davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1918-03-03
the Kaiser's Game May
L Be Furthered in America

81. The consolidation Of all those of German
descent in an economical, political and social
block AS instruments for this purpose It has
used the German press, German parocha
schools, the German stage, societies of Ger
mans and continual propaganda for com
pulsory teaching of German in public schools
2. The arousing of racial antagonisms and
opposition to all progress of assimilation
3. A vigorous propaganda for the benefit OF
the German government
4. Opposition ta the policies Of the United
States
S. The furtherance Of the aims Of disloyal
organizations and individuals.
g. Rabid hostility to prob hlbition any in
reference with the liquor traffic.
T. Reliance upon unknown sources for tnan-
cial support
"The New York World" finds in the al
legged violation Of corporate purpose in this
propaganda the impulses which eliminated
in the dishonorable discharge of Captain
David A. Henkes, U. S. a., who was con-
demned by court-martial to Imprisonment
for twenty-five years for disloyalty and
violation Of his oath. 1t asserts editorially
that
"Ihe alliance, as everybody row knows, has
worked INCREASINGLY in behalf Of Prussian in
stitutions and interests and in the times of
strife and stress that preceded our declara
tion Of war it devoted itself exclusively to
poisoninp the German-American mind as to
the issues and obligations confronting 1t. We
shall never know how many OF our pconlc 1t
corrupted, but in former Captain Henkes we
have one interesting specimen OF the KIND cf
work the alliance sought to 90.
The subcommittee investigation got
under way February %, when Mr. Ohlln-
ger was called as witness by Senator
King. of Utah, author Of the bill to re-
woke the charter of the German Ameri-
can Alliance. 1t was disclosed at the first
hearing that former Representative Bar
tholdt had been largely instrumental IN
obtaining the passage Of the charter Mr..
Oblinger said according to dispatches IN
The New York Tribune, that the real
propagandists in the organization worked
/ IN secret. and that the entrance OF the
limited States into war had not curtalled
their activities; but he made 1t PLAIN tna'
he did not desire to create the impression
that all members Of the alliance were
conscious OF having worked against the
;r,eresta Of the United States. 1t was
uexamer. he asserted, who sent telegraphie
messages to the presidents of the STATE
New-York tribune., 1918-03-03

VERY remarkable tale of mari
n time adventure is this that fol-
- lows. Its principal protagonists
are a stout, weathered, old tank steamer, a
German submarine, cargo 'that by COM
parison would make a munition factory or
train load of dynamite seem as safe and
secure as churchyard in Colorado and
an Italian lad who ignited his last cigar
ette too close to the oil-soaked harbor, star
board. The vessel was the Albert Watts,
and the exciting story of her last voyage.
told by her wireless operator. Clarence
Cisin, in the current number of ''Lesie's
Weekly runs as follows:
ut is getting to be no more of distinc-
ton nowadays for Us seagoing folk to be
torpedoed than it is for a landsman to have
an operation for appendicitis. And as for
transports or liners. they take tussle with
sub as part of their regular job.
"Perhaps that IS the reason that the oil
tanker, Albert Watts, which at least
always original, refused to accept the fate
that the U-boat commander had ordained for
her, and instead of sinking when they put a
torpedo in her hold decided to set the har-
Dor on ire literally, pour her own oil on
the waters that otherwise wouldn't have
troubled her, and go up in smoke.
"Of course the German sub started the
work when it punctured her tank with its
pill but an Italian fruit boy finished it when
he threw his cigarette butt over her side.
The first mate of the Albert Watts was
not superstitious man and he always
laughed at the fellow who wouldn't walk
New-York tribune., 1918-03-03
''Sub'' y

