New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1917-07-28

AA'SACu ny WV Ii. Aduu dG I'll
Merchants Association meeting o
New York on Friday, June, 1917
"We have met to-day in pur
suance Of a high purpose, a pur
pose which at this Hateful mo
ment is one and the same where
ever, throughout the world, tn
language of free men is Spoken
and understood.
1t is the purpose of a common
determination to fight and to beal
and to dare everything and never
to cease nor rest until the &C
cursed thing which has brought
upon the world the unutterablt
calamity. the devils visitation OF
this appalling war, is destroyed
beyond all possibility of resurrec-
ton.
That accursed thing is not d
nation, but an evil spirit, a spirit
which has made the government
possessed by it and executing it's
abhorrent and bloody bidding an
abomination in the sight of God
and men.
What we are now contending
for, by the side of our splendidly
brave and sorely tried Allies after
infinite forbearance, after delay
which many of us found it hard
to bear. are the things which are
amongst the highest and most
cherished that the civilized and
suffering Of it's best in the course
Of many centuries.
They are the things without
which darkness would fall upon
hope. and life would become intol-
cradle. ~e -
They are the things of human
ity, liberty, justice and mercy, for
which the best men amongst all
the Notwithstanding the Ger
man nation-have fought and
bled these many generations past,
which were the ideals of Luther,
Goethe. Schiller, Kant. and host
of others who had made the name
of Germany great and beloved I'M
til fanatical Prussian run amucK
came to make its deeds a by-word
and Kissing
This appalling conflict which
has been drenching the world
with blood is not a mere fight of
one or more peoples against one
or more other peoples.
Tt goes far deeper.
It sharply divides the soul and
conscience of the world.
It transcends vastly the bounds
of racial allegiance.
It is critically fundamental.
In determining ones attitude
towards it, the time has gone by ]
If it ever was-when race and
blood and inherited affiliations
were permitted to count.
A century and half ago Amer
leans of English birth rose to free
this country from the oppression
Of the rulers of England. To-day /
Americans of German birth are
called upon to rise, together with
their fellow-citizens of all races |
to free not only this country but
The whole world from the OPP
preston Of the rulers of Germany.
an oppression far less capable of
being endured and of far graverl
sortent.
Speaking as one born of Ger
nan parents. / do not hesitate to
state it as my deep conviction
that the greatest service which
men of German birth or ante
,edents can render to the country
il their origin is to proclaim, and
o stand up for those great and
inc ideals and national qualities
ind traditions which they inher-
ted from their ancestors. and to
ct their faces like flint against
he monstrous doctrines and acts
I rulership which have robbed
hem Of the Germany which they
oved and in which they took Just
ride. the Germany which had the
God will, respect and admiration
the entire world.
4 do not hesitate to state 1t as
" solemn conviction that the
lore Enthusiastically and whole
eartedlv Americans of German
rigin throw themselves into the
trnggle which this country has
ntered in order to rescue Ger
lany, no less than America and
1e rest Of the world from those
mister forces that are, in Presl-
ent Wilson'S language, the en-