South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-02-24
SAYS GERMAN
ALLIANCE HID
KULTURNESTS
Propaganda SpreaderS in U. S.
CurtaiIed When America
Entered War, Declares
Toledo Lawyer.
Associated Press Service F.:

Associated Press Service;
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23-The Ma
tionaI German-American alliance
was pictured before a senate judic-
iary subcommittee today by Gus
tavus Ohlinger. a Toledo. Ohio, law
yer. as a cover for German propa-
ganda- in the United States Mr..
Ohlinger was the first witness at
hearings on the bill by Sen. King of
Utah 10 revoke the charter Of the
alliance and wind up its affairs and
those of it's state organizations
Declaring that much of his testi-
mony was based on information
taken from literature sent 10 mem
bers. Mr.. Ohlinger said the operation
Of the alliance in the United States
is similar 10 the propaganda system
by which Germany brought Austria
under its complete dominance. lie
had not completed his testimony
when the committee adjourned to-
night. and will be called again Mon
day.
The subcommittee proposed later
to call officials of the alliance, in
cluding the president. the Rev. s. C.
Won Bosse of Wilmington, Del, and
the secretary, Adolph Timm of Phil
adelphia, in order TO hear their side
Of the case.
L.. -. Entry HaIts Work.
In his testimony today Mr.. oh
linger made il plain that he did not
desire TO create the impression that
all members Of the alliance we're con-
scious of having worked against the
interests of the United States The
real propagandists in the organiza-
ton, he said, worked in secret, and
i'm a subtle way urged the individual
members TO further the interests of
Germany. The entrance OF the
United States into the war. however.
had curtailed their activities, Mr..
Ohlinger added.
The witness said that a former
president Of the alliance, c. !. Hex
amer of Philadelphia, received from
Emperor William i'm 1904. the fourth
order of the Red Eagle for his 'serv-
ices 20 German kulture" in the
United States. il was HeXamer. ne
asserted, who sent telegraphic mes
sages 20 the presidents Of the state
alliances, instrUcting them TO wire
Pres't Wilson that majority of the
citizens of their states opposed any
drastic action against Germany as
the result of the sinking of the Lusi-
tania.
Opposed Wilson Nomination.
Preceding the national political
conventions in 1916. the witness con-
tinued. the alliance worked against
the denomination Of Pres't Wilson.
and urged its members 10 aid in
bringing about the defeat Of Theo-
dore Roosevelt for the republican
nomination. both on the theory that
neither favored strict neutrality"
and that both were opposed TO Ger
man interests in this country
4 letter addressed to German
Americans in this country. published
in an alliance bulletin issued in Chi
cago. Mr. Onlinger said. urged all
citizens Of German descent to vote
only for those who favored Ger
manism." The letter, he said. was
written by former Rep. Bartholdt of
Missouri. who was active in obtain
ing passage of the bill giving the
alliance its charter.
Pioneers i'm kulture in L. =.
In an alliance bulletin issued in
July. 1917. the witness told the COM
mittee a writer declared that every
German in the United States is
pioneer in German kulture. and that
ne should he proud OF it as means
OF showing his loyalty 10 his native
country. In the same issue a poetic
writer declared in verse that oath of
allegiance 20 the United States did
not include a declaration that he
would fight against Germany
The bylaws Of the organization
belle its real purposes, Mr.. Ohlinger
said. for. although they declare one
object is 10 teach American ideals TO
German immigrants. there is no
record that this is being done. on
the other hand he declared. the en-
tire activity in that respect is con-
dned 20 urging the teaching OF Ger
man in the public schools