Omaha daily bee., 1916-10-14
WASHINGTON TRIES
TO STOP PARADES
Effort of Administration to
4 Head Off Preparedness Dem
onstration in New York.
STORY TOLD IN DETAIL

New York, Oct .l3.-(Special Tele-
gram. General Charles H. Sheriff.
who was grand marshal of the New
York City preparedness parade OF last
spring, issued statement at repub-
lican national headquarters today
charging that the Washington admin
istration endeavored, for political
reasons, to prevent that parade. This
effort having failed, subsequently, L
will be remembered, President Wilson
himsellf took part in preparedness
parade in Washington. Mr.. Sher-
r:ll's statement says:
"Mr. Ridder's statement in the
newspapers that the administration
has for some time been attempting to
conciliate what they frequently call
the German hyphenate vote recalls
to my mind an experience of last
spring which tends to confirm his
statement. Atjthat time for six weeks
|, with some of,.ny friends, was en-
gagged HI organizing the preparedness
parade, which took place in this city
on May rs. About two weeks before
that date ! received an urgent tele-
phone request to come to the may
or's Office. Upon arriving there I
was told that long distance tele-
phone message had just been re-
ceived from the administration in
Washington urging the preparedness
parade be abandoned on the ground
that it would irritate our American
citizens Of German birth Or descent,
might cause riots in the streers and,
therefore, be most undesirable.
Declines to Sidestep.
""Of course, / was astounded by
this request, and stated that in my
opinion sidestepping a crisis was not
the best way to meet it, especially il
not assured that it really was a crisis.
| asked time to consider the matter
and it was given me. 1t was made
clear that the extraordinary sugges-
ton did not originate with the mayor,
but came from the administration in
Washington,
In order to ascertain if this was
real or only an imaginary crisis, pre-
pared for political purposes, | con
ferred with Mr.. Carl L. Schurz, a
childhood friend, and told hem what
had been said to me at the mayor's
office, expressing my opinion that it
was based upon an entire misconcep-
ton OF our German-American citizens
and their loyalty to their adopted
land; and in this opinion he heartily
agreed. He went at once to see his
friends and had a number of confer
ences concerning which cannot
speak because ] was not present at
any OF them. | learned that as re-
suit Of his efforts Mr.. Bernard Rid
der personally went to the mayors
office and assured his honor that not
only was there no fear Of any rioting
or other disloyal behavior on the part
of American citizens of German ante
cedents, but also that the German Ian
guage press of this city would endorse
dhu ouPPolt tnC parade. ] myself
never have seen Mr.. Bernard Ridder.
Ninety Parades, No Riot.
More than ninety other cities also
had preparedness parades, and about
2.8SO,O00 persons took part in them.
From none of these cities did | hear
of any riot opposition by American
citizens Of German descent TO these
parades. On the contrary, they took
part in large numbers. N
The attempt OF the administration
to stop the New York parade was not
only an unjust reflection upon the 10y
atty Of Americans OF German origin.
but also disingenuous bid by Wash
ington for their political support. 1t
was likewise the one single instance in
all that great movement ON the part
OF anybody touse it for the purpose
Of playing politics. ~.
(Signed) Charles H. Sheriff."
Mr.. Sheriff. was asked by the news
paper men who was the spokes sn,an
for Washington in the mayors Of
fice on that occasion: He replied:
. A ek the ,payarp