captain Immediately went ashore to try 70
make arrangements to have the entire crew
removed and the ship pumped out at once,
but he was forced to return that evening
without having accomplished his purpose.
Around noon time the next day the third
assistant engineer and myself started for
shore to get a real Thanksgiving dinner A
young Italian lad about fifteen years old,
selling fruit and wine, approached the YES
sci on its starboard side, near the exploded
tanks.
He lit cigarette and carelessly threw
his lighted match into the water, about ten
feet from the side of the vessel The water
Immediately caught fire and reached the
tanks. In second there sing-song
rumble like a symphony orchestra Of fifty
kettle drums growing louder and louder as
the fire gained headway in the tanks. A mass
of flame shot upward, reaching to the top o!
the masts and enveloping the entire forward
part of the ship.
"The boy who had lit the match was
burned to crisp One of our seamen be-
came confused by the flames and extreme
board side. Later when picked up his re-
mains We're hardly recognizable. The rest
of the rushed aft and fell over each
other in their haste to dive overheard.
"The vessels in the harbor kept up con-
tinuous blast of whistles, the naval station
sounded its danger siren, and the bells of
the city ringing violently. Small boats
of every description came hurrying out to US
and picked up the members of our crew
who swimming around in the water
Some of the men picked up by the lifeboats
were almost crazed by the experience. They
shouted disjointed eXclamations Of, fire -ex-
plosion pull plos on fire pull etc. Their
faces distorted with fear and had the
expression of men who had lost all CON =
sciousness of their true being. They seemed
to have reverted back to beasts. Nv mascot,
little fox terrier pup, seeing the rest jump
overheard. took a running leap into the
water and rescued. The boat went up
in smoke.
"That was the end of 4000-mile journey
the Albert Watts and two million dollars
worth of cargo, but nobody deny that
she finished in style"
New-York tribune., 1918-03-03
\ ppealing to the Sacred Duty of
~ Germans in This Country

As authority in connection with many
of his statements Mr.. Ohinger quoted the
official publications of the alliance In
the press it was reported that, questioned
by Senator Wolcott, of Delaware, as to
how the success of Germany in Europe
was held up as betting the Germans in
this country Mr.. Ohlnger read from a
statement by the president Of the Penn
sylvania branch of the alliance, pointing
to the "sacred duty" of Germans here
to ignore the press, which Islands in the
pay of England and the necessity Of
aiding their racial brothers" in the strug-
gle. In this declaration the official Of
the German-American Alliance said that
victory meant the progress of llultur and
would have an inestimable influence on
New-York tribune., 1918-03-03

And in most Of these eight states they may
hold Office.
"They must carry their blue cards with
them always, and they may not approach with
in one hundred yards Of water fronts
wharves, docks railway terminals or storage
houses, but they have full access to the polls
Gas subjects of the German Emperor they
are forbidden to enter the District Of Colum-
bia, yet next November they may vote n
eight states on who shall sit in Congress-.
These states are Alabama, Arkansas,
Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska
South Dakota and Texas The other states
require voters to be full-iedged citizens.
but it may be remembered that under Ger
man law the oath which every alien must
take on becoming an American citizen is
not binding, and German subjects who
thus qualify as American citizens and may
New-York tribune., 1918-03-03
The anomaly of the Enemy Alien

hold any Office in the gift of the people ex-
cept the Presidency have the option Of
fling a private declaration with German
consul by which they are permitted to re-
main German subjects still. Reverting to
the states in which alien enemies are
voters, Mr.. Evans said:
"If this strange situation is to be remedied
before the Congressional elections next fall
a short cut of some sort must be devised.
Zone quick remedy might be to revoke the
first papers of enemy declarants for the Pc
riod OF the war, restoring them after peace
comes
The object Of the legislators in placing
50 low an estimate on the value and priv
ileges of citizenship is said to have been
directed entirely toward the encourage
ment of immigration
New-York tribune., 1918-03-03

