New-York tribune., 1917-07-16
One Language for M
German Papers Are po;,.
Should Be Stoor.I ''' =
To the Editor Of The T,i,r

out'poSen patriotic editorial !, you % ,,
sue advocating the ces,s,;n. r.ca,
in the German language. If,s pasiac
OF perpetua'inS racial distinct. "@,
cisl prejudices among An.,;.'as a.
foreign birth and foreign d.,.... .a 'i,''''
non-English journal and w..tlr 1' Il i
Almost invariably thss. puS,;.p p'Sias
not merely to the more ,ni.w iw'''l''' a
productions Of the peopl. con.. va "
their deep-rooted and in .,..n. y
can prejudices and traits; ana @'A,,
when the United States /, r.. ~ ni'
gagged upon a struggle for is noIl,..s.''s'l
II seems only appropriat. az S"s'H 'ss fs
an end 70 this foreign w.Sa. nshi T. |
lowed TO run unchecked. il c.,.sa Ssla &
ing serious harm in this commn,. s y =;
The writer, an Anglo.Swis. sss'le s1
ana Tor many years e resids,. a.1-
land feels the more justified !, =. ~
the abrogstion of German nub,;.'a n .@'a;
America by reason OF having s;s@sa
messed the pernicious worsirs -se
national press both in thi, co,. |"
Switzerland. IL is so very e,sv 10y q;
most disloyal American 70 "a
Stars and Stripes and to procl,,~' y, w
tion TO American ideals Will. ~ ~ W e
secretly devoted TO the coun,,y *, Ss !,
gin or sympathy. have seen ony y =. y
proofs OF this in recent nonth, "ss'
afraid ! cannot subscribe to n. 80 .'s
timism Of those good folks W.. s @
aforesaid foreign flag waver a. n, ="
lc) valuation and set him dow, ~
fellow and loyal citizen. Too n.'' ~
seen men of German or Aus,r;,.- I
or origin, who up 70 the tim. a, ~
entry into the war could no, a. "~t
enough to vilify President wil,o, -,
advisers, who have suddenly s.y.'..
truly marvellous Americsnism sine, srs
Treasonable Tendencl.
Can il be that their sudden co,v,
due to fear OF being lynched by,t
! patriotic citizens rather than 20
and sincere change Of heart? In n,.'
it almost looks that way. undeu,,s
there are cases where Americsn.bor :.
foreign descent have paltered VII, ..
even since this country entered ,,, va
hate to believe that such a thin, a /
true. But in the case of Gern.n.b.- !.
who possibly have only quite lately NJ,
their citizenship papers. think h i,,-
sible TO keep a wstchful eye on ,h,r
In any case why should there B, Az
publications 70 cater to such peo,,, =.
keep their Germanism alive and ,,.s,
Surely the admitted language Of Il, h
States is the language used by Gsors, 7,
ington, Jefferson, Franklin, AS, =,
the language of our Bible and ii. J.,
ton of independence, the Language Z, =,
United States court, the laaguau
least three-fourths of the Amera, ~
Very well, then, let every foreiynr v, 4
ties in this country and takes cu, 4,
zenship papers abjure not only his sl a
glance but also his old language; 81 Z
/ wishes TO treasure the latter le, b. 4
in private. II makes ones blood boil D 4,
such quas-traitorous stuff as d,iy l,,s
in the "New-Yorker Staats-Zeiturg' a.: "a
sheets Of that kind Their tone 10 lm 4
the language they are printed IN . re-,
and hopeiessly un-Ameriesn, and ri. e.
sands Of American soldiers geyiy n,y d
cross the ocean TO join in the gni iri n,
/ civilization, surely the time hes ~, g.
stamping out that daily and hour? .sE
The risk os allowing .orsir'rs.g
press 70 run on unchecked in tin, 4 ~
a very real one, especially where i, NJ
of the public whose subscripi!o,i isi
alive is notoriously hostile TO Il, nv
purposes OF this country and vc:. a.
'ind ways and means Of hamperirgw '*a'
crossing our Administration.
SwitzerIand's Difficulties
Even in little Switzerland the .sa:a
a unitying linguistic medium has g'.r
lot Of mischief There the FrtHes E.'F
papers, of course, keer.y s,npsaa
France, and the Italian language p'P'n
Italy; in the German speaking ei;~a
the other hand. sympsthles are s'i'i!
vided The genuine Switzer aaa'n Il
sian militarism and Junkerdo1 s.a |
much as an american or an Ensli'i-n =
and the journals patroniZed by biz ~
fleet that sentiment. but many q - :
man language papers Of Swiilsr'is
processing neutrality, really tsss ~
tonic side more or less openly ihs T.
case always give the German war :"
preference 70 that Of the Allies y
torials of the latter type OF paper u -
land are clearly inspired BY ns' y.
thy with German Kultur, which 10 n'l
pie in that little country seems '''I
of support in preference 10 the '." =
ilization at large. Were there s.'n
as a national Swiss Language arc ~
drift of i, would be oyerwhe!ml'fy
of the champions Of liberty lu'ua :. -,
ternational decency, but as II Is 's'
to see a diversity Of Opinion P'V. 81
much bitterness and mutual rss''.a', ,,s
remember that Switzerland owes -
political solidarity not so muei " 4
tional agreements and covenants
fact that she is wedged IN oe" 4
powerful and ambitious nsig,'on, ~ -
OF whom could make niouth'u. '. ..,,.
pinch. Such foreign pressure
the case OF the United States, '@ ~ 4
ignore Mexico and. Of course. 90
practical purposes; and, 'ha' ''s' =, ~
peril arising from s tendency % =. s,,.s|
large sections Of this public y ~
themselves into colonies ana 'l'.. ..,I q
foreign languages are spoken -. .,.,,a
foreign ideals cultivated IN ~ ar .
American. is correspondingly grew
the case of Switzerland. ss
No. America for the Arh'ne'... ~. -
me even a better slogan to'a" 1sse
wsr days; and | heartily hope ~. 4 q
r.. -. k.s.- -, is hv reIgls" al