The Alaska daily empire., 1917-02-05
ONLY ONE CLASS OF CITIZENS

While America can recognize only one class Of ctzens-Jh0se who are Americans first and last and all the time-we well afford to be patient with those citizens who in Germany and those of German parents. The burden they in duty must bear like is particularly great at this time.
 We believe, have always believed that those American citizens who specially renounced allegience to the Emperor of Germany before they were permit ted to into the heritage Of citizenship in the Great Republic would be loyal to the country ot their adoption in any emergency. We have always believed and still believe that they had cauyasSed the siua- ton carefully before taking the oath Of allegiance the United States and that they took the oath and became Americans after arriving the conviction that they would rather be citizens this country than
 any other-hat they appreciate at it's full value the great underlying principles of the American Nation and what citizenship in the country means to those who accept it. We believe that when they embraced American citizenship and decided that henceiorth they and the generations of their flesh and blood which should follow them would be Americans they accept ed the full responsibilities such citizenship let them be what they might. On the other hand. We can understand their feeling of regret that these respon
 abilities have required that they support with might and main the country of their adoption through a crisis that everybody expects will lead to war with their tatherand. and the attitude toward them Of those of us whose ancestry leads 60 other lands should be one Of sympathy and understanding and kindness. There should be taD;alizng or anmcsity. We should make the burden light as possible for them.
 If should come with Germany. as we now expect iJ to- ], will be the first time that foreign born Americans and those whose parents were foreign born have been called upon To support this nation against the mother country. No German born Ameri-I can could regret having Co take up against his IaherlauI than Washington regretted to lead an American army against England the land Of his for bears. The Revolutionary War fought almost wholly by those who had beer British subjects and many Of che officers and privates were born in ! Great Britain Ireland Likewise the War of 1912 and The of 1872, like the one with Germany # t should come. was fought for the freedom Of the seas. These examples oI American patriot ism were before the German born Americans sub- scrbed the oath ot American allegiance and they understood ought have understood the full sig ncance ot American history We believe that the Ger manborn citizens of the country did understand these precedents, and that they will act becomes Ameri- cans.
 On the other hand. word of warning is not out of place to those of foreign birth who are not citi- zens of this couE,ry-those Germans who here but who have not arrived at that state of mind where they have felt like t0rcswearng allegiance the land of their birth. They forget that they are in the United States amidst citizens Of the country whose patriotism and loyalty is as great as that of any people that ever inhabited the earth It is their duty to the country from which they have received their support to respect that American patriotism at ts full value-aud even they must realize that its value is little matter If they have convictions that Ire not in concord with the course of the government lrdcr which and they live they should have the courtesy and deceucy to keep very still or so back whence they came.
 America expects all Of her foreign born citizens o be Americans. She expects all foreigners within F Ter borders to do nothing to cause trouble.
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