The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1918-01-24
FRIENDS OF GER
MAN DEMOCRACY

ISSUE PAT1OTIC CALL TO GERMAN
AMERICANS AND SYMPATHIz-
ERS WITH THEIR CAUSE.
The following appeal to friends OF
democracy in Germany was handed
us for publication by man who was
horn in Germany and served that
country under the rule of the Kaiser
until his opportunity came to get
away. He came to America and was
naturalized as citizen. He'sa good
one, too (even though he does sell US
tough beef occasionally, always 10y
al and patriotic to his adopted coun-
try. That man is H A Miller who
now hates kaiserism as heartily as ne
loves American ideals:
This war is not war on the part
of America against the German
people. 1t is rather war against
an atiouated system of government
that unhappily dominates the Ger
man people to their own and the
worlds undoing.
Aos;n and again President Wilson
has distinguished between the Ger
man people and their rulers. In
emphasizing this Fundamental point
the President has performed SER
vice to Germany and to the whole
world. This distinction cannot be
too highly regarded or too much
emphasized, both by the advocates
Of. democracy in Germany and by
the friends of democracy in America.
President Wilson has likewise very
dearly pointed out that the war
must 90 on until the triumph OF
democracy is complete. This mat
ter is no longer debatable. All
American citizens Of German birth
or descent must surely realize that
they are face to face with known
fact and not with an open question.
America and the allies are going to
win this war against the Emperor
and the ruling classes of Germany.
The purpose of the society is to
further democracy by aiding the
people of Germany to establish IN
Germany q government responsible
to the people.
Our society consists of American
citizens of German birth or descent
and all other persons whoever that
are in sympathy with its purpose.
1t is required of all members that
they favor a vigorous prosecution OF
the war until the aims of the United
States government shall be attained.
During the past seventy years
over five millions of Germans have
come to America. The first great
German immigration, following the
German revolution of 184S 9, sprung
from the desire of freedom-loving
men and women to take up citizen
ship in q country where political
freedom was established. More re-
Gently there have come to US mil
lions of Germans who have sought
both freedom and an opportunity to
make better living here than was
possible in thes Fatherland. All
have found open to them in Amer
ica every opportunity for advance
ment which has been possessed by
the native population. Our fellow
citizens of German extraction have
succeeded in business. in the pro-
fessions. and in their appointed part
in the labor of the nation. They
have also succeeded in making a
reputation for themselves as regards
the quality of their citizenship and
their ideals of public life and of
public service. The part which they
have taken in the upbuilding of the
American nation is too widely
known to require emphasis here.
We now find that the principles
for whicfnany of our immediate
ancestors or we ourselves suffered
exile are threatened by the very