Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1918-06-07


Herman wilkes, a German born
citizen Of Scranton, Kan, reminds
mas FELLOW German citizens OF this
country why they left their father
land and why they should now be
loyal 20 this government He says:
know Germany. I was born
there. I went To school IN che FAITH
erland. And let me tell you, my good
German friends here, you do not
know what you are talking about
when you airport German autocracy.
~ you are honest about 1t, you will
say that you and your father fed
from Germany, Just as mine did, to
escape military tyranny. I know
Prussianism. You may have been
born elsewhere In the empire but
the brutal iron heel OF the govern
naeut that has drenched this whole
world In blood in its war for world
power, was the same power that made
every German that had a little cot
tage or mud hut, no matter how poor
he was, board German soldier free
of charge. The soldier was the auto-
crat OF that home. His word was
law. II he punished a child or
knocked him from a chair to the
door, the father must smile. TO re-
sent the action of the most brutal
guest, who must have the best OF ev-
erything in the house was to bring
dire punishment upon the head of the
family. There was filled knapsack
hanging upon the wall and b loaded
gun inythe corner and when the call
for war did come that soldier, with
$50 others, knew just where to run
in order to form company ready
for immediate service. This in a type
of the German organization for you.
What have said cannot be denied.
Let me tell you something else. I
have been asked so many times, how
can the German people, who are gem
orally so peaceful, have changed into
such murderers? / tell you that for
years there has not been a minister
standing in the pulpit of Germany
hut what has been selected by the
government, Approved by the powers,
he has never preached to the people
without combining the name of the
Kaiser Wilhelm with Almighty God
The people have had It preached to
them. It has become part Of their
religion. God has given them the
kaiser. It is part of their training
az WELL for not school teacher or
instructor in the schools of the faith
the approval OF the imperial German
government, and the children are
taught that Germany must lead the
world, that their kaiser and their
God are inseperably connected. tell
you that the German people have had
so much of this doctrine that they
really believe what they have been
taught and cannot escape from the
virus.
My own mother carried me in her
own arms. She knew what military
tyranny was, for she suffered before
she came to the land of the free to
live under the God-given Stars and
Stripes. Often ! have heard her say
in heartbrOken anguish over the safe
ty OF her brothers who fought in the
German legions. Oh, why is 1t neces-
sary for people to fight and keep
great armies, when all could be SO
happy Her brothers were killed in
battle but our love went out to to the
great country of freedom which is
ours today. How happily would she
be were she only here now that three
sturdy grandsons are in the service
ready to follow Old Glory to a greater
sphere of freedom than the world
has ever known. They have taken a
solemn vow to follow our flag until
1t floats in triumph over Berlin, If
need be. And their march will not
be the march of the Germans through
Belgium, with its crimes and tears,
for they will say to the German peo-
pie, Come, my brothers, into the
enjoyment OF the fruits OF great
freedom of world democracy that
knows no divine right of kings and
that shall mean for all peace and
happiness. We come not to rob you
OF your land or money, or to enslave
you, but to bring you In larger meas
ure that message which the angels
sang of old, Peace on earth, good
will TO men. '-Alamakee (Iowa)
Journal.