Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-03-03
Organization Christened Ger
man-Amercan' Gets in Bad
and Now Members Rush to
Capital TO Defend It,
BILL PENDING TO
REVOKE CHARTER
One Witness Admits He Thinks
It Is Improper for u, S, to
Ask People of Teuton Birth
to Deny Ancestry.


Washington, March 2.-Members of
state organizations affiliated with the
National German-American Alliance
defended the alliance against charges
of disloyalty today before a senate
subcommittee and maintained the
right of state alliances to political
activity. The. committee is holding a
hearing on bill by Senator King Of
Utah to revoke the charter OF the al
)iance and close the affairs of it's state
organizations.
Theodore Sutro of New York, for
mer president of the New York state
alliance, disclaimed responsibility of
the organization for utterances of in
dividual members and repudiated
statements of DR.. c. ]. Hoxamer of
Philadelphia, former president
Presidents of societies are often
very foolish" Mr.. Sutro declared when
asked by Senator King II he approved
an utterance attributed to DIR. Hexa.
lner, in speech in Milwaukee in 1915,
that the alliance was of sucn political
power that it could dominate COM
munities where 1t was well organized.
Articles Repudiated.
Pro-German articles appearing in
the official bulletin of the alliance
were repudiated by Sutro, who de-
clared the alliance should not he held
to account for what appeared in the
publication.
I'VE are at war against German war,
and not against German peace and
German achievements" Mr. Sutro
said. He added that he did not sub
scribe to the German view of large
standing armies and did not believe
in the idea of non n-assimiliation CT
German immigrants. However, he
thought it improper for Americans to
ask persons of German birth to deny
their ancestry.
It is proper for the organization to
declare itself in political affairs, he
asserted, and he expressed the belief
that It was not improper for the or
ganization to oppose and aid in de-
feating prohibition in the several
states. He also did not believe it i'm
proper for the organization in local
communities to oppose candidates for
school boards who did not favor
teaching German, because he believed
1t advantageous to students to have
knowledge of Two languages.
Told to Stand Together.
Although unable to recall positively
Mr.. Sutro said he did not think the
national organization took any stand
against the shipment of war munitions
to Europe or boycotted any firms
which bought bonds from the allies
prior to Americas entrance into the
war.
Col PAU Meerscheidt of San An
tonic, Tex, vice president of the Texas
state alliance, denied any unpatriotic
motives on the part of his organiza-
ton, but said Germans in Texas were
advised to stand together for political
purposes in local elections. This was
regarded necessary, he said for the
maintenance of German interests.
1t was brought out in Mr.. Meer-
scheidts examination that about
three or four weeks before the United
States entered the war he received
telegram from DR.. Hexamer urging
him to call meetings of the alliance in
San Antonio and other Texas cities to
take action against a declaration of
war. Hexamer also urged, he said,
that kilograms be sent to representa-
tives and senators asking that before
a declaration of war was made the
question be submitted to referen-
dunn. No action was taken on either
of the questions, he said.
Preceding the election Of 1916, Mr..
Meerscheidt said, he received mes
sage from DR.. Hexamer asking him to
urge German voters to support Charles
f. Hughes for president
Other officials Of the alliance will
be heard by the committee Monday.