gas fumes and fell into the water, and the
two remaining ones tainted dead away in
the lifeboat.
The ship, badly damaged and leaking ex
cessively, gradually rghted itself, and as the
sudden rush of air had damped the explosion
in the tanks the danger for the moment
was over.
The two who had fallen into the
water were picked up by destroyer We
succeeded in hosting aboard the other men
who had been overcome in the lfeboat.
Their faces were chalky white with several
blotches of purple. By administering artfi-
cial respiration they were brought back to
normal condition.
If the torpedo had struck US fifteen yards
astern OF the place that it did it would have
entered the engine room and burst the boil
ers. AS We had $50 pounds of pressure to
each square inch of decking, the remains of
the ship and its crew, had this happened
would have been too small to mention.
Eve decided to try to reach our destina-
ton and got under way about two hours
after the torpedoing. The water around US
was covered with gasolene and benzinc and
as we steamed ahead we left an overflow
ing trail of it upon the waters surface.
"The same evening, about $3.50 p m we
we're nearing the harbor of Genoa. signal
rocket to call pilot was lit on the star
board side of the vessel and sparks from it
dropped into the water, which Immediately
caught fire A serpent of fame, slowly
gaining headway began to creep toward us
AS the flames spread dull red glow ilumi-
mated our immediate vicinity, throwing a
CHASTITY light upon the strained, tense faces
Of the men. The entire crew was lined up on
the after poop watching what seemed to be
inevitable DEATH knowing that the flame hae
only to reach the torpedoed tanks to spread
hundreds of thousands of gallons of lquic
re around the vessel. 1t was like being the
chief furnace tender at your own cremation
"We had been going at slow speed, and
as the fire gained Roadway, the full-speed
ahead signal was given. The vessel wa
also brought up sharply to her side in
zig-zag fashion. The increased churn o
the propeller and the sudden swerving @
the ship broke the chain of fire.
"Our torpedoing in the morning nigh
, we'll have been called flirting with death
but steaming through the fire in the even
ing was making violent love to it.
{ eve explained to the pilot the danger o
+ taking our ship into the port. The fact tha
we were likely to flood the harbor with ou
: inflammable leaking cargo and expose tn
other ships and even the town of Genoa it
: self to destruction by fire did not seem t
!. concern or greatly interest him and 500
S anchored in the centre of the harbor. Th
New-York tribune., 1918-03-03
low the Albert Watts Almost Cheated German "Sut

uhder ladder or threw the salt he spilled
over his left shoulder and he had crossed
the war zone twice and was all ready to sail
with us again. But the dav before we
started ne reported that he had 'hunch
and that If they wanted first mate they'd
nave to sign new one. Nobody could
change his mind, shipped new man
we carried cargo that, by comparison,
would make munition factory or train
load OF dynamite seem as safe and secure as
churchyard in Colorado In our tanks we
had 777,240 gallons of easoenc, 10000 gal
Ions Of .benzne and 100000 gallons of
fuel OIL
Fate had been rather unknd to the Watts,
as or her maiden trip she had lost pro-
peller while in the war zone and had a
serious collision with an English destroyer
the same trip.
"She was a long. low, kish-looking craft,
with the customary placing of bridge and
cabins aft.
What it took to make speed the Albert
Watts did not have. At nine knots every
inch of her writhed and moaned and pro-
tested at ten a wailing sigh gave promise
Of speedy breakdown; at eleven--but why
t'gure on impossibilities
1--WE pulled out of New York at p. m.
the evening of October 30. 1t was a dark
gloomy, misty sort of night Miss Statue of
Liberty seemed to be saying, hope you
make it, but
"wednesday, November %, made its ap-
pearance exactly the same any other
Wednesday might At 7:45 a. were
just about off the much 'bewarned Cape
Berta where the subs were known to urk
The knowledge that we had only forty miles
further to travel lent an air Of false security
to the atmosphere. At a. m. submarines
perscope was sighted by of the destroy
ers of our convoy, which Immediately opened
fire upon it. That was the beginning of the
end Of perfect day. Two armed merchant
men began shooting at what appeared to be
the wake of submarine, moving swiftly
under water. The other destroyer joined in
the fray with two large calibre guns and
depth bomb dropped in for luck.
"Hardly fifty yards astern Of we sighted
submarine running Just beneath the sur
face of the water. 1t looked like huge
dark animal running wild. Our after guns
spoke up with thunderous crash. We fired
six shells in rapid succession. The lookout
on the forward gun reported moving OBJ
iect directly ahead of US, and our forward
gun opened fire upon it. The S S. Westoil,
an American oil tanker in convoy, also
commenced shooting and one of her shells
struck the water directly above the spot
where the submarine had been sighted.
Ozark smoke arose from the water above
New-York tribune., 1918-03-03
y Great Many Reasons Why
- The Alliance Looks Guilty

