South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-03-12
WORK
Of ORGANIZATION
American Alliance Is
on Carpet-ShOw Where
Politics Was Played.

WASHINGTON. March 12.-Po-
liticaI activity Of the German-Amer-
lean alliance and it's subsidiary or
ganizations, was described before
the senate investigating committee
today by L. Lowry Humes, United
states district attorney at Pitts
burgh, and Joseph Keller OF Indi-
annapolis, vice president OF the Ma
tional alliance. The committee is
holding a hearing on a bill TO revoke
the charter Of the alliance on the
ground that il is unpatriotic.
Mr.. Humes, who came into pos
session Of the records of the al
lance organization in Allegheny
county, Pennsylvania, through a
grand jury investigation OF the ac-
tivities of German organizations
opposing prohibition, testified that
the Allegheny alliance urged its
members to support Charles +.
Hughes in the last presidential cleo
ton. His defeat was attributed by
the alliances executive committee
as due TO the support by that
sa bre-rattling Roosevelt, accord
ing to the witnesses.
Summary OF Activity.
The Allegheny organization
adopted a resolution in 1915 urging
a special session of congress to pass
a law prohibiting the shipment of
munitions to the allies, Mr.. Tunes
entered the war, the organizations
executive advocated r%eopening of
mail communication with Germany
under a censorship.
The district attorney further tes-
titled tina the records of the organ
ization showed that it had collect
ed $3.50 for German war relief
before the United States entered the
war and had sen it TO the German
and Austrian embassies. 1t was
brought out at the hearing last Sat
urday that a great part of more
than 100000, collected in this
country by the national alliance.
was turned over by Count Won
Bernstorff, former German ambas-
sador, &c DR.. Bernard Dernberg.
who was head of the German porp-
aganda system in this country for
some time.
Has Sons in Service.
Mr.. Keller. who recently COM
pleted a four year term as a MEM
Der of the indianapolis school
board. and has two sons in the
army, admitted TO the committee
that the alliance actively supported
measures and candidates opposed
to prohibition in Iowa, Texas. Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois and Missouri. He
said letters were written to voters
and speakers sent into the states,
this activity being in accord with a
working agreement made with
the National Association of Com
merce and Labor which he said, was
organized by brewers TO oppose
prohibition. He admitted that
such activity was not in strict ac-
cord with the purposes of the or
~ganization as set out in its char
ter.
The alliances vice president de-
MED personal activity in any unpa.
triotic work and said that if the or
ganization is furthering any prOpa.
ganda to foster a permanent Ger.
manizing of immigrants or dOinl
other unpatriotic acts, its charter
should be revoked.
Il have two sons in the army anC
I am proud of my service badge,
said he witness, adding that all o
his children have bought Libert!
bonds and are members of tn,
American Red Cross. At the las
meeting of the city alliance in In
dianapolis, he said, 500 was sub
scribed to the Red Cross and tina
the alliance recently arranged I,
purchase $500 in Liberty bonds.
Sen. King OF Utah, author of tn,
bill to revoke the alliances char
ter, called the witness attention L
a textbook. said to be used IN tn,
schools of indianapolis. and il
which it is said that the kaiser
name is the only one appearing il