The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1918-06-05
Why We Fight
Because Germany for Years Has
Been Making Secret, Tseaohsr.
ous War on Us
BY CLARENCE L. SPEED
Secretary OF the War Committee OF the
Union League Club OF Chicago.

One Of the deep. underlying reasons
not just diplomatic pretext-why
we are at war with Germany Is that
for q generation Germany has been
making war on US. Germany has
made this war not openly, bravely or
humanely but secretly, treacherously
and persistently. She has sought 10
create race discord. to corrupt and de-
file politicians and officeholders, and
to create separate German comnunl-
ties within our borders. She has poi
soned the minds OF children In our
schools in an endeavor TO make Ger
mans of them instead of have them
grow up into loyal American citizens.
She has Invaded the sacredness OF the
pulpit itself In an endeavor 10 corrupt
our people through the very lenders
of morality to whom they are accus-
toned to look for guidance.
These may be startling assertions.
but they are all true, as YOU shall see
from the documents OF the Germans
themselves. We all knew that 1t was
a German fleet which stripped for ac-
flon when Dewey sailed into Mapila
bay. We all knew il was the Germans
who sought TO bring about European
alliance against us when we were en-
gagged in the war with Spain. Few of
us Eelaized, however. that all these
years Germany has been busy within
our own borders, through editors
teachers and preachers, seeking 70
break down our national unity, so that
when the time came ii would be easy
to defeat the United States In open
warfare, TO set at naught our cherish
ed Monroe doctrine. and to seize, In
the Western hemisphere. anything
that the land grabbing rulers of the
German empire might desire.
The climax of Germany's under
handed war on the United States came
in 1913. more than a year before the
outbreak of hostlllties in Europe. This
was the enactment of what is known
as the Delbruck law. which provides
that if an emigrant from Germany
who is about TO be paturalized makes
application to German consul, ht
may retain his German CITIZENSHIP
even after he has become n citizen OF
his adopted country
In plain words, this law, and the ap
plication OF II, mean just this:
A German goes into court In thi,
country and solemnly foreswears al
legiance 10 the kaiser and pledges
n tat fAF IN
"of honor"-that he will become 10y
al citizen of the United States. Ther
he slips around to the German consu
and says:
'You know I didn't mean that a.
all. Those Americans are easy marks
and they fell for that stuff right OFF
But you iust put me down on your lis
MS good. loyal German, and II th'
time ever comes when can prove ii
YOU can count on me-"
So the German consul puts his nam,
down I'm the little card index of which
the Germans are so fond. and THU
man,-this creature who swears al
lecience to the country which givel
him an opportunity TO make a real liv
ing ana to become somebody In thl.
world, and Mt the same time swear
secretly 10 be true TO Germany-h
turned loose TO work his will. whit
Americans 60 carelessly about theii
business and refuse TO see the danger
In the arrangement.
Long before the passage OF the Del
hruck law. there was formed the We
rein fur das Deutschtum i'm AuslaMi-
the Union for Germanism In Foreigr
Lands. This organization, ofilciall,
fostered in Germany. issued quarter
: ly magazine. which. in It's very first is
sue. outlined its aims as follows:
"The purpose Of this union is the
preservation and promotion Of the
Germanism of over 30.00o.000 people
Of German blood dwelling outside the
German empire" All ii aims TO do
you see is 10 keep Germans who come
10 this country from becoming Ameri
cans.
Away back in 1890 the Alldeutschei
yerband. or the Pan-German league 1
vas formed. II now consists Of 26s
chapters Of which two now are--or at
least were Immediately before the war
in the United States. one in New
York and one in San Francisco. To
quote from the Alldeutsche Batter. its
official publication. "the Pan-German
league is founded for promoting Ger
man National interests both In Ger
many and in foreign lands"
A few thinking Americans knew
all the time what was coming-what
must come. But America. as whole.
went along in that carelessness and
Indifference with which IL treats all
things unpleasant. and allowed this
German war on our most sacred insti-
tuiions 10 continue unchecked.
So Germany stands today. with one
foot on prostrrte Belgium and the 9TH 1
or on the neck of poor deluded Rvs
sia; with a bayonct planted in the
heart of Serbia. an1 the point Of its
sword at the threat Of Roumania.
while II looks out over the vassal
States Of Bulgaria and Turkey to 1n-
siia and the Orient. And as II stands
thus. IL cries to fits foes on the vest
ern front:
"Kamerad' Why 90 on with all this
killing, Lets have a peace by nego-
fiationr and. under its breath. adds.
I've got all want for the present"