The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1917-12-25

One example of the truth of the
foregoing captOn-and of its peril
nence and Importance in the present
time of stress and eXctement-willl
be noted in the fact that the Rev c.
l.. Bent pastor of the local Methodist
church, speaking from his pulpit last
Sunday night. thought il incumbent
upon himself to brand as lie the
statement that he was inimical to the
Red Cross word or work, or that he
was i'm any way lacking in loyalty and
devotion to the flag of our country
| That any such statements should have .
| had a moments credence, or should /
| ever have been seriously made, seems /
incredible but it appears that they
must have been made and acquired
some degree of currency
Another aggravated instance has re-
Gently been brought before the Coun-
ell of Defense. 1t was reported to
that body that some. if not all, of the
members of a German Lutheran
church at Glover were disloyal and
seditious in both speech and acts, and
that the parochial school in connec-
ton Herewith was so far wrong as
that the German flag, instead of "old
glory" had been displayed above it
the flag story being upon the author
ity of a man who was said to have
seen it.
, This was grave enough to induce
: prompt visit of investigation by
: committee of three very competent
5 members of the council. Arriving at
] the school last Wednesday, the COM
/ mittee was met and welcomed by the
. young man who is both pastor and
- teacher, Rev. w. F. Dannenfeldt. In
q spite of the name, the committee was
5 assured. and fully convinced, that Mr..
X Dannenfedt was a native citizen of
the United States, born in Nebraska
o and educated at an American college
: where he received two years of mill
i tary training which he was ready and
r perfectly willing to put to use in the
n service of this (his) country when
>, ever called Also that Germany was
to him foreign country and the Kai-
! ser an abhorred tyrant. Also that the
school never had a German flag, mol
- anv flags except the flag of the Uni
- ted States, which was then flying
a above the roof and had been there
y, regularly, save for two days when i
=, was being mended from the ravage:
- of the wind. Also that no German
~ language was taught or used in thu
school, except in connection with som'
- religious exercises where its use wal
conventional Also that there weri
two aged Germans in the cOngrega
" ton whose talk at times was open t.
= obiection but that they had beer
+. warned by himself and other officia
A. members of the church that if sucl
!, talk did not cease, they themselve
"a would enter complaint against the of
II tenders and ask that they be deal
L with.
lie All questions asked by the commit
Is tee were fully and freely answered
e in fact its investigation was WELDON
u ed and met more than half way an
a in such manner as to be convincing
IN as already said, that the accusation
ed were unfounded and unjust
at No one wishes to depreciate or dis
is courage patriotic impulses of an
OF lIind-least Of all those tending {
frown on sedition or disloyalty upo
e. the part of any one who is enioyin
ny the privilege of living under the fla
We of the United States. Such an att
n tude of such a person is treasonabl
d and, in the language of PresideI
Andy Johnson, treason should a
g ways be made odious" But at IL
er, same time, and for the very reason
if the Just sensitiveness existing on tn
ed point, accusations should not be car
by lessly or maliciOusly made. "A l
lis travels seven leagues while truth
Ter getting its boots on" and the RICH
eous zeal to punish the wicked shou
always be certain that it does not {
ice wrong to the innocent.
Al