Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-03
TWO AUTO FIRMS
NOW IN FIGHT ON
HYPHEN in CITY
Vim Motortruck and Biddle
die Motorcar Compa-
nies Lead in War
DECLARE BAN ON ALIENS

Two prominent automobile manufactur.
ing concerns of this city have taken the
lead In patriotic movement to declare
war on hyphenated Americanism In Phila-
delphia along the lines suggested by the
Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit
Under the plan unnuturalized Americans
Will have practically no chance for ad.
vancement while in the employ of these
concerns.
The Philadelphia manufacturers who
have undertaken to promote the move.
ment are:
THE VIM MOTOR TRUCK COMPANY, with
plants at Broad and Huntington streets, 10th
5WSTfSS WSes. ana montgomery avenue ana IN North
THE BrDD1.E MOTOR CAR COMPANY. Ger.
mantown and Allegheny avenues.
The Vim Motortruck Company was the
first to make a stand against hyphenated
Americans in Philadelphia. Harold b.
Larzelere, vice president and general
manager of the company, today Issued
statement asserting that yesterday the
concern took drastic action against un-
naturalIzed Americans in its employ.
shortly before noon today Arthur NJ.
Maris, president of the Biddle Motorcar
Company, Germantown and Allegheny
avenues, announced that he had COM
mitted that organization to the idea and
had posted notices that unnaturalized
citizens could not be promoted and that
American allegiance was necessary to
win any considerable success with his
company.
In his appeal for other Philadelphia
manufacturers to get into line against the
hyphen Mr.. Larzclere asserted that the
situation Is serious and that the business
men of this nation must take action II
they hope to escape disaster. He de-
clared that the hyphens are backing a
propaganda of treason in this country
and that manufacturers and business men
must do their share toward stamping out
the evil. Characterizing the hyphens as
vulturcs and parasites, Mr.. Lar2clere as
serted that they should be driven from
the country If they could not be made
to respect American institutions and
ideals.
WHAT MIR. LARZELERE SAYS.
Mr. Larzcere's statement follows:
1T is apparent that the institutions OF
this country are being threatened by n
spirit of disloyalty which has been termed
hyphenated Americanship.
cit is high time that the business men
of this country and other true Americans
get together and do their share toward
eliminating this spirit of disloyaity
which has been cropping up in every part
of the United States.
Every day we read how aliens have
sneered and made light of our public in
stitutions and how they have tried to
besmirch the lofty ideals established by
the founders of this republic.
THE situation Is serious. and IL true
Americans of this country hope to safe
guard the nation they must do something.
These aliens come to our shores seeking
self-improvement and liberty. Many of
them are in the confidence of the heads
of our factories and other institutions;
these men are paid high salaries: they
have received every attention, have been
welcomed with the hospitality for which
America is noted, and they have been
benefited ~ the advantages offered by
the Unitec States.
"ABUSED OUR HOSPITALITY"
1--WE feel that they have abused our
hospitality, that they have cast into the
dust some of our most sacred ideals-it
must stop. There Is no reason why the
good things of this republic should not
be turned over to the true American-the
man who thinks enough of this country
to become naturalizcd and take his stand
for the Stars and Stripes without regard
to tradition and affiliations which he may
have left behind across the ocean.
ITO give naturaliZed Americans the full
benefit of this country TO the exclusion
of the hyphenated we believe will result
in stamping out the treason which is
broadcast in the land.
Great masses of these aliens are de-
pendent upon the manufacturing plants
for their bread; these plants are under
the protection of the Stars and Stripes
An insult to our flag, a cowardly attack
on this Government is a u;rect assault
on the safety of the manufacturing and
business enterprises of this country.
PROMOTIONS FOR AMERICANS.
"It is our intention to give all of the
positions of trust in our three plants to
naturalized Americans-men who have the