Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-02-08
Reported Speech of IntroduCer
OF Resolution is Resented BY
Other American Citizens

| Adverse criticism of action taken
J by the German American Alliance al
meeting held last night in knights
of Pythias hall and fof remarks at
/, tribgted to one OF the speakers is be
| ing voiced today about the city. In
business sections this criticism was
| outspoken and included not only the
| speaker but members Of the alliance
as well. Especially was this directed
at Col. c. ". Ziegier Of the National
! Guard ~ :.-- -,
In army quarters and in guard cir
cles the criticism was less open and
/ there was more reticence.
| The meeting which has caused com
ment and discussion was one hastily
called following mainland directions
| to consider and PASS upon certain res
olutions and those resolutions were
adopted.
Meeting Hastily Called
! A meeting CT the German American
Alliance was held last night follow
ing the receipt OF the following cable
gram on Tuesday from c. ]. Hexamer,
head OF the national organization:
.-
resolution requesting congress to sub
init question OF declaring war to ref
erenddm and send resolution TO mem
bers of congress by wire and letter"
The meeting was called to order by
Col Charles W. ZiegIer, who is vice.
president of the local branch, acting
in the absence of ID. Paul K. lsenberg,
the president. : resolution was read
and its adoption moved by Dr.. r. H
Schurmann and seconded by Carl du
Roi, DR.. Schurmann speaking in sup
port Of the resolution. This was adopt
ed as follows: ..-.,...-
BE il resolved by the honolulu
branch OF the National German Ameri-
can Alliance AZ q meeting held Wed
nesday, February Z, 1917, attended by
members, all citizens of the United
States OF America, that the secretary
be instructed and is hereby directed to
telegraph to Honorable Thomas r.
Marshall, president of the United
States senate, and Honorable Champ
Clark, speaker OF the United States
house Of representatives at Washing
ton, d. c., the following petition:
in the interests of peace the I'M
dersigned members 90 the National
German American Alliance and citizen
voters of the United States OF Ameri-
ca respectfully Petition congress to
provide that before bny declaration
of war be made against any foreign
country, such proposed action be re-
ferred to the citizen voters of the
nation for decision"
Schurmann Repeats Remarks
DR.. Schurmann, when seen today by
a Star Bulletin reporter, said that,
upon the Introduction of the resolu-
ton 1t the meeting OF the German
American Alliance "wednesday even
ing he spoke as follows: .........-
I'VE need not care so very much
whether the president desires war or
peace, because the declaration of war
is an act of congress. " r.. j..
But should congress have the pow
er to declare war? no, certainly not!
And especially so in the United
States. a.}I ">. ~ ~ /
I'VE are telling tne world that we
are the most civilized and progress
siye of ali nations. That civilization
maintains a growing conviction that
war is unjustifiable.
we point with pride at our demo
cratic form of government and say it
has been found that war is in the high
est degree inexpedient and destruc-
tive to the best interests Of the human
race and that this dc mocratic form
of government must be the means of
abolishing war forever.
Christian America tells US that al
though there are in the human heart
principles Of strife and human hatred
existing, the Christian religion is
gradually wseding out these seeds
and planting seeds Of peace to grow
until they have covered the whole,
world ..- j
with those great ideals before us
and deeply engraved upon our minds,
why shoHld we, the citizens of the
United States, be forced. against our /
convictions, against our principles OF
humanity towards all mankind,
against our better Judgment, against
sill our religious teachings, to take up =,
arms against our fellow men and
Christian brothers? lii + !
Believes People Should Decide
"'The voice Of the few individuals
in Congress is not the voice of the /
people. And when We consider that
many of our congressman find pleas |
ure and satisfaction In bringing about !
state of war between our United
States and Germany, it is now ex-
pedient that the question of war and
peace should be left to a referendum
of the people. --. 49,
What would then be the certain !
result? The horrors of war would be !.
for all time banished from our soil, |
as a vast majority of the people of