Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-05-08
WILL RESIGN IF
GERMAN IS OUT
president of the Moline Damenyer.
Ella Says She Does Not Know
English Wei Enough,

Mrs. Theodore Tietgen. president
OF the Moline Damenverein. which
IS an auxiliary branch of the Tur-
ners, in a communication declares
that the matter Of changing the
name Of the society to one Ameri-
can and conducting the business in
the English language, three sue
cessive sessions on the proposals
viii be required.
The Argus Saturday printed an
account of the endeavor on the
part Of some of the members to
bring about these changes. definite
action on the matter having been
deferred. In her communication,
Mrs. Tietgen explains the situa-
ton from her viewpoint. She SAYS:
This auxiliary is known as the
Bemenverein. There was q dis
cusslon, and a very heated one
while it lasted, but as for breaking
up the meeting it was far from it.
The subject was brought before
the meeting which was held Friday
afternoon, May 3, at Turner hall.
But there We're only absent about
One-fourth OF the members there.
Ii VIII have to be brought before
The meetings for three successive
months. Then all rules and by
laws VIII have to be reprinted il
the American language, and as we
are an auxiliary to the Turner's,
We viii have to wait until they
change the name OF their society
before we change ours.
II is true, as Mrs. Stewart said.
our meetings are conducted in the
German language, and some OF the
conversation after the meetings Is
in German for the reason that
some OF the older members do not
speak any other language
This auxiliary has been in ex-
iStence Tor q years. There are
only about y ladies of the society
who are educated enough in the
German language to conduct a
meeting properly. therefore about
One-haIf of them are Office hold
ers, | being the president for the
last six years. | did refuse to keep
my position if our meetings were
to be conducted in tn English
language, and the secretary and
treasurer likewise refused to keep
theirs. And this is our reason. We
had our education in our native
land, and had no schooling whal-
ever in America. We felt as though
we were not capable of conductff z
a meeting in English as it should
be, therefore we would resign. And
I hi w. i 9
/ the more recently admitted ladies
would feel the same way bout l.
if the meetings had been conduct
ed in the English language and
were changed to the German, and
they were some OF the office hold
eTs and had no schooling in the
German
i informed the ladies our min
utes would be read in German and
then translated to the English
which | am sure is all that could
. be done in the matter until we
come to an understanding There
F are. quite q few of our older mem
hers who do not understand any
more of the German rran some OF
the more recently admitted ladies
do, and we have never had any
trouble, and I an very sorry any
thing like this should occur. All
the ladies' know. or should know
when they join our society. that ii
is. and always has been, German
auxiliary. and all business he
been transacted IN that language.
1T is true, as Mrs. Stewart told
you, there was no question Of 10y
atty involved. and as for playing
this or that German or American
card game, there is one game
played and that is five hundred
which ! am sure is an American
game And it seems all members
I are equally interested in it,"
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