New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1917-07-11
AMERICAN DREYFUS
CASE not WANTED
VIERECK'S WEEKLY PLEADS in
DEFENSE OF PLAN FOR GER
MAN-AMERICANS. Il

Under the caption, ''Do you want an
American Dreyfus case?' George
Sylvester Viereck, in his magazine,
publishes anseditorial relative to sending
German-Americans to Europe to fight.
The following is the article in part:
America is not denying her ear to our
appeal. e ~ III.
The American people approve of the
suggestion to grant German Americans
the option of serving their country in
other ways than at the front. Almost
every letter we receive supports our con-
tention. A few correspondents still
misunderstood out attitude. TO re-
capitulate:
We do not question the principle OF
universal service.
We make no objection to the principle
of CONSUMPTION.
We do not oppose the selectlve draft.
We do not ask the exemption Tor Ger
man Americans from universal service
or from CONSUMPTION.
We do not urge German Americans
to resist the authorities, but strongly
advise them to obey the law.
We make our appeal, not to physical
force, but to the heart; not to legal
technicalities, but to common sense.
We are ready to concede that IN times
Of invasion or dire peril differentiations
between citizens on ethical or ethnlc
grounds would be uncalled for.
No such peril existing, we request for
German Americans having conscientious
objections against shedding the blood
of their kin, the privilege of serving their
country in any capacity that will not
impose upon them so revolving task.
We ask this option not for all German
Americans, but only for those whose in
stinct rebels against the horror OF
fratricide.
Congress grants similar privileges to
the Quaker who looks upon every man
as his brother. Can we withhold them
from men who shudder at the thought OF
killing their nearest and dearest blood
relatives? The bullet of the German
American may actually kill his father or
brother.
There are manifold activities on be-
half of the country which expose German
American conscripts to no such danger.
They can be employed in coast de-
lenses. ... -....
They can guard our colonial possessions.
They can patrol our Mexican border.
They can till the soil.
The President himself has told us
that the selective draft is not to be
Transcription of the unwilling"
Congress never intended to compel
any man to put bullet into his brother.
We base our appeal primarily, but
not entirely, upon humane grounds.
We ask for the optional exemption
of German Americans from actual
military service: -
L.. w oNNO
man Americans; -.
2. Because it is conducive to the
harmonious national development OF the
American people, :,
3. Because after the war it will AID
us in rebuilding what war has destroyed;
4. Because it makes Tor greater
military efficiency; -.....
5. Because it will save us from grave
complications with the Allies and from
the possibility of an American Drey1us
Case. ,.- .~..<
The first reason needs no explanation
The anguished letters OF German
American mothers and the suicides OF
young German Americans speak 1o1
themselves.
If we send German Americans to the
front, there will be scandals and per
secutions compared with which I'M
Dreyfus case will pale to insignificance'