Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-09-26
BANKER KAHN TELLS WHY HE IS
AGAINST HIS NATIVE LANDS
RULERS.
FOREIGN BORN AMERICAN
MUST ACT WITH This NATION
American Citizenship Not Merely a
Fair-Weather Garment to Be Slough
ed in Time Of Storm-Speaker Would
Divest German People Of Their
Coat of Prussianism.

Harrisburg, Pa. Sept. 26.-Speaking
today before the Harrisburg Chamber
Of Commerce, Otto H. Kahn, Of the
banking house Of Kuhn, Loeb & Co.,
said in part:
Il speak as one who has seen the
spirit of the Prussian governing class
at work from close by, having at its
disposal and using to the full practi-
cally every agency for moulding the
public mind.
Il have watched it proceed with re-
lentless persistency and profound cum
ming to instill into the nation the
demoniacal obsession of power wor-
ship and world dominion, to modify
and pervert the mentality, indeed the
very fiber and moral substance OF the
German people-a people which until
misled, corrupted and Systematically
poisoned by the Prussian ruling caste,
was. and deserved to be an honored,
valued and welcome member Of the
family of nations.
1.-THE difference in the degree Of guilt
as between the German people and their
Prussian or Prussianized rulers and
leaders for the monstrous crime OF
this war and the atrocieus barbarism
of its conduct, Is the difference between
the man who, acting under the inf1u-
ence of poisonous drug. runs amuck
in mad frenzy and the unspeakable
malefactor who administered that drug.
well knowing and fully intending the
CHASTITY consequences which were
bound to follow.
Before Talking Peace.
.The world fervently longs for peace.
But there can be no peace answering 70
the true meaning of the word, no peace
permittins the nations OF the earth,
great and small, to walk unarmed anu
unafraid until the teaching and the
leadership of the apostles of an OUT
law creed shall have become discredlt-
ed and hateful in the sight OF the Ger
man people, until that people shaii
have awakened to a consciousness VI
the unfathomable guilt -of those whohl
they have followed into calamity anu
shame until a mood Of penitence ana
Of decent respect for the opinions OF
mankind shall have suppianted 'ne
sway Of what President wilson mas 90
4renchantly termed turbulence anu
treachery.'
God grant that the German people
NAV before long work out their own
salvation and find the only road which
win give to the world an early peace
and lead Germany back into the ram
i,y of nations from which 1t is now an
outcast.
sFrom each OF my visits to Germany
for twenty-five years. came away
more appalled, by the sinister trans.
mutation Prussianism had wrought
amongst the people and by the por-
tentous menace I recognized in 1t for
the entire world. 49,,
1T had given to German unparalleled
nrosnerity, benefcent and advanced so
cial legislation and not few other
things OF value, but 1t had taken IN
payment the soul Of the race 1t had
made devils bargain
Ideas in Conflict.
"And when this war broke out IN
Europe I believed that this was no or
binary war between peoples for a ques-
ton of national interest or even ma
tional honor, but conflict between
fundamental principles and ideas; and