Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1918-06-19
GEIRlMANISM IN u. S.
NOT VERY POPULAR
Sketches Of Popular Feeling in
U. S. on Demonstrations of
GeTmanism.

The following appearing in a recent |
issue of the London Times, was written !
by one OF the Times correspondents. |
travelling in this country:
In a little country town in Pennsyl- |
wanna small boy jumped on to the train
and offered the evening papers They
were freely bought, and two men sitting
together made some cultural noise as
they saw the headlines announcing a
German advance. 1t sounded like "Ach
gut but | cannot be sure. Whatever
the words, no open Sesame" ever
wrought quicker magic. Within an ms
tant q little tornado arose; and before
there as time to analyse the commo-
ton or share in it two stout persons were
lifted clean up and heaved into the street.
The conductor did not attempt to inter
fere or stop the pace Of the car. Dne
man fell on his face, the went spinning
round and was nearly knocked over by
a passing motor Within the train three
1.-THE Americans laughed and resumed
their seats and the incident was closed.
Later recounted the experience to my
host A dry little smile Wflnkied MS
mouth and vanished, as his daughter
broke in: Now. Papa, I'll never forgive
you, if you tell But he told me the
story nevertheless. An elderly Austrian |
body, who had been an old acquaintance
of the family, had ventured to say that |
Germany would never be beaten. Though |
the occasion was party at her own
home, the daughter had turned on the |
old lady ectmed her on her sin against |
America, and insisted on her immediate |
election from the house, Thereafter all |
communication between the two families |
had ceased.
1t seemed to me that the real feelings (,
Of q people are more easily and truly |
diagnosed in small places than in large; |
and such a pair of incidents, though |
slight enough, moro impressed me than !
all the police court incidents of New |
'The Hyphens"
I left this little town TO journey to |
Virginia. In the smoking room of the |
cussed; and / asked citizen from the |
Middle Y est what he thought the effect |
would be If there were news of heavy /
casualties among the American troops |
In my city" he said, naming some Wis |
consin township, 1T will mean death to !
the hyphens." He meant, of course, peo- |
Pile (and they were SO per cent of his |
neighborhoodl who wrote themselves !
down as German Americans. Heavy |
American casualties have not yet been |
reported; but every single day signs null |
Upiy of an accumulated hatred of all |
things and persons named German. Ev. |
cry day in the bigger cities men are ar |
rested and receive penalties of three |
months and upward for pro-German OF |
pro-Austrian opinions. Most of the Of |
Tenders are reported and in many cases |
arrested then and there by private citi- |
courts the other day-haye the right of |
such summary action. Are you 100 per |
cent Americana" asks one of the most |
aggressive advertiser entS; and it will |
very soon be dangerous to be only 80 per !
cent American to say nothing Of 5000" |
which is the Vernacular for SO per cent |
Indeed, it is already dangerous
Not more than week or two ago il I
was the habit of German sympathizers, /
when the news pleased them, to assemble |
In certain restaurants to tlrinlI-and eat |
TO the glory of the Fathcrland. These |
resorts and these habits soon became |
known, and at least as many 100 per cent |
americans as Germans began to fore |
gather to the festival The result was |
that every one watched eve-y one-one /
party seeking to observe, the other to |
make sure that it was not obserVed-so |
that a re, taurant though crowded to |
overlooking with a company assembled !
TO celebrate, was nevertheless enveoped |
In an atmosphere Of pretenaturaI gloom, |
A moments rashneSs would precipitate /
q catastrophe, as every one knew; and |
now even the German restaurants are lit |
tie more populous on one night than on l
Public Feeling.
A few cases Of lynching, of tarring and !
feathering. and such delicate reminders !
OF patriotic duty occur almost daily in |
the West and Middle West; but these /
excuses are not the most thoroughgoing |
signs of popular feeling. Bigger move |
ments are on foot. Instruction in the |
German tongue has been absolutely pro-
hibited in the elementary schools Of seye- 1
raj states. including New York Teach |
ers are forced to take the oath Of loyalty
oCHOOi DOOfS are DelAS rapidly revised |
with a view to cut out all complimentary |
references to Bismarck and the kaisers |
as Well as some unfortunate references to |
British kings and rulers Clubs here
there, and everywhere have passed |
short and sharp rule, which renders every |
member liable to be called upon to take |
the oath of loyalty. The boycott move
ment against German goods is spreading |
very rapidly, especially among womea |
and is to be methodically organized
My impression is that if the war con- |
t tn1eS ach longer iI or the American
Of protecting the persons and properties I
Of ayowed Germans will strain law and !
order to the utmost East and West,
Americans are growing angry. The in |
fluence Of this growing anmosty in the |
German American communities them
selves is already apparent. Germans are !
a logical people Many emgrants came |
over to avoid the excesses Of the "slaXa |