The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-08-30
Put the Fischer Case to the People.

ton, but a plain case of examining in
to the loyalty Of men who are supposed
to be the directors of a big municipal
corporation. Undoubtedly many men
and many women have done things
much more hateful to patriotic citizens
than the Alderman from the sixth ward.
Many have done these things and ex-
pressed lese penitence than the alder
man. These people are not worthy of
commentator on account of the fact
that they got away with it. The atten-
tion that has been paid to the alleged
utterances of the alderman is paid be-
cause of the fact that he has taken a
certain oath of office. That oath of
Office does not suggest in any way half
loyalty to the nation. Tt suggests the
fullest support to the government at
war ana the fullest support of the gov
eminent at peace The personal ideas
OF Alderman Fischer as to whether the
United States and Germany are right
fully at wal do not enter into the mat
ter in any way. His personal ideas as
to the recruiting of an army OF men
going to France are Of little interest.
Presumably he is entitled to have his
own opinions and he is entitled to ex-
press them up to the point that he may
be disloyal to the nation. If such a
point is reached, he like any other man
who may Lot be in sympathy with the
nation, may be reached by federal laws.
Tht question that is really of interest
is: :" Is Fischer proper mar to repre-
sent the sixth ward in the counc"?0
Do the people Of the sixth ward desire
to be so represented? Unfortunately
the recall law has rever been worked
in Kenosha The people of the sixth
ward may be entirely satisfied with the
views of Alderman Fischer. They may
be entirely satisfied with the manner in
which he has expressed himself on the
floor of the council Many of the mem
bers OF the council seem to think that
Alderman Fischer should at least prove
his Loyalty. They have held that his
protests were not sufficient. How right
fully they have made this holding must
be decided after the facts in t1e case
have been presented. The fact that the
suggestion of the examination comes
from q man who may Lave been drop
ped from the federal pay roll is with
out interest one way or another. The
United States government must be in
control o. all the facts in regard to any
examination that has been made of
Fischer or any Other men who have
been called before the officials in Keno
sha.
The service of an alderman is not a
personal matter. He is supposed to rep
resent constituency. His views are
supposed to reflect their views and not
be personal views. The people Of the
sixth ward are entitled to have a man
or the c.uncil who reflects the feeling
OF the ward. It may be that this man
IS Alderman Fischer. The ward we'll
knew his Socialistic tendencies when
the voters placed him in office so that
the fact that he is a Socialist can not
be In any way urged against him at
this time and the suggestion of his re
moval can not be considered as a blow
at Socialism. Members of the council
may object to sitting with Alderman
Fischer, but the real people interested
are the people of the sixth ward. IF
Alderman Fischer feels that the course
he has taken before anG after the dec
laration of warfare between the United
States and Germany is in keeping. with
his oath of office and representative of
the people of the ward he represents,
he should not object to the acid test.
"A formal resignation on the r art of the
alderman would az once bring the mat
ter to an issue. His place on he coun-
Gil would be filed at special election
and, there is no power in the state to
bar him from being candidate for re-
election. If at such an election the
people of the sixth ward say "We are
satisfied with the loyalty of George
Fischer; we believe that he is main
tanning an attitude in keeping with the
oath of Office that ne signed,'' then
that is tne end of it. IF On the other
hand the sixth ward declares that it
does not want George Fischer for alder
man, we do not believe that the young
gentleman would desire to forc3 him
self into an official position.
Undoubtedly the members of the
council would be perfectly willing to
have this as the test of the right of
Alderman Fischer to remain a member
of the council. We can see no reason
why the alderman should object to the
test being made. If he is persona non
grata among his own neigh0ors in his
own ward service ,nder such circum-
stances should be hurtful to him. IF
the people OF his ward declare that he
IS the man whom they want to repre-
sent them, then there are grave doubts
as to the right Of the people of other
wards to demand his removal Let the
people directly represented by Alder
man Fischer decide whether or not he
represents or misrepresents them. Aid
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