Washington Journal., 1916-05-26
AMERICA FIRST
Especial Correspondence for this paper
by a prominent Washingtonian).

1t was to be expected that the British
press would try to m%isrepresent the pur-
poses of the pre-convention conference
to be held by the representatives Of
Americans of German blood and Gull
ture. They are doing it Justify, and the
song they sing is that the National Ali
ance is trying ito create a race vote in
this country and therefore to recognize
a race interest that must of necessity be
hurtful to America and to every Ameri-
can citizen" From this quite gratuitous
assumption one of these papers draws
the conclusion that "German-Americans
are to vote with the thought of Ger
many, rather than that of America, in
their minds; in other words, it is in
simulated that the German American
members to the same sort of criminal
conduct of which that most extraordln-
airy politician, Senator Husting, of Wis
cousin, was guilty when he advised his
constituents TO direct their arguments
to the government OF the German En-
pire."
COMMUNICATIONS have never been
influenced in their political action by any
considerations except the welfare of the
United States. To them the slogan of
America first" has been so natural and
necessary, that they have never felt the
need of arguing about it, anymore than
there is need of arguing that n should
breathe if one would live. 1t is only
the Wilson's, the Eliots, the Choates, the
Putnams, and the newspapers controlled
directly or indirectly by Lord North
cliffe who need to be exhorted not to
put the interests of some other country
before those of America.
1t is precisely because they are better
and truer Americans than the noisy agi-
tators for the British Alliance that the
COMMUNICATIONS propose to meet to-
gether in Chicago and talk over the
political situation. Upon them has fallen
a peculiar duty in the present crisis, a
1uty which they must perform precisely
in their capacity of Americans. By
blood and breeding they are bound to
see the germ of true Americanism, nov
threatened with extinction by British
Colonialism, is set free of the noXious
tares the English propaganda has sown.
Ours is a composite nation-compo-
site by blood, by tradition, by culture.
Our history has been too short, and
immigration is still too large, to allow
of that perfect blending of all these ele-
ncnts which in future days will insure
he perfect flower and fruit of real
Americanism. Of these elements the
English, the Teutonic and the Irish are
the most important. 1t would be moth
ing short of a calamity if either of these
were re ented from adding its share to
the con..non stock of national qualities.
For reasons obvious to everybody,
there is danger at the present moment
Of the suppression of every element in
the national character of America but
the English element. Therefore it is
necessary for Americans of German and
Irish antecedents to assert themselves
with peculiar vigor at this time. They
can do SO in no way except by counsel
ling together in their capacity as Ger
man-Americans or rish-Americans. and
offering an organized opposition to the
misguided zeal of certain Of their Eng
iish- American fellow-citizens, who are
striving to make America. to all intents
and purposes, a vassal country to Great
Britain.
1t is in this spirit that Commandment
cans will meet in Chicago; for with
them at this day, as at all former times,
it is ever
america FIRST