New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-14
Patriots with German Names
Organize to Help Uncle Sam
Urge Suppression OF
Papers Printed in For
eign Languages-Win
Hunt Down Disloyalty
BY Reinette Lovcwell, of The
Vigilantes

The man who spends a great deal OF
his time on trains has to put up with
all kinds Of discomforts, and one of
the most annoying is to be forced to sit
behind or beside the defianuy out
spread pages Of a newspaper printed IN
German. It's astonishing the number
Of these German language papers which
loom up along the length OF a coach or
smoker on any train out of New York
or Chicago or St. Louis or Detroit. It
is bound to get on the nerves Of any
good American who understands Ger
man to read disloyal statements over
the back OF red plush seat or to see
rome stolid, bald-headed citizen soak
ing his system full OF sedition across.
the aisle.
Harry A. Schendel, member Of the
Commercial Travellers Association,
stood it as long as he could. Then he
decided TO do something.
The Schendels came to the United
States from Prussia in the days OF sail
ing vessels. They fought in the Ciyll
War. This year. when the country
again needed men to fight for its ideals
Harry Schendel volunteered his ser
vices, but was rejected because he was
underweight.
His own feeling against German au-
tocracy was so strong that Mr.. Semen.
del felt sure there were thousands oil
other men and women OF German par
entage or German birth who resent, as
he docs. the dangerous influence OF pa
pers printed in the German language.
Why not get them to enroll in an or
canization that would come out nat
footed to force these papers to say what
they had to say in good old United
States-at least during the war?
Appealed to Travelling Men
Gripued by this idea. Mr.. Schendel
hunted Up some men he thought would
lend n hand. Like himself they were
travelling men; they. too, saw ana
heard things on the road that were 1T
tie short Of treason.
There was Alfred de Vide, whose
business is manufacturing leather
goods troubles Of his own he has, too,
what with the scarcity of leather and
prices soaring every day. There WAS
Edward Bodenheimer, interested IN
handkcrchiefs; and Isaac Kaiser.
K-a-i-s-e-r. mind you, also whole
saler in leather. Plain, everyday bust
ness men, all Of them. out hust!ing for
their families. worried over contracts,
dogtired at night, but, in spite OF their
names, Americans-real lS-kerat Amer
leans who are awake TO the fact that the
United States is al war with Germany.
In the GLy'S work they determined to
make time some way TO get after those
who were working against the govern
ment.
Without letting any grass grow un-
der their feet they formed Pro-Am-
erican Socicty-"for America. first,
last and all the time" its letter head
declarcs-with Mr.. De Vide, president;
Mr.. nodenheimer, e-president; Mr..
SchcndG. secretary. and Mr.. Kaiser,
treasurer.
Asked Aid Of Papers
Mr.. Schendel sent letter to promi-
nent newspapers in fifteen states call
ing for names and addresses of men
and women OF German birth or parent
age VIE are Interested in movement
10 have the German papers printed IN
English during the war, and asking also
for expressions Of opinion on the sub
iect. In this letter he said:
This society is making no attack on "a.
triotic men and women who. although OF
German birth. are Loyalty supporting
America and her allies. But this society
doe. propose 10 attack with all possible
strength those who ere working day and
night against this government. The Ger
man papers are IN the main against
America, and they are secretly encouraging
dsloyalty In addition 20 this. the Ger
man papers are being used in dangerous
secret propaganda vhioh unquestionably ia
being financed in Berlin. Poor fools who
read only the German papers are being
used and led into doing things that are
unquestionsbly disloyai and hat VIII event
uzlly lead them into trouble with this
government and its citizens.
A response came quickly As ne had
firmly believed, h. heard from great
many persons of German extraction
who realized the dangerous secret prop
uganda sent forth through the medium