Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-07-03

commerce, but unless it is rich in
men, an essential ingredient OF ma.
tional wealth is missing. Great men
in nation are its fertilizing quail
ties. The world without them would
be ether a desert Or a morass.-
Premier David Lloyd George.
TOO HARD ON THE GERMANS"
That there are some Germans liv-
ing under the American flag who
are still ready to defend and uphold
the atrocious German military ma
chine is painfully apparent. The
Freeman-Tribune is ready to concede
that this class of naturalized Ameri-
cans of German birth is mighty
small when compared with the
whole number of American citizens
Of German birth or extraction now
residing in the United States. But
It is reproach to our institutions
that any naturaliZed citizen, no mat
ter from whence he came, is permit
ted in time of war to openly express
sympathy for an enemy country.
This is the first time in the history
of the United States that a situa-
ton existed calculated to test the
loyalty of so-called German-Ameri-
cans when they must choose between
the country of their birth and the
country of their adoption. They
have taken an oath of allegiance to
the American flag, swearing to de-
fend it against all enemies, and es-
pecially against the kaiser of Ger
many The time is now here for
them to make good this oath. Their
whole allegiance is due this country,
but when they undertake to defend
or excuse the outrages committed
by. Germany in this war they are do
ing just that much to give aid and
comfort to the enemy.
The Freeman-Tribune is in receipt
OF the following letter from John
Mamminga Of Kamrar, who is ap-
parently one Of the few Germans in
that vicinity who deems it his duty
to protest against attacks upon Ger
many being made in the press: -
"Kamrar, Iowa, June 26.-Dear
Sir: send my subscription price
Of So for your paper, but do not send
any more. You certainly are too
hard on the Germans. If send too
much money send rest back; if not
enough please let me hear from you.
d remain, yours no more,
JOHN MAMMINGA."
IN AS the Freeman Tribune has stead
lily upheld and commended the atti-
tude of Germans in this country who
are loyal to the Stars and Stripes, the
complaint from Mr.. Mamminga is
because of the denunciation in these
columns of German disloyalty in
America and of the methods Of Ger
many in this war. From the view
point of a loyal American citizen it
is impossible to be too hard on the
Germans who are disloyal or who
defend the damnable record Of the
German military machine. Is it "too
hard on the Germans to denounce
the deliberate sinking by govern
mental orders of a passenger vessel
and numbering over 100 Americans,
forty of whom were babes under one
year old? Is it 'too hard on the
Germans" to protest against the
aeroplane raids over non-combatant
and defenseless people, killing hum
dreds of women and children in cold
blood? Is it ''too hard on the Ger
mans" to express Indignation that
the submarine pirates attack and
sink hospital ships, sending hum
dreds of wounded soldiers, together
with their Red Cross nurses, to un-
timely graves? Is it "too hard on
the Germans" to condemn the plan
OIL uepOTll1S EXTRAORDINARILY clIlZeuS
from Belgium, taking them TO Ger
many to serve as slaves? Is it too
hard on the Germans" to protest
when the German military machine
overrides a neutral country, lays its
towns in waste, seizes it's citizens
and holds them as hostages for a
money indemnity? Is it "too hard
on the Germans" to protest against
representatives of the German gov
eminent in this country when we
were at peace with Germany sowing
seeds of distrust and planning
schemes in violation of our neutral
ity? Is it '.too hard on the Germans"
to denounce them when the discovery |
is made that officials high in the
councils of the German empire are
conspiring to bring about war be-
tween the United States and Japan
n