The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1918-01-12
WAR ANANIAS u

No urou- ordered American citizen believes in violence,
whatever the provocation; but all good American citizens DO
believe in compelling domestic enemies, or enemies "lthm u
own household, to live decenty and quietly In their commune
ties. whether they approve or deprecate the war. A press dis-
patch from Iowa tells of the punishment of four German-Amer-
leans who, it appears, refused to subscribe to the HE'D cross ana
otherwise offended by giving expression to antl-war senu-
ments and indulging in severe criticism of the government.
These German-Americans must either be radical soclailsts
or intensely ignorant, for all of them must know the serious
ness of vituperative criticism, or criticism at all, OF the country
of their adoption at this time when its very existence is threat
ened Had thew needed the candid advice of Secretary OF War
Baker upon our entrance in the war, keep your mouths shut"
nothing would have happened them; but any German-Amen-
can, Austrian-American or other representative u me cehtral
empires who goes out of his way to show his sympathies WITH
the kaiser and his unholy ambition, must expect to get into
trouble and very serious trouble.
Throughout the country "War Ananias Clubs" are being
advocated for the Identification and segregation OF circulators
of malicious rumors and false reports tending to cast suspicion
and distrust upon our government and thus hamper the prose
cution of the war. The National Committee of Patriotic So
ciedes even suggests that a membership list be posted on some
conspicuous corner in every community and that the stories
and the story tellers' names be sent to the local newspapers
and to the committees Washington headquarters. II 1T IS true
that every member of the War Ananias Club is sticking a
knife into the back of some American soldier" the sooner or
CARNATIONS are effected throughout the country the better.
We do not say that every man whose sympathles are with
Germany is a traitor deserving of whipping or hanging, but
that his stupid indiscretions should be summarily dealt with
there can be no question. Consciously or unconsciously such
a person is serving the kaiser and betraying the president. we
are aware that pro-Germans are in every community, that WITH
their heads together quietly they console each other and in
their heart of hearts trust and pray that their adopted land, in
which they have prospered, may be Inundated before the
world. So long as these men are not found out they are OF
course free from danger; but they should remember that the
government has taken measures to locate them and learn their
opinions and has provided for their prompt and severe punish
ment in spite of any appeals or denials behind which they may
take refuge.
Let the "War Ananias Clubs" be organized in every COM
munitv where anti Americanism in the form of pro-German-
ism is emboldened by the Indifference of Americans to utter
reasonable imprecatons or even suggest the inability of the
government and the country to emerge triumphantly from the
war. Such a bulletin board as is suggested in eastern cities
would very soon put an end to treachery and traitors within
our own household-San Jose Mercury Herald.