Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1916-11-18


master Durleson far from attacking
the German Americans in the fashion
Of Roosevelt and Bacon had sought
their friendship.
The TatherIand in the past has
often attacked Woodrow Wilson. But
we have never been blind to his ylr-
tues Wc haye dlssgi eed with him;
we may disagree with him again; but
being shackled by no consideration
Of private interest or party, we have
aimed to co. operate with him to the
extent OF our apility wherever in our
opinion his course was Enthusiastically
right rs carly as June VIC believed
that wo had discovered the first
glimpse OF q now Woodrow Wilson,
a Woodrow Wilson WHO, freeing him
self from evil advisers and inherited
prejudice, realized that the right and
wrong Of the great war is not for us
to Judge, tnat its causes arc obscure,
and that EWopes quarrels concern
us not We saw r Woodrow Wilson
with ~ vision not of war Int of peace,
peace for America, peace for the
world We saw a change, impercept-
iblc al first, in thc attitude of the
Administration: IN spite OF insidious
resistance within the State Depart
ment, there was at least an approach
to impartiality.
If IL were not for the tactless
message to Mexico on the subject of
submarine bases, where cur Secre-
tary of State acted as the messenger
boy Of Sir Cecil SpringRice, only to
be repudiated by the latter, and held
to scorn by Carranza, we would be
convinced that our neutrality has at
last ceascd ID be lopsided The
quick recognition Of the status OF the
submarine merchantmen, the proper
attitude shown in the case Of the
U-53, the prompt suppression Of the
abuse of the wireless by the New
York Herald, and the decision that
an American citizen taking the oath
of allegiance TO a foreign sovereign,
forfcits his citizonship--a principle
for which we have long contended--
are straws in the wind proving that
the sail of our ship of state Is at last
turning toward the port of Fair Play.
The wind may shift again. We may
have to recant tomorrow cur praise
OF today. We can only set down the
facts as we see them in tho light that
is in us. If these reforms had been
inaugurated earlier. tho political at
mosphore OF the last two years would
navc beon more wholesome.
All tho steps enumerated by us
were taken quietly. unostentatiously.
They were moi a bid for the German
American vote AS a matter Of fact
Woodrow Wilson made It perfectly
clear that his attitude was not deter
mined by the approaching election.
But the Americans of German des-
cent, not counting those who were
too deeply committed to the other
side and those who failed to note
these matters in the tumult of the
election, unqucstionably took his ap-
parent change of policy into account
when they cast their vote. If tho
President had ostontatiously an
nonuced reversal of stategear at
the last moment, he would have only
aroused the distrust Of that element.
AS ii was not sensationally exploited,
we are led to believe that the changes
arc due not to a transient shift of
policy for the benefit of Mr.. Wilson's
political fortune but to a gradual yet
sincere change of conviction.
We said that the attitude of the
German American vote would be de-
! tcrmined by what Mr.. Hughes would
/ say and BY what Mr.. Wilson would
do. Mr. Hughes spoke, he spoke
we'll. but he hodged, and permitted
| his friends TO contradict him. Mr.
Wilson acted Internationally. but he
acted. If his action had becn more
decisive, If he had applied hcThomas
Amendment Immediately after It's
passage, il he had promptly de-
manded the protection OF our mails
in terms that brook no contradiction.
he would have carried not merely
one-half OF the electorate, he would
have carried the country.