New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-03
German Language Press
Attacks Conduct of War
Papers Offer Their Teuonc Minded Readers Bold Criticism
ofPresidents Policy-Liken Liberty Bonds
to Gold Bricks
By a LOYAL Citizen Of German Origin

! BY Loyal Citizen of German Origin
German writer's who have been ar
/ rested recently and interned as danger
Gus enemy aliens are in no wise excep-
tional. They are quite typical German
American newspaper writers, a large
number Of whom have not been natural
lied. And the longer the war goes on
/ the bitterer are the sentiments spread
J by the German language newspapers.
Publications that at the beginning Of
/ the present war took a conservative
and pretty sensible stand have changed
front and assail this country in the
most vehement language. That is the
result of an endless chain connecting
the un-Americanized Germans and their
/ press.
The German language newspaper
/ publishers in this country are respon-
sibe for a large percentage OF the
German immigrants remaining what
they had been before their arrival IN
this country-Germans at heart. These
] immigrants are tatn in tow by Berlin
I EuDSlQlLeu
German sections. They find a German
newspaper in their home. Their daily
papers carried. even in times OF peace.
petty and sinister criticism OF TINS
country. and praise, high praise, for
the "Fatherland" that the Germans had
not left because they liked the condi-
tions over there too much They be
come, by and by, more Jealous Germans
than they were when they came 10 our
shores.
The German societies and German
colonization have been fostered by the
German language newspapers, which
have a material interest 10 preserve
the German and un-American spirit Of
their readers. They make fanatics out
Of their readers. but, on the other hand,
are driven by them 70 a moro and more
extreme policy of anti-Americanism
and even open treason. And they have
found in our public authorities unsus-
pecting supporters. They have not been
censored by a member of the Presl-
dents Cabinet for their reasonable
stand, as American newspapers, pub
lished by Americans, for Americans,
and in an American spirit, have been
for fair criticism.
Smaller Papers Boldest
The same conditions regarding the
German language press prevail all over
the country. The German language
newspapers with q large circulation
know that they are watched, and are IN
their policy more cautious than the
smaller ones. and the boldest are those
practically published IN camera, -,
But even the Chicago "Abendpost,
one of the most conservative German
language newspapers, and credited with
the largest circulation of all herman
publications in tins country, when
pleaded for the reelection of President
Wilson last autumn, in spite OF the in
dorsement Of the candidacy OF Mr..
Hughes bv the representative German
American organizations, attacked the
American policy IN its edltorlaI OF june
10. as follows:
"Where democracy is not yet SUI
preme there is everywhere a strong
/ connection among the masses OF the
peoples and a demand for greater IN
/ fuence upon the governments, strong
desire for betterment of the economic
situation.
"Onlv America, that was democratic
from the start, is evidently an eHcep-
ton. While the wings OF autocracy
are cut in all countries where auto
cratic institutions exist, and everything
tends and works to eradicate wnoIiy
autocracy, it seems that autocracy snail
he established here more and more TO
promote democracy elsewhere on the
On the following day, June 20, the
same paper carried an editorial that
"The masses of the peoples of all
warning countries are tired Of the war
and long for peace. America attempts
20 keep them in the war until the en-
/ emies are totally destroyed. But tne
mass of the American people VINO are
/ expected TO sacrifice treasure and blood
for the continuation of the war IN
favor of the democratic idea wants
peace. It's interests demand peace
To understand the true meaning OF
/ these utterances one must read not
only the lines, but also between the
, lines. c,.
"Abendpost" is the Buffalo "Arbeiter-
Zeitung." Said this paper.
"The money invested in Liberty
bonds is used to further mass murder,
and the dividends will be the tears OF
millions of American mothers.
! Calls Bonds Gold Bricks
"Our pro-British papers complain
that the farmers of the State OF New
| Work are not patriotic at all, and that
only a few of them buy Liberty bonds.
Perhaps the farmers consider
The Liberty bonds as gold bricks"
That is editorial comment. In the