Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1918-09-18
Not Only a Duty Which Every
Good American Owes His
Country at This Time.
AMERICA IS RE-DIsCOvERED
Autocratic Rulers Of Germany Have
Learned That They Cannot FoIst
Their Theories Of kultur Upon
Our Democracy.
BY THOMAS r. MARSHALL,


A very remarkable thing about
America consists in the fact that 1t
does not remain discovered, for
country Is discovered only when the
world knows where It is and what
1t is. If the world be mistaken In
either particular, II remains still an
unknown land. Historians say that
Columbus discovered 1t in 1892, and
so far as revealing its geographical To-
cation to the world is concerned that
is true. But in 1776 1t was rediscov-
cred when the fat-headed German
who sat on the English throne made
the great mistake In the life of the
British empire in thinking that he
might treat the colonists as he chose.
Dream of World Dominion.
The average German junker, If he
had any religious sense which rose
higher than the mere worship of
power. would have made a splendid
theological professor in those days
when 1t was wittily said of Andover
that every five years the professors
took q, solemn oath to the effect that
they had learned nothing in the pre-
ceding FIVE years and would learn
nothing In the succeeding five. This
German hierarchy became obsessed
with the idea Of world dominion ema-
mating from great empire in middle
Europe. 1t proceeded with diplom-
.acy that would have made Machia-
velli seek admission into the kinder
garten. 1t organized by an act of the
congress of the United States what. Is
known as the German Alliance. Os-
.tensibly fraternal organization, its
underlying purpose was to obtain pos
session Of the schools, colleges and
universities of America, and by a
course of training from generation TO
generation teach this people that the
individual was nothing, that the state
was everything. 1t thought in forty
years it had SO divided the American
people that there were but two courses
open to them, either a ready acquies-
cence In the purposes and aims of the
imperial German government. or in the
having of sufficient power at the close
of this bloodthirsty and cruel war to
collect off the American people suffi-
cient tribute to indemnify In dollars
and cents the vast expenditures Of the
German empire In the waging of this
war and the making of the entire
western continent a mere appendage
of the German crown.
Now that the war is on some of its
leading men boldly disclaim the right
Of the American government to have
any immigration laws whatsoever.
They brazenly announce that Column
bus discovered America for the world
| that the Germans have an unrestrict-
ed right to come to America, and If
they can get sufficient number here
imbued with their theories of kultur
to shift our individualistic democracy
into a state autocracy. The Lusitania,
the Arabs and the Sussex would never
have been sunken, the indignities
heaped upon the flag would never have
occurred, the brutal and autocratic
course of conduct would never have
been taken, had their government not
imagined its forty years influence
upon the thought and purpose of
American life had so weakened the
fiber of American citizenship that In
the hour of trial 1t would be as impo-
tent as leprous hand, or as water
spilled upon dry ground that may not
be gathered up again.
Peaceful Man Can Fight.
1t has rediscovered America. 1t has
found that 1t was mistaken. 1t has
been suddenly confronted with the
fact that the peaceful man is the most
dangerous man when he concludes to
engage In a fight.
But this fight Is not yet won. There
are no half dozen courses open to the
American people. They must win or
they must lose, and II they lose. what
was sought to be accomplished by In
sidious propaganda win be given to
them By the mailed fst OF the con.
Queror. Holy Writ declares that all
man hath VIII be give for bis life, but
more than century and quarter Of
American ltfe has disclosed that life
Is not Afe unless with n goes liberty.
We are therefore up against the real
thing. We. must win or we must be
contented to be slaves, despoiled Of
our houses. our lands, our stocks, our
bonds. our mortgages and our money.
am not graduate Of the Wharton
School Of Finance. ] learned my finan-
cial system from the Indiana Official
who felt that he had been faithful
public servant when he made a report
In his fiduciary capacity which simply
showed that the money was all paid IN
and all paid out. But with blood In
my veins, not drop of which on either
side Of the house has landed on this
soil since 1776. my idea Of what con-
stitutes America In not extent of terri
tory, nor vast resources, nor unlimited
power. II Is rather that America Is
the land Of opportunity and obligation.
OF chance to get on IN the world hon
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