The Detroit times., 1916-05-19
Makes Plea for
Undivided Loyalty

As part OF the work Of prepared
ness. a. part OF the work Of Ameri-
Canism. and Of natiOnafi zation. we
must set our faces like nint against
any effort - divide our people along
the lines .of creed or OF national
origin The politiCo-racial hyphen is
the most sinister developments Of
the last - months has been the fact
that sectivn OF the professional
German Americans has Joined the
pacihsts in the effort TO keep Amer
lea helpless while this same section
OF German Americans ~ laudtnR Ger
man militarism to the skies and
apulOgiZing for every manifestati on
of that militarism. even when ~ il
futhleszly used against the welfare
Of the weak.
Ny plea - that all our citizens to-
day shall at in the spirit OF the men
OF many different race stTains--fhe
W ash nEtOnE. AdamseS and Lees. the
Schuylers and Sullivans, the CAROLS
Herkimers-who dlsregarded all
questions Of national origin and be-
came Americans and nothing else
whom they founded this country.
n IL not possible permanently to
possess a divided national allegiance.
" men are not whole hearted IN
their Amsricanism. ~ they try To
combine loyalty 10 this land with
evitahle that TO a greater or lesser
degree they make the loyalty 10 an
other land OvcrshadOw their loyalty
10 this.
There has come into my possession
a copy 81 a letter written by Pro-
fesSOr Paul Hohrbach. OF Berlin. 10
a German. Professor Appslman, ~
the University of Vermont. This let
tar was printed IN the New York
Times OF April 9Th. II follows in
part.
vrl, ~, g gsrsrBs OPEN, to qgs;,ign
woH'T derive benefit from American
arm. rrnts. In order 10 form an
opinion one would have TO be able
policy wili follow after the conclu.
sion of peace, and particularly how
our relations with Japan will shape
themselves. II seems 10 me quite
japanese war, we should ADOPT an
attitude OF very heneyoie~t neutral
ity toward Japan and thereby make
~ easier FOR her TO beat America. In
that case. why should we help on the
American armament policy. , +
cannot see, therefore. that German
political aims would be regarded ipso
facto by German Americans lendln Z
Themselves 20 the schemes for Amer
lean armament"
Professor Rohrbach also speculates
az 10 who may be the next presi-
dent after Wilson" saying: ~
president again. which. after all. =
not impossible the German
cans would then be found to have
simply played his game for him AS
| regards this statement OF Professor
Rohrbach / very freely admit that
no man ought 20 back me or support
the policies for which ! stand unless
with the clear understanding that
| these are streiRht-Out America n
! policies. not policies in the interest
! OF some other nation against my
own, and that our citizens do "pla y
| my game precisely 20 the extent
! that they support such straight.out
! American policies.
/ am certain that the German
| Americans who can consciously be
an utterly Insignificant proportion Of
the Americans OF German descent.
f by some OF their genuinely patriotic
I sciously by such arguments There
fore. ask my fellow citizens who
arc whole or In part OF German
blood. 20 consider very carefully the
/ above letter and 20 ponder what IL
meant for their children and grand
forth.
very earnestly wish that some
/ way could be found for repudiatlng
/ the men whose actions have made II
possible for foteiRnerr rke Professor
I Rohrbach 20 Write with the insoleni
belief that they can use our fellow
citizens Of German birth and descent
80 that their political influence may
be eNertcd IN euch fashion as TO max,
this country helpless to defend ltselt
against foreign aggression. whether
rom Japan, from Germany, or from
ANY other power. We must all &C
"a Americans, and We cannot afforC
90 accept NJ our leaders either Ger
mans or EnEliEhmon, ar men OF any
other foreign nationality
ask my fellow citizens OF German
| birth 10 remember that whhtcve,
calamity befaila this country veil
make It's effects felt on their ohil
I dren no less than on mine. n Pro
! fessOr Rohrbach'H disciples here sue.
/ ceed In shaping our action 80 that
/ Japan. In the Interest OF Germany
| beats tho United states the shame
and the disgrace and the loss viii b.
felt by your children, my fellow
rltizens -of. German origin. no less
than by nline
Tho rNtreme naval party IN DER
many has recently ala coated var