Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-03-29
"A Word for Germany"

from an augusta AiIcHu ciieAIlOu "A
Word for Germany" but because of its
length and because the writer covered
both sides Of each sheet of paper, we
are unable TO publish it. However we
shall try to summarize the points
made by this friend Of Germany, and
to answer some Of the assertions which
he makes
Our friend says: ut appears to
me that some may be led to form hasty
and unfair conclusions by thus seeing
only one side Of the question as pre-
scented in your valuable paper"
That expression seems to be char
acteristic of the most Of those who
think they are defending" Germany
when in reality they are only opposing
the rights and just demands Of their
own country. The writer, In this in
stance. is manifestly unfair when he
says or insinuates that the Kennebec
Journal gives only one side Of the
question. And he is just as far wrong
when he pretends that we have in any
instance expressed any other feeling
than that Of friendliness for the Ger
man people. both of this country and
of the fatherland. Invariably our de-
nuncfation Of, and opposition to, any
thing German has been of the war
o. int "a
present carnage. and Of the policy
which they inflicted and which the
German people have lived for many
years, that of Prussianism and the
false hope OF world domination
No American citizen, at this time
is SO bitter against war -lordism as
is the citizen of German extraction
who knows Of the despotic power and
the iron hand under which every Ger
man subject has lived for generations
But these people defend the German
people" who are helpless under the
The writer Of the letter referred to
says: THE courage and present suf-
fering of the Germans justify a sin
cere attempt to understand something
of their point Of view" and then he
goes on with a rehearsal Of the cause
of our break with Germany and falls
back on the outworn pretense that we
have just as much season to break
with England as. wifi Germany. We
must confess to having short patience
with any one who pretends to defend
his countrys enemy, and yet cannot
see the difference between a policy
that interferes with our commerce.
and a policy that robs our innocent
citizens Of life, or of a chance for life.
as provided by the laws OF nations
and the teachings of Christ. Such
defense" is an insult to the American
people, and we advise our friend not
to lean too far backward in his efforts
to be fair" to Germany He should
at least be fair to his own people
and not attempt to misrepresent the
position Of those who are trying to
support the American rights that have
been acknowledged and recognized and
deemed inviolate by every patriotic
citizen down through the years of the
life of our Republic; who are attempt
ing to give the facts concerning the
violation Of those rights and to draw
a line between the over ridden German
people and the overriding war-lords
of the central allies whose unaues-
toned purpose Is to be war-lords over
the whole world. That ambition on
the part Of Prussian autocracy has
been known and feared by every CIV
ilized government of the world ever
since the writer has been following
international events as a newspaper
man. For score of years Kaiser
Wilhelm has been regarded as a stand
ing menace to Europe, and all the
worst fears Of the most far sighted
statesman Of England. France, Italy
Russia and all the lesser powers Of
Europe. have been realized. =
We welcome honest defense of the
German people in their love for the
fatherland. and in their honest convic-
tons that their government is right,
because these have people have
lived under the hand Of the oppressor
so long, and have so long been ac-
customed to subservience as to have
no will Of their own, and even should
they dare entertain a thought that the
government was not supreme in every
thing. and inspired by God in all its
movements, they would be snuffed out
by the military power as a candlelight
goes out in the gale.
Our friend seems to have been read
ing the radical German publication,
that was published in New York, and
the name Of which was instantly
changed on severance Of diplomatic
relations, because he uses many Of
the stock arguments Of that sheet
such as 1.-THE illegal blockade Of Ger
T.