Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-05-31
COLONEL ASSAILS
GERMAN ALLIANCE
AS TREASON BODY
Roosevelt, in st. Louis
Speech, Attacks Society as
Moral Traitor
AMERICA FOR AMERICANS
No Divided Loyalty Possible, He
Says--Great Mass of Teutons
Here Are Faithful

ST LOUIS, Mo-. May 31-coloneI
Roosevelt attacked the hyphenated Amer.
lean here today--in the city having the
second largest German-American popula-
tlon in the United States The former
President has seldom been so vitriolic as he
was in denouncing the moral treason" of
hyphenates. He spoke a. a luncheon of
the City Club.
The "German-Amerioan Alliance came in
for large share OF the Colonels wrath
He held this organization and It's branches
to be composed of people "disloyal' to the
United States, and unfit for citizenship ~
He pleaded for America for Americans" ="
while auding in glowing terms the patriot
ism OF some immigrants who came to
America and as citizens here proved
fealty to the Stars and Stripes by deeds of
heroism and nublic service.
Here In st. Louis | wish to speak
briefly on the subject of Amercansm' the
Colonel began. Il stand for straight Amer
icanism. unconditional and unqualified, and
j stand against every form Of hyphenated
Americanism do not speak of the hyphen
when 1t Is employed as n mere matter of
convenience, although personally | like to
avoid It's use even in such manner /
speak of and condemn its use whenever IL
represents an effort TO form political parties
along racial lines or to bring pressure to
bear on parties and politicians, not for
American purposes, but in the interest of
bOIue RTVup Oh NuNeTS Oh Il CeTlhlH ndlluHdl
origin, or of the country from which they
or their fathers came.
"Amerlcanism is not matter of creed,
birthplace or national descent, but of the
soul and of the spirit"
In closing his address, he asserted:
A UNIFIED AMERICAN.
"The salvation of our people lies In hav.
ing n nationalized and unified American,
ready for the tremendous tasks of both
war and peace. j appeal to all our citizens,
no matter from what land their forefathers
came, to keep this ever in mind, and to
shun with scorn and contempt the sinister
intriguers and mischief makers who would
seek to divide them along lines of creed of
birthplace, or of national origin. / ask
them to remember that there is but one
safe motto for all Americans, no matter
whether they were born here or abroad: no
matter from what land their ancestors
came and that is the simple and loyal
motto-America for Americans.
I'VE in this country form a new nation
akin to. but different from, each of the ma
tions of Europe. our duty Is to the United
States. This duty should constrain us in
the hrst place to treat the other nations
primarily according to the way such treat
ment serves American interests and in the
second place, so far as possible. to treat
other nations in such manner as serves the
interest of mankind at large
''The American of German descent who
goes to Germany is not looked upon as a
German. He is looked upon and treated as
a foreigner as an American; and his ways
OF thought are different from the ways of
thought of the people of the land
If either the American of English
descent or the American of German descent
or the American of any other descent tries
70 remain with dual allegiance, with a |
divided citizenship, he merely ceases TO |
become an American citizen without there's |
oy becoming n German or an Englishman
pr anything else.
MAN WITHOUT COUNTRY.
He becomes a man without a country
who has forfeited the right to be stirred by
he feeling of patriotic devotion to any land
pr 10 have a special and peculiar kinship
With any people"
Between these two appeals. the Colora,
ran the gamut of denunciation. on the one
hand, of hyphenates, of whatever country
and eloquent eulogy on the other. of men
IKE Jacob Riis, Colonel Goethals Major
General Barry Leonard Wood and scores
or others OF foreign birth or parentage' who
were real Americans a.
If the American has the right STUFF in
him. he declared, II care not snan nf
my fingers whether he is a Jew or CEN
tile catholic or Protestant. / care not a
snap OF my fingers whether his ancostors
came over in the Mayfiower or whether he
"NS SNLH VI MS parents We're born in Ter
many, Ireland. France. England Scandina-
wa, Russia, Italy or any other country
All ask OF the immigrant is that he shall
De physically ard Intellectually fit, OF sound
character and eager in good faith to be-
come an American citizen"
The Colonel said he believed that the
great mass OF Americans of German origin
are now, as they have always been. among
the most patriotic and loyal citizens in mis-
''''"
In the Civil War, he added, a much larger
proportion of the citizens OF Immediate
German origin than OF old Colonial stock
were loyal and the three States OF Mis-
souri,, Maryland and Kentucky were pre-
vented from joining the Confederacy by the
strong German element
Discussing the German.American Alliance
Ind It's aims and published statements. par.
licularly the Pennsylvania branch and its
warning that leaders of national conyen-
ions be warned they must deal with a
United German-American vote, the Colonel
asserted:
such a statement represents moral trea-
ION TO the republic, The program on which
I (the Alliance) wishes American citizens
o vote is one affecting Germany, and only
BRADLEYS, JUNK DEA