Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-04-09
Let German People of
Europe Also Win War
Says Karl Mahie Secsetary of Chicago Branch of Society
of Friends of German Democracy in Address Before
People of This vicinty-Hopes For Day of Friendly
Relations With Brothers in Germany
From the Daily Journal Press, St Cloud. Minn.)

enthusiastic audiences at the Miner
and Nemec theatres last night. Mr..
Mathie is the. son of German parents,
but was born in Wausau, Wis, which
he still claims his home, altho he is
now engaged in speaking before au
diences composed largely of Ameri
cans of German birth or extraction.
He has just returned from speaking
tour thru North and South Dakota.
His last engagement being at Mil
bank, S. D., where he addressed
crowded house under the auspices of
the local members of the Society of
Friends of German Democracy
Mr.. Mathie is secretary of the Chi
cago Branch of this society which
now has over fifteen hundred mem
bers. He has also assisted in organic
ing branches at Kansas City, New
York and smaller places, having
found that the loyal Americans of
German stock had already organized
an All American Loyalty league in
the Dakotas and that similar organi-
zation is under way in Minnesota
The speaker last night confined him
self to the more general issues in
volved in the great war as they appeal
to an American born son of German
enemies.
Parents Left Germany.
The speaker related in a heart to
heart talk how his father and mother
left south Germany shortly after the
unhappy OUTCOME of the Peoples
Springtime in 1S4S, leaving more es-
pecially to escape the cruelty of the
caste system, which forces a son to
follow his fathers trade or profession,
even tho his ability and his taste lie
in some other direction.
Continuing, Mr.. Mathie related how
his father, seeing the necessity of
learning the language of this country,
If he and his children were to enjoy
the full benefit of this land of oppor-
tunity, went to a local judge in Wau-
sau and studied with him evenings
after long hours at the blacksmith S
forge during the day, in order that he
might read, write and speak the Ian
guage of this country
Large success he said, sis impos-
sible to a boy or girl in this or any
country unless he knows the language
of this country, and any agency that
keeps the children from learning their
| country's tongue is a harm to them
that will follow them all their lives.
The German language newspapers,
schools and churches have too often
overlooked their duty and as a conse-
quence the youth of German blood is
handicapped in attaining positions
which his ability and inclination
would otherwise lead him to. Often
times this leads to a reluctance on his
part when political honors might be
his for the asking. To illustrate what
L mean, take an example which strik-
ingly emphasizes this point.
Wisconsin Situation.
THE reluctance of the men of Ger
man stock in taking part actively in
state or national affairs is shown in a
marked Way in my home state, Wis
consin, where they have just had pri-
mary election in which five candidates
for the United States senatorship
made the race. OF the five, two were
Democrats, two were Republicans and
one socialist, but not one OF the five
has one drop of German blood in his
veins, altho the citizens of German
rest
Since the primary there has been
an effort made to get one of the two
loyalty candidates, Davies and Len
root, to withdraw, movement that
do not favor, as l think the decision
of the primaries should be binding. l
favor this especially since it makes
the issue more sharply defined than if
either Davies or Lenroot withdrew.
The Candidates.
ITO explain: They have in Davies
candidate who has stood with the
administration all thru, both before
and since the United States of Ameri-
ca became involved in the war. In
Lenroot they have a candidate who
held pretty much the same attitude as
cid most of the Americans of German
stock in having leaned toward what
Germany wanted us to do before we
got into the war, bur being absolutely
loyal since we did get in, while in
Berger they have candidate who has
been most violently for Germany and
against America first, last and all the
time, altho why he should be is hard
to fathom.
Il feel that the voters who have
held and are holding the position held
by Lenroot thru these bitter years of
warfare should have a chance to ex-
press their heartfelt convictions next
Tuesday.
I'm this great crisis when four-fifths
of the civilized world is in arms
against the Central powers, there lies
heavy burden and a special duty up
on the loyal Americans of German
blood to preserve the institutions of
our country, and all that we Ameri-
cans hold dear that government for
the good of the people and by the pee-
pie shall not perish from the earth.
Stamp Out Traitors.
Our first duty is to set our own
house in order. If we find any dis
loyalty IN our own ranks, any treason
able gossip, any effort to give aid and
comfort to the Central powers, any
refusal to do all possible for the sue
cess of our army and navy, any
thought, word or action harmful to the
morale of those who constitute the
nome defenses, let us not wait until
some exasperated neighbors of other
stock take the law into their own
hands but rather let us as true Ameri-
cans of German blood stamp out the
fires of sedition ourselves in friendly
way if possible or by calling upon the
strong arm of the law if necessary.
I'VE have in our keeping the good
name of our stock and woe be it to us
and to our children if we do not pre-
serve the precious vessel thu. has
heretofore been a depository of our
honor and our glory. Wherever Il
have spoken / have asked for the name
of some one in that community whose
father was a Copperhead in the civil
war, but not one man has yet acknowl-
edged it, | have asked for the name
OF some one whose ancestor was
Tory in the revolutionary war, but no
one has responded. The day is coming
in the future when some speaker will
ask Tor the name of a man who was
not enthusiastically back of our gov
eminent in this fight and there won't