Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-02-05
WORD IN BEHALF OF
THE GERMAN PEOPLE
Asks Americans by Birth to
Consider the Difficult
Position of the German
Americans and Show No
Bitterness.

In the course of his sermon Sunday
evening Rev. Willsie Martin. pastor of
the First Methodist church, who spoke
on 1.-THE Present Crisis said: What
ever may have been true in the days
of Washington Of the desirability Of
isolation is no longer true nor possible
today. In fact, we have never held
ourselves aloof from world politics. In
the early days we refused to pay tri-
butte to the pirates of the Mediterran
can and undertook a task that all
Europe had failed to do. Then we went
a step farther and promulgated the
Monroe Doctrine, which bound us in
timately to the destiny of all America,
until today we exercise control over
not only our own soil but practical
suzeranity over five other American
states. Then came the Spanish Amer
lean war, which obligated us with de-
tendencies 10000 miles from our
coast and under the very shadow of
Asia. The best piece of work America
has done in it's entire history is in
the Philippine islands in the way of
reconstruction and regeneration. A
nation, no more than an individual,
cannot live to itself.
"A half crazed assassin drops
match into the powder magazine Of
Europe and we are involved in the
consequences of that action. We have
come to another turning in the long
road. SDur president has spoken and
there must not be any turning back.
"We' FEEL that God has a purpose for
America a great Messianic purpose for
leadership in humane movements in
the World, but we must beware lest we
lay unfit hands upon the ark of sacred
responsibility.
WARNING AND CAUTION.
My word today is a word of warn
ing and caution to America. 1t is no
time for jingoism and cheap prating of
our glory. II is a time 70: prayer and
fasting and national soberness. 1t Ia
a time for us to recognize the suprem-
acy of the things that are spiritual. 1
have meared lest we have become sat-
isfied with goods, SO content with
heroic fibre. 1t il true that war is
hell, but shere some things that are
worse han hell. 1t is 'etter for a ma
ton to walk through hell if it thereby
keeps it's soul.
LII inns iiouir "bNh VIC thiih tiiot CIV
cry portend points toward war, we
must be united people. There must
be neither Anglo Saxons nor Teutons.
We must show that we are not a
Heterogeneous mass, swept together
from the ends OF the earth, but we
must evince our right to be called
Americans by standing solidiy back of
The president in this crisis.
II believe l speak that which will
prove to be true when ! say that the
bulk, the overwhelming majority, OF
Germans in this country will be found
solidly supporting the national policies.
am sure the will IL prove them
selves good citizens.
OlFFlCUlT POSITION.
THAT leave. me, then to say a fur
Their word. We must see To it that we
do not make it hard for these fellow
citizens Of Teutonic extraction to be
good citizens. We must recognize they
are in difficult position. They are
now called to choose between the land
Of their birth and the land of their
adoption. l believe they will choose
tine land Of their adoption, and be loyal
to 1t, but it will strain their hearts.
Let US have sympathy for them in this
hour and not increase their burden by