Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-07-06
WHAT is THE TRUTH ABOUT
GERMANY?


Sir: One of the sad things about
the residence of Americans abroad Is
that so many of them, especially wo-
men, lose their national identity, and
take up with the manners and tradl-
tons of. the people they live among,
even when these traditions are con-
trary to the spirit and principles OF
American government.
In England and France such. an at
titude need not so much surprise US,
for, in many respects, we are alike and
at this time particularly, share SINH
lar ideals and aims.
But that any American could go to
Germany and become so Germanized
as to accept the German standpoint,
seems incredible.
Yet it is often 50.
In view Of our participation in the
world war, one wonders how an Am
erican woman can return to her ma
tive land with neither indignation nor
resentment against Prussianism.
In late issue Of your paper a Ho
nolulu woman says she does not care
to speculate as to the outcome of
the war" Accepting her previous
statements, one might have a lively
anticipation of German victory.
From the account Of her personal
relations with the authorities in Ger.
many, we are led to believe that all
our people there have been courteous
fy treated. They were not Even our
official representatives received scant
courtesy, and many of our private
citizens there were rudely If not bru-
tally treated.
From this woman's statements we
are led to believe that in Germany
there is no lack of food. There is
lots Of fish" There is food enough to
get along-food enough for two years
yet. This does not tally with the
reports Of others who have returned
from Germany, the letters Of dozens
of peasants who write, I'VE are starV.
ing" or the words of prisoners who
certainly ought to know.
And to compare the riots" In New
York, where everything Is in plenty,
with riots In Germany where food is
scarce, Is to talk with a pronounced
bias.
Any American knows or ought to
know, that the agitation by women In
New York was not based upon any
real need. It was like. the suffragette
riots, or labor agitations. We have
had no riots. The CARRIED account Of
the disturbances published in Germ
any were published for effect in Ger
many. ~ ".
The same has been done about our
economic scare. and the negro
troubles. Either the writer's Of these
reports were wilfully perverting the
matter, or they were as densely ig-
norant of American affairs as Ger.
mans usually are. a.
After this revelation" by q Homo.
lulu woman on German war condi.
tions," one wonders what America
has, gone to war about anyhow!
= OF course, each individual has q
right to the expression of his own
personal impression Of a country or a
situation, but it seems to me that
where this impression appears to be
at variance with those Of nearly every
other individual equally fair, intelli-
gent and eonyersant with the condi-
tons discussed, statements should be
guarded, unless, indeed, their express
sion is part Of paid publicity, which
the standing OF the Honolulu woman,
Of course, makes impossible.
Responsible, inteilig ent women
quite familiar with Germany, its life
and conditions there at the present
time, have returned to give an account
in every respect the opposite Of that
given by the Honolulu woman. One
Of these, Mrs. Smithson of PhiladeI.
phia, tells Of her. experiences with of.
ficials In the large cities Of Germany,
Of the hatred and bitterness shown
towards Americans in general; of the
studied Misrepresentation by German
papers of all events IN America which
can be used to injure the good name
and influence Of our country.
She mentions specifically reports of
the New York riots" lynchings
which have gone on here for so years,
labor riots, socialistic and anarchistic
(mosyiy German), anti.
talk, the economic cru.
SADIE, and so on.
Only an American knows how little