The Detroit times., 1916-06-01
/ Taeenpae FINANCIAL AND MARKET NEWS r. 90

looked upon and treated as a foreign
err. as an American: and his ways OF
thought are different from the ways
lie has gone to one Pis sn3 where rsI no a.
vided allegiance would for one mo-
ment be permitted. where, very
properly. whoever dweils In the land
legiance to the German nag: and the
American OF German descent who
goes there either remains absolutely
an outsider and AN alien. an Amerf-
lutely. German. III either the Ameri-
can OF English descent or the Amert-
can of German descent or the Amert-
can OF any other descent tries 10 re-
main with dual allegiance. with q
divided citizenship. he merely ceases
to become an American without there
by becoming a German or an Eng
lishman or anything else. He be-
has forfeited the right TO be stirred
by the feeling OF patriotic devotion
To any land. or to have a special and
peculiar kinship with any people.
right OF all OF us; and IL Is shame
and disgrace for any man to bar
ter II Tor SO poor a mess OF pottage
as Is implied in that kind OF hhyphen-
individual tries TO be halfway citi-
zen of two lands and forfeits the
right to be whole citizen OF any
land.
1t would be possible to man our
entire administration from president
down with men OF German blood, and
OF such uncompromising Americanism
that every good American could fol-
low them with whole-hearted loyalty.
chair any American of German. Irish
Scandinavian or other percentage of
whatever creed as against any man
whose ancestors came ever in the
banks OF the James three centuries
ago, II l thought the first man was
better fitted for the position than the
second man. l hold II an outrage and
a violation OF every principle OF true
Americanlsm to discriminate against
such a man because OF the land from
which he or his parents came. or be-
cause of his creed But l hold 1t no
less an outrage for him to act in our
domestic politics not as an American
but as an American with a qualih-
cation: as an American who has some
n-American interest to serve. some
his ancestry. The man who thus acts
IL the hyphenated American.
This In not mere abstract
question which ! am discussing.
ed forth In the public press that
branches Of the "Germam-Amerl-
can Alliance" sO-ca1led, In differ
ent parts OF the country, are at
tempting to coerce timId ana nm
ening to vote against them, Or ~
actually voting against them,
when the German American AL
lance regards their action ~ un-
not Of the United states but Of
Germany. These branches Of the
Alliance openly take the ground
that they intend to shape Ameri-
can politics In the interests, not
Of the United States, but OF Ger
many. The German-Ameriean Al
lance of PennsyIvania. for I'm
snnre. ns reported In the public
press. states that II intends 10
show "the leaders Of the national
conventions that they have to
den1 with n united German Amer
lean vote" Such = statement rep
resents moral treason 10 the Re-
public. branches Of the German
American Alliance In other parts
Of the country have used prac-
ticalIy the same language. The
Alliance has put forth no pro-
gram affecting America. The pro-
can citizens to vote In one affect
Ing Germany and only Germany.
do not In the least object To IL
because II denOunces me. 1t Has
denounced Mr.. Wilson almost ~
often and aImost as severely.
One Of Its fav0rite forms Of de-
nunciatiOn includes Mr.. Wilson,
Mr.. Root and myself, m equally
to be opposed In the interest Of
Germany.
1t is moral treason to the United
states for any of it's citizens to act
and TO seek to make their govern.
mental representatives act, not with
reference to the interests OF thu
United States. but of some foreign
power The German al
lance Is, in practice, an anti-Ameri
can Alliance. Any such political or
ganization, whether German Ameri
can. Irish American or English
American. is not a healthy element
OF the body polite. Any body of oil
citizens have a perfect right to op
pose any man because of a difference
OF judgmenN concerning American
problems: but IL has no right to dea
with American public servants, oil
American public men on the basis OF
the interests of some foreign power
The men who so act are dtsIoy-
nj 20 the United states, and ! say
this just ~ quickly Of men try
ing 10 serve England or France
ms I say IL Of men trying 10 serve
Germany. I condemn the Ameri-
can citizen who acts ms an ENG
Iish-Amertcnn" Just Rs strongly
as I condemn the American eth
zen who acts Ms a "German-Amer-
tcan."
Here In this city I could repeat
name after name OF men OF German
birth who as American citizens have
had distinguished records OF intense