The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-02-19
GERMANS ASSAIL
KAISERISM IN
MASS MEETING
Adopt Resolution Urging Ger
man People to Overthrow
Autocracy.

Autocracy.
NEW YORK, Feb. 19.-An appeal to
the people of Germany to rid them.
selves Of the kaiser and kaiserism and
open the way to democratic peace
was adopted by a mass meeting OF
American citizens of German descent,
held in the Grand Central Palace last
night under the auspices OF the Friends
of German Democracy. The appeal
will be scattered over Germany by
American airplanes under the direction
OF the war department, 1t was announc-
ed.
There was one outstanding feature
Of the meeting-three hours OF con-
demnation Of the Kaiser and his auto
cratic government brought not one
word Of dissent from those who at
tended the open meeting. There have
been many gatherings Of German-Am-
orleans In New York in the recent past
when the kaiser has been pilloried. and
it has been the rule that there have
been at least a few dissenters, but
there were none last night.
The speakers made much OF the
statement OF President Wilson that
this country was not at war with the
German people. but with the present
German government: and like en-
phasis was laid upon the statement,
credited to the President. that no
peace could be had with the present
rulers OF Germany.
Firm to obtain U. s. Victory.
The resolutions. which were present
81 NJ Dol hno h1y ia
ing that German-Americans were firm
in their determination to do all in their
power to obtain the victory of the
allied cause, and added:
Therefore, be 1t resolved by the Nom.
bers of the Friends Of German Democ-
racy and other citizens in mass meet
ing assembled at the City Of New
York on this 10th day Of February,
1918:
We assure the German people that
It Is this profound conviction which
has unified us as a people and which
gives unyielding strength to our re-
solve.
We assure the German people that
our American people, though they
loathe the military autocracy OF the
German Empire, do not hate the Ger
man people; that racial hatreds have
no place in the heart of a nation COM
posed Of all the races of the earth.
We assure the German people that
they hope in vain to attain peace be-
fore their military autocracy is de-
stroyed or rendered harmless.
And we urge the German people to
assert themselves Of their autocrats. in
order to establish a democratic Ger
many, the best guarantee of a just
and peaceful world order. And be it
further
Resolved, That the foregoing state
ment be approved and adopted and be
circulated by the Friends Of German
Democracy throughout the United
States for signatures and that it be
forwarded to an distributed among
the people of Germany.
Jacob H. Schiff sent message to
the meeting in which he pledged his
aid to the movement to spread demo.
cratic propaganda in Germany. In his
message he said:
Freed from the handicap of an au
tocratic militaristic government, no
good reason will likely exist why the
former good relations between the
American people and the people Of
IGl SuOUlu uuI Uc IS.cSIdUllSucu
In the endeavor Of your society to
bring nearer the accomplishment OF
this ! wish you every success and shall
be prepared to cooperate"
German lndiets Kaiser.
A bitter indictment Of the kaiser
was made by Frederick Ludwig Hoff-
man, n native of Germany. He said
that his family for 1000 years had
r,ho ~,
Germany, and that he himself had
been fortunate enough TO win many
honors and to uphold the lustre of his
German ancestry.
In an eloquent appeal he referred
to the making Of peace at the end of
the civil war as peace without hate"
and said that was the kind Of peace
the American people would be ready
TO make with a democratic Germany.
He said that the German people under
the kaiser were to be pitied, and that
the German people must be awakened
from their lethargy and made to re-
alize that Emperor and kaiser must
20 that the people may live"
Walter Damrosch, a native OF Ger
many, said the plight of the German
people might be understood by con-
sidering that. while the American
schoolboy was taught that America
was bounded by the Atlantic and Pa
cific Oceans, Canada. and the Gulf Of
Mexico. the German schoolboy was
taught that Germany was a country
surrounded by enemies. He said that
blind faith in military necessity" had
been able to make of gentle profes.
sor a monster and Of clergyman Of
God heather priest practicing hui
man Sacrifices.
The acceptance Of the doctrines
that military necessity makes right
crimes for the nation from which the
individual would shrink with horror
has made Germany a pariah among
nations" he said.
"All nations have drawn away from
her as from something unclean."
Countess Aida Won Krockow. a
New York woman by birth. who is the
widow of German official. told of the
private attitude of the German upper
classes She said that In writing
life of Bismarck she had found a let