The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1917-03-09
WRITES LETTER TO GERMAN
MINISTER AT FARlBO
New Senator Tells Them Point Blank
That He Will Vote For Armed Neu-
trality Measure and He Does Not
Propose to Support Proposition to
Submit War Declaration to Referen-
dunn of the People

: Washington, March 7.-Senator
Frank B. Kellogg, Junior senator
from Minnesota, has made it plain at
the outset of his senatorial career
hat he is an American citizen first
and a partisan afterwards.
With other senators AMI congress-
men, Senator Kellogg is receiving a
flood of letters and postal cards, urg-
titude of sacrificing American rights
upon the high seas. The postal card
inundation is clearly the work of a
well-organized propaganda. The cards
are printed in form, even the adj
dress being printed. They bear ev-
cry evidence of being the work of
the German propaganda, assisted by
the p~aciffst element.
Position Is Clearly Stated.
Responding to one of the letters,
Senator Kellogg wrote to the pastor
of a Faribault church as follows:
washington, d. c., March 6, 1917.-
Rev.. F. E. Meierbachtol, Faribault.
MINI. My Dear Sir: | received your
tetter, on behalf of yourself, Rev. Meyer,
Inv lCF ~Glllu Z llS an vi II q -
kFult, asking that l urge and represent
ID the floor of the senate ~diSapproVal of
selegating to the president power to de-
lare war, and protesting against the
rejection of American citizens travelling
N American or neutral ships carrying
~contraband of war, or travelling upon any
ship of a belligerent nation, and asking
that i favor an advisory referendum be-
fore a declaration of war.
There has been no proposal made,
and there will be none, to authorize the
president to declare war, but | shall GER
tainly vote for an armed neutrality bill
which authorizes the president to arm
merchant ships to protect American lives
against unlawful attack by submarines,
If such a bill again comes before the
senate. / regret hat the bill, which was
before the senate at the session of con-
gress just closed, did not pass.
Il Will not vote to prevent American
citizens from travelling upon merchant or
passenger ships of belligerent, neutral or
American registry, or to close the oceans
to American commerce. For more than a
hundred years under treaties, interna-
tional law and the universal custom Of
civilized nations, citizens of neutral coun-
tries have had the right to travel upon
such ships, and before the ships have
been destroyed notice has been required
to be given and the passengers AIKEN off
and transferred to a place of safety. I
shall never lend my Influence to make
this great and enlightened democracy the
first nation to take the backward step
dlu ClOSe III pdlHWdyS u lhc OCCdilo a
the request of any or all belligerent ma
tionS.
Il will not vote for a referendum on
the question of war, or to submit to a
plebiscite the question of whether this
country will protect it's citizens. The
constitution of the United States places
the power and responsibility of declaring
wal in congress. The people OF na Mdns
to vote upon that question, if the UNI
fortunate necessity should arise, and If
1t does arise, l propose TO do it. shall,
of course. do anything 1 honorably can
Ito prevent involving this country in war;
and one of the greatest needs is to inn
hediately make preparations for the de-
,.,ense of the country and the protection
IF American citizens. That is the high
lest duty of government.-Very respect
Gully yours, Frank b. Kellogg"
Letter Written BY Ministers.
The communication which drew
fire from the new senator was a let
ter addressed to him by ministers at
Faribault. This letter was read to
the congregations at F%aribault be-
fore it was sent to Mr.. kellogg so
he feels justified in making his ans
wer public. The letter which is
characteristic of the propaganda in
fuence at work throughout the
country is as follows: eu4
FarlDault, MIMI, MarcH L, IJlt--oen-
atou Kellogg, Washington, D.. Gear
Sir: We, the undersigned. in Behalf of
our congregations, loyal American citi-
zens, 900 strong as YOU constituents
earnestly urge that you present IN the
floor of the senate our disapproval of
d~elegating to the president the power to
declare war. or that this nation go to
war for the injury of or death of any
American who persists in jeopardizing
the peace of the United States by travel
ing as passenger or seaman on Ameri-
can or neutral ship carrying contraband
of war or travelling on a ship of belliger-
ent nations registry, and that you voice
our protest against any use of the United
States army and navy for the protection
of Americans who persist in the danger
Gus travel. We ask that you vote against
any proposal to so go to war, or. to use
our army and navy, and that in any
event, unless invaded, you insist on add
yisory referendum before declaration of
war.-Very sincerely yours.
F. E. Meierbachtol, pastor German
Methodist Episcopal church; William
Meyer. pastor Evangelical st. Luke
church.; A. r. lick, pastor Zion church;
William Koring, pastor Evangelical st.
John church.
p. S.-The above letter was read before
the respective congregations last Sunday
morning and unanimously indorsed.-F.
E. Meierbachtol.
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