Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1916-04-30

they meant to me, for the things
they meant TO the immortal
Jefferson and the deathless Lincoln
AL men created equaP'; gov
ernment by the people and for the
people" Their love, my love, knew
no sectional limitations, no narrow
moss could love my native land
the more, the land OF my father and
my mother. because / had learned to
love America The nag Of Amer
lea was. and Is. to me a flag in
scribed with q message TO mankind,
the message OF liberty, equality, fra~
ternity. II was, and u.s. to me q
symbol of these truths which we
hold TO be self-eyident." IT.,
so / thought, and so still think,
there are nations which have not yet
learned these TRUTHS, that flag is
like the bra2en serpent which Moses
lifted up in the wilderness. in sight
or the lsraelites of old, when they
had fallen into error, so that all VINO
lookes upon III were restored to
health and happiness.
This flag Of our country, then is
the banner Of the Lord God OF Hosts.
Ii cannot float above the heads Of
those who would oppress, those who
plot against their fellows, those who
bear false testimony gainst others.
Such people can have no place IN its
shadow They know nothing Of its
meaning.
SO It is, then, when the people Of
my native land, my fathers people,
the people who gave me the breath
OF life, and to whom | sUll owe the
debt or nature and the love which
nature originates, are accused OF
wrongs which. as / know, they have
not committed; when the brothers /
left behind are threatened by forces
that depend on untruth, because they
are less skilled in the use Of manly
Weapons are misrepresented by
people who have cleverly hidden
their own crimes, burn with indig-
nation, because / love justice and
mercy, as jefferson loved them; be-
cause | love all mankind, as Lincoln
loved them. because | am an Ameri-
can by conviction. even NJ not by
bnth. III my native land has sinn-
ed. it must suffer retribution. But
this / know, be il SHINING or in
nocent, tho serponts tongue is q
weapon unknown in the arsenal or
Cod, weapon unused by soldiers
who fight the fight for truth, who
battle FOR liberty and for righteous
ness. ! believe these things, because
have learned them from my
masters thc fathers Of American lib
crty
This. then, is tho faith" Of an
IIyphenate," the faith not only or
myself, but OF thousands beside i
am an American because / chose
America as my country. after deep
study Of its fundamental principles. /
claim, then, that ] am us truly an
American as any could be who boasts
eight generations on our shores !
love Justice, truth and liberty. For
this reason / became an American.
For this reason. also ! resent the de-
liberatO lies circulated about my ma
tive land. and others by enemies,
who have not always been the cham
pions OF liberty aud human rights j
resent them, because / know them
to be lies. AS an American ] would
fight for my country against all in
yaders, against all enemies OF truth
and humanity but. MS an Ameri-
can who has voice in the govern
mont OF this great people. and the
Right to express honest convictions, |
claim lho right TO help prevent my
country from being led into assist
Ing injustice, mcndacity, wickodncas
and greed.
Yet, ais some tell us, all this In
wolves "disloyalty." Men of national
prominence and position, others also
whose loudness Of voice gains them
d hearing, protest that the "liyphe-
mated American" is menacing public
safety, comes near to doing and ut-
leiing treason Ireascnl Treason
against what? There are "Ameii-
cans" born Americans, who arc less
worthy the name than those who
have become Americans from choice
and conviction; grandaons and great
grandsons Of the Tories OF the Revo-
luton. who still urge Us TO espouse
the sacred cause" OF England. as
did also their foreboars. | consider
myself bcttor American than such
men. even II am an "iIyphenate.'
/ have your word that you love
tho Unitcd states and would fight
for It's flag. ] believe, moreover,
that your life OF patriotic word and
action justifics your claim on the
other hand, IN the y years l have
been In this country. and in the 20
years since / acquired citizenship, !
have done nothing that could im-
peach my chain chat as far as the
love Of country IS concerned, you
and stand ia the same position, and
can discuss the interests OF our COM
mon country ON an equal basis.
Grcator misfortune could overtake
This country than that you again
should become It's President But
! SEQ q great danger in y, and as an
ordinary onc-yote citizen ! feel that
] ought to say IL in q form that
YOU and your friends may fully
understand why. with all my admi-
ration for your great talents and
noble career, ] cannot support you
ats Presidential candidate, MY
reasons hold, also, for millions more
of our fellow-citizcns,
There arc very many reasons why