The Dermott news. (Dermott, Ark.) 1910-1977, 1918-06-13

-hot Jhct a why
we are at war with Germany is that
for a generation Germany has been
making war on us. Germany has
made this war not openly, hravely or
humanely, but secretly, treacherously
and persistently. She has sought to
create race discord. to corrupt and de-
file politicians and officeholders, and
to create separate German commun-
ties within our borders. She has poi
soned the minds of children in our
schools in an endeavor 10 make Ger
mans of them instead Of have them
grow up into loyal American citizens.
She has invaded the sacredness of the
pulpit itself In an endeavor to corrupt
our people through the very leaders
Of morality to whom they are accus-
toned to look for guidance.
These may he startling assertions.
but they are all true. as you shall see
from the documents of the Germans
themselves. We all knew that 1t was
a German fleet which stripped for ac-
ton when Dewey sailed into Manila
bay. We all knew ii was the Germans
who sought to bring about European
alliance against US when we We're en-
gagged in the war with Spain. Few Of
us RELAXED. however. that all these
years Germany has been busy within
our own borders. through editors,
teachers and preachers, seeking TO
break down our national unity, so that
when the time came II would be easy
to defeat the United States in open
warfare to set at naught our cherish.
ed Monroe doctrine. and to seize, In
the Western hemisphere, anything
that the land grabbing rulers of the
German empire might desire.
The climax of Germanv's under,
handed war on the United States came
in 1918. more than year before the
outbreak Of hostilities in Europe This
was the enactment of what is knowr
as the Delhruck law. which provides
that If an emigrant from Germany
who is about to be naturalzed makes
application TO German consul. he
may retain his German citizenship
even after he has become citizen OF
his adopted country.
In plain words. this law, and the ap
plieation of il. mean just this:
A German goes into court In this
country and selemnly foreswears al
legiance TO the kaiser and pledges
his word-the temptation was to say
"of honor'-that ne will become 10y
al citizen of the United States. Ther
he slips around TO the German consu
and says:
You know I didn't mean that. a
all. Those Americans are easy marks
and they fell for that stuff right Off
But YOU inst put me down on your lis
as good. loyal German. and If the
time ever comes when ! can prove IL
you can count on me-"
So the German consul puts his name
down In the little card index of which
the Germans are so fond. and this
man.-this creature who swears nj
legience 10 the country which give,
him an opportunity to make real iiv
ing ana 10 become somebody in this
world, and at the same time swear>
secretly to be true TO Germany-is
turned loose TO work his will. Will,
Americans 90 carelessly about theii
business and refuse to see the danger
in the arrangement.
Long before the passage of the Del
bruck law, there was formed the We
rein fur das Deutschtum i'm Ausland-
the Union for GermaniSm in Foreign
Lands. This organization. officially
fostered In Germany. issued quarter
~ magazine. which, in its very first is.
sue. outlined its aims rs follows:
The purpose of this union is the
preservation and promotion OF the
GermaniSm of over 100000 people
Of German blood dwelling outside the
German empire" All II aims To do,
YOU zee, is to keep Germans who come
to this country from becoming Ameri-
cans.
Away back In 1890 the Alldeutscher
Verband. or the Pan-German league,
was formed. II now consists ~ 26S
chapters of which two now are-or ut
least were Immediately before the war
lin the United States. one In New
York and one In San Francisco. To
quote from the Alldeutsche Batter. its
official publication, "the Pan-German
league Is founded for promoting Ger
man National interests. both in Ger
many and In foreign lands"
A few thinking Americans knew
AL the time what was coming-what
must come. But America. as a whole,
went along In that earelessness and
Indifference with which ii treats all
things unpleasant. and allowed this
German war on our most sacred insti-
tutions to continue unchecked.
So Germany stands today. with one
foot on PROSTATE Belgium and the 9TH
er on the neck of poor deluded Rrs-
sia; with n bayonet planted In the
heart of Serbia, and the point of its
sword at the throat of Roumania,
While 1t looks out over the vassal
States of Bulgaria and Turkey to In.
dia and the Orient. And as it stands
thus, IL cries TO it's foes on the west
ern front:
"kamerad! Why go on with all this