The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-13
GERMAN LANGUAGE PAPERS
The Propriety Of Reading Them In
Public Discussed.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sr. On
a recent morning as l was coming to
New York on one OF those delightfully."-
crowded Brooklyn elevated railroad
trains an incident occurred, apparently
amusing to some, embarrassing to
others, but heated with anger for the
principals. Tho passengers forgot their
discomfort as they heard loud voice
exclaim, Throw that German paper
away You've got some nerve to read
that kind Of n paper now"
The remark was addressed to an
elderly man, who responded in broken
English, affirming that he was an Amer
lean citizen and that he had a perfect
more that he would continue to read
it. This called forth another retort.
You're a fine American citizen; think
Of II. an American citizen reading a Ger
man newspaper. Suppose you were In
Germany, do you think the Germans
would allow you to read an American
paper?" The elderly man responded,
These are war times" That was the
only explanation he gave Of what Ger
many's supposed attitude would be.
War tines seem to make no particu-
lar difference with American privileges
or, rather. with privileges in xmerica.
Well, the ball had started rolling and
before the thing was through three other
young men had something to say. They
defended the old man on the ground that
he was old and that he possibly had not
been in the country long enough to learn
the English language sufficiently to read
it. That kind Of defence called forth
another remark from the first gentle
man, who ventured the opinion that the
young men were also pro-German. BY
this time we had arrived at a station
where the elderly man made his exit
closing the incident. OF course.
I have been thinking about the Incl
dent in this wise:
The mans age is no question for CON
sideration and certainly not for SYM
patty, n the man were openly hostile
to things American. An old German may
be just as dangerous to America as a
young German.
II Germans have been in this country
long enough to understand something
OF Its liberty. its friendliness and Its
opportunity for all. II Germans have
shared in the benefits OF this country
and IL they had the right attitude to-
, ward the nation. 1t would seem to me
they would interest themselves in its
language to the extent that they could
intelligently read our papers. They will
never become American II they persist
in being run through German moulds.
II the old man was clear headed
enough to know that war times in Ger.
many meant the prohibition Of tho read
ing OF English papers in public, he ought
10 have been courteous enough to the
American people to refrain from iaunt
ing n German paper in their faces,
As long as the Government permits
the printing of German papers people
| Of German birth and others are clearly
| within their rights when they buy ant
read them 1t would seem, however
| that for the sake Of harmony ard in
| terest OF an "all pull together" for thu
winning OF the war, people who simply
must have their German paper ought &c
keep II and read 1t at home.
The newspapers OF the nation car
| carry on a propaganda in this respect
that will be distinctly n national benefit
| | believe. GEORGE A. FOWLER.
| PRooKLYN, July II.