly
watch the crops and report to the
Kaiser by cipher >-or was he to keep
tab on the rise and fall of the Miss.
'issippi? My. informant did not know,
but he was sure that among his
friends and neighbors in the county
there were at least twenty who were
under the pay of The German govern
ment as spies. A,few days later was
in Prairie du Chen, Wis. Being in.
terested in the eafly history of that
section made inquiry as to the loca.
ton of old fort Crawford and asked
some questions as to its history. Be.
fore had proceeded very far, the man
with whom was talking asked me If
I was not a German. The same ques,
ton was asked me later in the day
and, still later, third party, more
frank than the others, told me that 1t
"was all over town" that was Ger.
man spy. These instances are cited
simply to show the absurd ground
less, but altogether unhealthy and un,
American, suspicious which have been
aroused by this demagogic talk about
the hyphenated American.
As for myself, could not, in Craw.
ford county. deny my "hyphen" II ]
would. But have no desire to deny
lit. God put it there when he permit.
ed me to be born of German father
and a Yankee mother, and would not
undue his handiwork If l could. Fur.
Their, the Bible commands Honor thy
father and mother" and see no rea.
son why one should not honor the
Fatherland and at the same time be
perfectly true and loyal to the moth
erland". The man of German birth
or extraction whose heart does not
60 out to the flesh of his flesh who are
making the bravest fight in The world S
history against such fearful odds has
mot enough red blood in his veins to
be loyal citizen of any land. The
same is true of every English-Ameri.
can and they would be worthy of the
same contempt If they did not hope
their arms would win, One thought
more and l shall close this too leng.