Whatever the attitude Of the Depart.
ment of Justice may have been, Secretary
Lansing of the State Department placed
in possession of the Investigating Senators
information regarding the Alliance which
was thus summarized in the staff CORE
spondence of The Tribune:
THAT members Of the German American
Alliance were the principal subscribers to
German government bonds noatcd in this
country while America was still neutral
That the proceeds never went to Ger
many, but were used by German agents in
this country to spread propaganda to weaken
the national spirit; to incite Mexico to war
with the United States; to purchase and
prepare bombs to be placed on Allied and
neutral ships in American harbors; to pay
incendiaries to burn and wreck muniton
factories, bridges and canals in this country
and Canada and 20 ncte rebellion in Ire
land against Great Britain
"a portion of the material furnished to
the State Department was contained in a
speech on the floor of the Senate to-day by
Senator Swanson, Of Virginia, who said he
had reason to believe that a large part of
the proceeds from German war bonds sold in
this country was used to finance the Sein
Fein rebellion in Ireland
"Scnators who participated in the flibus-
ter which resulted in the defeat of the armed
ship bill last session were assailed BY Mr..
Swanson as having destroyed the last
chance for peace between the United States
and Germany. By this action Germany was
convinced, he said, that we did not have the
courage to defend rights and that no in
jury she could inict would result in ~sz-
fare
This small group of wilful Senator's
Senator Swanson declared, were responsible
for the creation OF this belief in Germany,
and deserve severe condemnation for mis-
! representing and thwarting at this critical
time the Will OF the American people,"
Mr.. Ohlingers statement that not all
the members of the Alliance were aware
of its real objects would seem to be borne
out by the action of the branch in KansaA
City, which has applied for and obtained
legal permission to change its name to
"The American Citizenship Association
In support of the application the presi.
dent Of the Kansas City Alliance, John
Lippart, made this statement
eve have decided not only to change the
name, but have actually severed all relations
with the National German-American Ali
ance. In the future we shall devote our
selves to everything American. There will
be no interest in anything German. Our or
ganization has invested heavily in Liberty
bonds, but to accomplish our purpose it be.
came evident that we would have to change
our and withdraw from the National
Alliance"
New-York tribune., 1918-03-03
They Thought About the
w Sinking Of the Lusitania

is there any condemnation of the
sinking of the Lusitania?' the Senator
asked.
"None Whatever said Mr. Ohlinger.
"On the contrary, there appears reso-
luton, adopted at meeting of Germans
in St. Louis, in which the loss Of lives is
deplored, but it is held to be their own
fault for sailing on such vessel, and
that Count Won Bernstorff is entitled to
the thanks of the country for the warn
ings he issued to those about to sail,
through the advertisements in the New
York newspapers"
According to MIR. Ohlinger, The Ger
man propaganda, Of which the alliance
is the chief organ, began twenty years
ago, and during the greater part of that
time has been supported, like the alliance
itself, largely from secret sources. Com
menting upon his testimony, The New
York Evening Telegram said:
1--WE are 4 good natured, creduous lot,
hut we must learn. Even the members Of
the Senate subcommittee that heard Mr..
Ohinger were ncredulous.
LA Foletteism, jeremiah OLearyism and d
lot of other isms and mysteries now take
on added interest
at seems impossible the State Department,
New-York tribune., 1918-03-03

and tingled as if its every seam were about
to give way. A heavy washbasin clamped
securely to the wall of my wireless cabin,
was completely snapped from its pipes, lifted
from its fastenings, and thrown upon the
floor. A geyser of water from the broken
pipe drowned everything in the room Pict-
ures, lamps, books and chairs tumbled
around the cabin and upon the floor. Fumes
of benzine and gasolene penetrated every
thing. p Most Of US felt queer dizziness and
breathing was very difficult
eve had been struck in the forward tanks
on the starboard side and the vessel began
to sink slowly, taking heavy starboard list.
The ponderous eight inch steel decking was
literally ripped apart and pieces of the ex-
ploded torpedo few in all directions.
"There was cry Of All hands to the life
boats,' Every one expected the gasolenc to
ignite and there was mad rush to the
boats The wind was blowing aft and, had
fire started, boiling sea Of flames would
have made escape impossible Several of
the seamcn and firemen began to lower their
lifeboat before the command TO abandon
ship was given. They succeeded in getting
half way down the side OF the vessel when
the lines foulod in the davits and they were
suspended where the fumes were strongest
Two Of them were overcome by the poisonous
New-York tribune., 1918-03-03
rand New "Enemy Within" Trail Is Opened Up in Amenc

