The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1917-12-03

ed that our honor and safety demand
ed that we take up arms against the
Imperial German Government, and by
action Of Congress the cause and the
fight against that Government were
declared our cause and our fight.
The duty Of loyal allegiance and
faithful service to his country, even
unto death, rests, Of course. upon
every American. But, if it be possible
to speak of a comparative degree con-
corning what is the highest as it is
the most elementary attribute OF c1ti
zenship, that duty may almost be said
to rest with an even more solemn
and compelling obligation upon Amer
leans of foreign origin than upon na'
tive Americans
For we Americans Of foreign antece-
dents are here not by the accidental
right of birth, but by our own free
choice for better or for worse.
We are your fellow citizens because
you accepted our oath Of allegiance
as given in good faith, and because
you have opened to US In generous
trust the portals Of American oppor-
tunity and freedom, and have admitted
us to membership IN the family OF
Americans, giving us equal rights In
the great inh eritance which has been
created by the blood and the toll of
YOUR ancestors, asking nothing from
in return but decent citizenship and
adherence to those ideals and prin-
ciples which are sylnbolized by the
glorious flag Of America.
Woe to the foreign-born American
who betrays the splendid trust which
you have reposed in him!
Wot to him who considers his Amer
lean citizenship merely as conven-
lent garment to be worn in fair wealth
er but to be exchanged for another one
in time OF storm and stress!
Woe to the German-American, So
called, who, in this sacred war for a
cause as high as any for which ever
people took up arms, does not feel a
solemn urge, does not show an eager
determination to be IN the very fore.
front OF the struggle: does not prove a
patriotic jealousy, in thought, in &C
ton and in speech to rival and to out
do his native-born fellow citizen in
devotion and in willing sacrifice for
the country of his choice and adoption
and sworn allegiance, and of their
common affection and pride.
AS Washington led Americans of
British blood to fight against Great
Britain, as Lincoln called upon Ameri-
cans of the North to fight their very
brothers Of the South, so Americans
Of German descent are now summon
cd to join in our country's righteous
struggle against a people Of their
own blood. which, under the evil spell
OF a dreadful obession, and, Heaven
knows. through no fault of ours, has
made itself the enemy of this peace
loving Nation. as 1t is the enemy of
peace and right and freedom through
out the world.
To gain Americas independence. to
defeat oppression and tyranny, was
indeed to gain a great cause.
To preserve the Union, to eradicate
slavery, was perhaps greater still.
To defend the very foundations of
liberty and humanity, the very ground
work of fair realing between nations,
the very basis of peaceable living to-
gether among the peoples of the earth
against the fierce and brutal onslaught
of ruthless, lawless. faithless might;
to spend the lives and the fortunes OF
this generation so that our descend
ants may be freed from the dreadful
calamity of war and the fear of war,
SO that the energies and billions of
treasure now devoted to plans and