The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-04-19
!, CROWD HEARS
GERMAN SPEECHES
FOR LIBERTY LOAN
High School Gymnasium Packed With
Large Audience Wednesday Ev-
ening-PrOf. Huth and Rev.
Schlueter Speak.

The patriotic massmeeting held OF
Wednesday evening in the gymnas
ium of the high school, at which pa
triotic speeches in German were de.
livered, was success from every
point of view. The hall was packed tC
capacity despite the drizZling rain
which continued throughout the
night. Many farmers were present
and those in charge believe that had
the weather been fair hundreds would
have been turned away. Prof. William
HUH of Northwestern college pre-
sided at the meeting. The principal
address delivered by the Rev. Benja-
min Schlueter of Markesan was one
that will be long remembered by
those who heard him. Possessing q
powerful voice his every word was
heard throughout the large hall in
which was packed Americans of Ger
man extraction. His speech was fired
with an ardor Of patriotism that
could do no less than Undue his hear
ers with the same spirit
THE war has come to us. Who we
were and what we were prior to that
event is immaterial now. We are in it;
in it to win. We must all do our share
said the speaker, and the audience ap-
plauded vigorously.
Previous to Rev. Schlueter's speech
the Northwestern college band parad-
ed the downtown streets and played
several numbers in the gymnasium
The meeting was opened with the
singing of the Star Spangled Banner.
Both numbers were led by the Elks
quartette who also sang Keep the
Home Fires Burning" and the new
patriotic air, What Are You Going
To Do To Help the Boys?"
Opens Meeting.
In opening the meeting Prof. Will
liam Huth said that the mother tongue
Of many was the one to be used to-
night. That to many it was the first
loving words heard at the cradle 1T
is the mother tongue of many in this
country who pray for the government
and President Wilson," he said.
I'VE are in a world war at the pres
ent time. Millions have fallen on both
sides, Many more will have fallen ere
hOstilities cease. When will this ter
rible war end? When will peace come?
Only God knows when it will end"
said the speaker, who also spoke of
the present conflict as being the great
est the world of the present day has
ever known. But we know this coun-
try is in the war, even though we are
far distant from the scene of battle"
ne continued. I'VE know what it
means. We learned it in our youth, -
declared the speaker in stating that
all present had some idea Of what war
oeant and its significance to people
If all nations. Thousands of our sons,
brothers, sisters, friends and sweet
hearts are fighting under the stars in
France. You know it is not child's
work they are doing. Not all will re-
turn. Our hearts are in the right place
proven by loyalty-even though of
German ancestry" he said
We show the world that those of
German ancestry here uphold the
United States; that they stand for the
stars and stripes; that the land of our
adoption will have cause to point US
out as patriots and deserving Ameri-
can citizens" the speaker concluded.
Stand By President.
Rev. Schlueter importuned all to
stand by the president "The govern
ment needs the money, all the money
it can get to fight for a complete vic
tory" he said. 1--WE are going to win
he continued after lengthy discourse
on the why and wherefore of war
washington fought for freedom, Lin
coin fought for freedom, Wilson is do
ing the same thing" said he, and ex-
planned in concise manner why all
should stand by the president now
Lincoln wos criticized unjustly by
some people and he urged them not to
fall into the same pit at the present
time.
What you owe to this country is
this-You obtained freedom by com
ing here, you secured liberty, all your
riches, everything you have belong to
the United States" said the speaker
whose fluent descriptive manner OF
portraying things caused the audience
to applaud vigorously The speaker
described the sympathy felt by the
German people for Germany before
the war. He admitted that he too sym
'athized for while but after weigh
wig and balancing the scales found
Germany to be in the wrong when her
relations became strained with Am
erica. He stated that it was to be de.
plored that we are in the war. 1t is
to be greatly deplored that nine Of
our senators and fifty of our repre-
sentatives failed to vote for war wher
the bill came up before the two houses
I'VE are not COMMUNICATIONS
cried the speaker, "but Americans o.
German ancestry and we live here il
these United States as brothers an(
fellow citizens. Your duty here is tt
America. You live here. To be a Ger
man is to be true as every American
born OF German ancestry has haer