Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-02-07
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1917.



NEANY OF the best OF wilminstons citizens Ger
IVA mans by birth or ancestry
Il is only natural that. observers Of the Eu-
ropean their sympathes should be with the Faith
srland
They would be recreant to their bvh and to their
blood were that not true.
Beneath all that however they are Americans-loyal
the land OF their adoption and birth.
Let all keep that central thought in mind II is
he great essential thing in measuring men and women
n such crisis as that which now confrons u.s. The
German Americans. they called, must be
lred by their loyalty to the United staes not by
ancestral sympathy that in The blood as naturally
water follows the course Of a brook.
There is grave danger that this country will be
srawn into the titanic struggle that now is convusing
Europe n It be forced as a foe Of Germany il will
be with reluctance Behind that reluctance however
there will be a firm determination to uphold and de-
fcnd the national honor, And behind that STILL the
confident expectation that every American native-born
foregn-born, viii give 10 the land Of his birth or
adoption, and the for which 1t contends the very
best there is in him in loyalty and service
This newspaper has been advocate Of the cause
the ouadruple Entente We have felt and still feel
hat IL is the right cause and in view OF the future
he American cause We are convinced fully however
that In event OF with Germany the United states
Nil have no citizens who loyal even though
hat loyalty be tinctured by regret for the Of its
exercise than will be those citizens Of Wilmington who
are Of German birth or ancestry
That being true, VIC feel that. no matter what may
result from the OF Diplomatic relations with
Germany it is the duty OF men and women OF British
French, Russian, Italian Belgian servlan and Monte
negrn birth ancestry who may he resident here
and who would not like to have their own loyalty to
re United States called into question to regard all
men and all women OF German birth or ancestry as
being equally loyal to this country no matter with
what love and reverence they may regard the Father
and as the place whence they or their forebears came
Our population is composite. The blood.and the SYM
pathies and antpathes OF all nations are contained
within it. One might as well try to the tide OF
Niagara to try TO harmonic the thoughts or our
people with respect to the rights the wrongs OF the
European war.
Measured by birth and ancestry. as reflected by our
population, Brtons, Frenchmen Italians and Russians
ympathize WITH and hope FOR success OF the Quad
ripple Entente
BY the same token. Germans. Austrlans and Bull
Karans. If have any Bulgasians here sympathize
with, and hope for Che OF the Central Powers
That is very natural condition to exist The great
thng about it is that in land and under our nag
Al these elements of blood and sympathy and anpathy
can meet and mngle and when the honor OF our own
nation is involved. mould themselves into a great
American loyalty that enables people to present an
unbroken front to any enemy from without who insults
Dr. menaces us.
From the time OF the outbreak OF the European war
he near remote representatives OF che warning
ions have been living here in Wilmington in amity.
Each has exercised his right to entertain his sym
psthes in Ear they have applied 10 events the
o1her side OF the Atlantic. That condition will con-
Anue It would continue our trouble with the
snten'e Powers instead Of with the Central Powers.
o'' beneath II all there has been strong and I'M
loyalty to the United States that has dwarfed
III other sympathes. It already has exerted itself
~ "''u ol IL VIII be reached, in point OF expression
owl country he compelled to enter the war AT that
.me we must regard each other as true and loval
~ms',es"s ana those Of German birth and ANCESTRY
and desirable elements in our sres, h upon 40 soou
can brotherhood. i''e 4Nin'r