The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-09-20
Plain Words From an American
to a German

letter Wr1tlcH Ny
w Johnson, of Columbia University
Now York City, in reply to letter
leading the cause of Germany, which
so received from German cores
pendent.
your two Letters with enclosed news
naner clippings received. Your let
,ars clearly show that you wrote UNI
aor the influence of an intense emo
ton; an emotion which ] can both
understand and respect, but which
,,;obt we'll make it impossible fUf you
- accord dispassionate reception to
. reply which controverted your own
views. With your country surround
cd by powerful foes, with your sons
dab,ging alien soil in an heroic de-
fense of your governments DEGREES,
with the nation you love most dearly
standing in moral desolation, con-
demned by the entire world for bar
harous crimes against civilization, you
could hardly be expected to write with
that scientific accuracy and care
which would in normal times, be your
ideal.
Y For this reason | have not resent
cd much in your letters which would
otherwise call for earnest protest. l
feel sure, for example, your asser-
ton that / and my fellow country
men derive our opinions of German
conduct wholly from corrupt and venal
newspapers, was not intended to be
as insulting as it really sounded.
Americans do not believe in the
German doctrine that the press must
be 80 far controlled as is requisite
for the welfare Of the country; and
hold that absolute freedom of speech
Ia essential to true liberty.
American Newspapers Free.
However low may be the moral
plane of some newspapers, your char
acterization of all newspapers as mere
business concerns, founded and car
ried on with the purpose of enrich
ing their owners, and supporting GER
tam special interests, quite regard
less of their effect, beneficial or the
reverse, upon the real public interests
of their own country, regardless of
truth and justice" is not at all true
of the class of papers read by the
majority of intelligent Americans.
The vital fact remains that your
newspapers are not free to publish
anything they like. Ours are thus
free. Every issue of your papers
must be submitted to your police, so
that your rulers may control what you
write and read Not paper in Am
erica is submitted to any official
whatever. You cannot read anything
which your government believes 1t
wise to keep from you.
Americans believe there can be no
truly free press. and no real unfet-
tered public opinion with the posi-
bility of punishment hanging over the
press of country. Where the police,
representing the ruling power, con-
trolls the press there is no true liber-
ty. Whatever else may be said
against the American press, 1t must
be- admitted that it is free from gov
eminent control. 1t is not necessary,
therefore, to inquire whether the Am
erican government has employed or
rstigated the public press to attack
Germany, since even if 1t desired to do
so, it would not dare make the at
tempt.
My purpose in writing this letter
IS to accept in good faith your eX-
pressed wish for better understand
ing between two peoples who have
long been on friendly terms with one
another, and to contribute toward
this end by removing, at least so
far as we two are concerned, one
serious misunderstanding which, now
exists.
Americans and Germans.
AS you are we'll aware, the Ameri-
can people, with the exception of
certain proportion of Germantown
population, are practically unanimous
in condemning Germany for bringing
on the war and for conducting 1t in
barbarous manner. You, together with
hosts Of your fellow <countrymen, be-
lieve. this unfavorable opinion Is the
result of the truth being kept from
the American public by improper
means. If. therefore, you really want
to know the conditions under which
American opinion of Germany's con-
duct has ben formed, | will endeavor
to describe them with the same calm
ness and careful attention to accuracy
which | earnestly endeavor to OBJ
serve in my scientific Investigations.
First, then, let me picture the
background of public opinion toward
Germany and the Germans as l saw IT
before the war began. In my opinion
the American estimate of Germany
and her citizens prior to the war was,
in general most favorable.
Americans prior to the war, admired
the remarkable advances made by
Germany in recent years in economic
and commercial lines; held in high
regard your universities. and many of
your university professors; loved your
music, and felt most cordial toward
the millions of Germans who came to
i've among rs and share the benefits