Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-14

the opportunities public schools should
afford them without in the least affect
ing their Americanism or the process
of making them into patriotic and use
full citizens.
The action indicates that the mem.
bers of school boards responsible for it
have failed to sense the spirit which
impelled America to enter the war. BY
their action they disregard the presi-
dents repeated injunction to the Amer
lean people against confusing the aims
of their country. and his repeated as
surance that the United States is not
at war with the German people but
with the German system Of govern
ment.
It is impossible to trace the progress
of music, science or art in recent gen.
erations without following the history
of that progress through Germany.
German people have given to the
worlds culture much that neither war
nor time can minimize nor deny. They
have done this in spite Of the militarist
rule which for forty years has been
working cunningly on plans for war
which eliminated in the present world
struggle.
German scientists have perfected
remedies for many diseases: German
surgeons have performed remarkable
operations; German composers have
produced music that has charmed
whole continents; German writer's
have added much to the worlds wealth
Of literature.
1t would be no more foolish for
American doctors to abandon all the
lore OF their profession they gained
through years Of study in Germany and
throw away the delicate surgical in
strllments they brought from that
country, than it is for school directors
to decree that the German language
must no longer be taught in American
public schools.
The nation is at war with the Ger
man government, as distinguished
from the German people. 1t should
not be necessary to say this again and
again, but apparently it is necessary.
The nation is at war with the autoc-
racy which has plunged the German
people into a conflict by which their
ruler hoped to gain world dominion for
his government Of absolutism and to
bring other peoples under the sway OF
his autocratic power as are the Ger
mans.
The nation is at war with system
of government which holds the support
of the German public not by reason of
the Justice of its cause but by means
Of iron rule, within the empire, based
on the gerrymander and on campaign
of Misrepresentation, oppression ana
prejudice.
The German people are deluded by
their government into the belief that
other nations are leagued in move to
destroy Germany-the Germany that
means home to Germans. the Germany
Of merry Christmas holidays, happy
families. good cheer, fairy tales, music.
material comfort, pretzels and beer.
Because their minds have been poison
ed for generations with a subtle poison
brewed by kaiserism, they cannot dis
tinguish between the Germany of their
sentiment and the Germany which the
world knows-the government which
personifies absolutism, greed, lust. law
lessness, butchery, ,rapine,s plumber. in
trigue, ruin.
It is to make the world. including
Germany, safe for democracy that this
nation is at war. And when victory Is
won, one of the fruits will be the
worlds opportunity to help the Ger
man people to tardy understanding
of the motives which inspire the
reople of other nations to make war on
Germany's armies now.
With all their learning. Germans
lack the ability to overcome their own
delusion, which alone could impel
them to throw of the yoke OF absolut-
ism and. by the means OF rebellion and
revolution, hasten the victory which
humanity must win over the militarist
autocracy that Expresses them. This
knowledge must be impaired after the
war. Meanwhile 1t is Of major import
ance that the people Of America and
the other nations at war with Germany
keep the consciousness that the war Ia
against system Of government and
what it stands for, not against the vic.
Tins Of that system.