New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-08
Melting Pot or Commonwealth?

freedom in this. must see 70 it ;sra
American Germans are aided to obtain "
they say they seek in their Year BO's "a
of the writers states:
81 was not born in Germany, but ! ''i'A
Germanism intellectually. and morally *.
Americanism only politically. would VI
ingly give up every drop Of my hearts be-.
if could thereby convince every ci'i'r Y
German descent that he can best sh'' y
political Americanism through the eas's
ton Of German ideals, German ussges Ge
man customs and the German national 'sr
acter. The futures Of German Amer.ea 81
Of the Republic are closely bound tos'as
This future will be assured only II We ~
serve loyalty not only 20 the stars u
Stripes but also 70 the German spirit
German Rights
The greatest confusion Of Thought P'sni
to-day in this matter Of the American G''
nan, as shown by the chorus Of cries ~
went IN about the "seditiou,' and "tr'iS'
able" claims of that German Year XXI
Their claims are perfectly proper Isgn
merely asking for the same freedom ~"
Irishman, the Zionist jew, the French'oa
dian and the South african Boer cesn-
The American German has the right " "
cultural consciousness, his Germsh W.
papers, his societies. lie has a right 70 y
test against an Anglo-Saxon eNl'"''
swapping him. Where his right enc'
intruding his spiritual tradition into l0'NL
He has no right TO spy or 20 plot ~1.
arc equally members Of the Am''"
Commonwealth.
The three nationalities in our eounu!
highly self-conscious, and therefore W"
10 their tradition, are the American Ce'D'.
the American Jews and the American Als
Saxons" (this is convenicn. term ior %
leans Of the oder mixed stoekl PEI
them they are rapidly defining the rev"
ception OF American citizenship. i
One thing is sure. The naaon's"N
played out. The commonwealth IS "'
ing state, wherein many nations are saI''~
The nation state is cause Of wars
tight as a sausage with the squ''"
vitality of homogeneous people. Nn rS,
and set for explosion. A New i0'A
writes ME that I'VE are thirsting iot n''
atty" We might as well be thlrs"' i.
laissez faire in industry o. ganpo"'s
kitchen range. The coming common.
and the melting pot. Il viii accept 'a
SIN of the jew and the ou.tura! tIs'."
the German. as it accepts the Roman ga
cism Of Cardinal Gibbons. /, vii ga"
dom alike to nationality and religion q
Politically. the three modern s'a's'
position to give US that new form o. sr ,,
ment, which includes diverse nSu0" q.
instead of MASKING them into unity ""
sia. Britain and the United States p' -
is now busy creating her common~e'', ~
the help of General SHUTS, the koun' ~
group ard the armies Of the eoloh'A' -
STA is in the throes OF the cxperimen'
fewer thinkers to guide her. Ame'N "a y
meet the situation inside her border ~
same liberality with which Russ' ~
British commonwealth are meeting Il rs, ~
have given over all idea Of uslhs ~" " i
roller on the Irish. the Beers the
Jews. al e.
II is time for us consciously a
commonwealth. which will selesn' a. +
nourish these separate cultures o. .,dr
nations among us. And out OF ths" ,,..se
we shall yet produce the riehe'' a,,s
on earth. That way lies a dying g.
national sntagonisms. Of na'ionsh'" 10 -
tics, leading to wars. That way
peace. ..--- -