German organizations, pro-Gcrmans and all
disloyal eements?"
In statement issued from Washing
ton the Department Of Justice intimated
that all the matters brought to the atten-
ton Of the Senate subcommittee were
known already to the authorities, and this
brought forth bitter criticism of Mr..
Gregory's "lukewarln attitude toward the
whole affair from Maurice Leon. a New
York lawyer, who has been attacking the
Alliance since the beginning of the war.
New-York tribune., 1918-03-03
7 ct 1t Go as Innocence, to
l. Avoid a FIarsher Word

To this "The New York Times" re-
joined:
proof that these statements are incorrect
is so abundant and so we'll known in most
newspaper Offices we'll as to the part o.
the public interested in such questions, that
their appearance where they do is pathetic
revelation of-well, let it go as innocence in
order that harsher Characterization may
be avoided. In scores of Official proclama-
Alliance, not at all secretly in past years, it
has eXerted all its large powers to prevent
its members from forgetting their origin.
They have been urged again and again to
work together as a separate people for their
interests as such.
"In one sense all this was educational
and cultural but certainly it was not so in
the sense in which the Zeitung'-ia
all sincerity, of course-uses the words and
wants them to be taken"
On Thursday a statement issued by
Richard NJ. Hurd, chairman of the board
of trustees Of the American Defence So
ciety, was published. In this statement
Mr.. Hurd said:
at is more than an absurdity, it is folly,
it is weakness, to allow an enemy organiza-
ton to continue to flourish in this country
when there is evidence that its members are
loyal to Germany, ani not 20 the United
States. What reason is there for any mac
tlvitv bv the Department of Justice in pro
ceedng against German spies, enemy aliens,
New-York tribune., 1918-03-03
The Interior Decorator

The interior decorator used to be con-
sdered merely the man who painted the
inside walls of a building. In recent
years the term has broadened until now
the interior decorator is the man or
ings and decorations including not only
the walls, but furniture rugs, lighting
fixtures, etc, and superintends the cxecu-
ton Of the work.-From a Metropolitan
Museum Of Art Booklet.
New-York tribune., 1918-03-03
THEY buiH me in a hurry and they
Skimped about the job.

THEY buiIt me in hurry and they
1 Skimped about the job.
Ny engines were constructed on a
BET;
NV body wriffes and means with
every single engine fhrOb,
Bur I'm spiashing thru the briny
waters yet.
I've brayed the North Atlantic and
I've braved the winfry blasts,
have farried i'm the War Zone for
spell:
I've lost a new propeller and I've
nearly lost my n1astS,
And my dynamO's NOT doing very
WeU.
But I've got real n1en to sail me
men whose hearts are strOru
and true,
From tie gunners to the lads who
scrub the pots;
You may be an ocean "Liner," but
don'f think envy you,
am glad TO be-Yours truly
Albert Waits.
New-York tribune., 1918-03-03
" illnesses Who Protest Against
w These Charges

Equally strong denials of the charges
made by Mr.. Ohlinger and protestations
Of loyalty were made by Adolph Timm,
national secretary Of the alliance, who
was scheduled to appear IN Washington
Yesterday; Gottlieb Hammer, national
treasurer, and other officials in Phila-
delphia, and by the president, the Rev.
DR.. s. G. Won Bosse, who is pastor of
Zion Lutheran Church, in Wilmington.
New-York tribune., 1918-03-03
w RITING recently in THE Chicago
wv Herald" Arthur M. Evans called
attention to strange anomaly

in the status Of alien enemies which exists
in eight states. He said:
Subjects Of Kaiser William may vote on
who shall govern America and who shall run
the war for Uncle Sam-if they have taken
cut first papers they have the ballot, in these
eight states, on President and members of
Congress.
Enemy aliens who have declared their in
tcntions to become citizens are full-Aedged
electors in these states They are under re-
siriction in everything but politics.
"Tf they are German enemy alens~Aus-
trians are not under rigid surveillance they
have had to register during the last week and
have had to turn in photographs and finger
prints; still, If they have first papers. the
constitutions of eight states let them vote