Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1918-05-09

but a few of them, are showing by
word and deed that they do not ap-
preciate the rich bounty of America.
Is it a group composed of people
whose language has been little studied
in our public schools? Is it group
who have been less successful than
any others who have come?
No! 1t is a portion of group Who
have enjoyed greater freedom and
greater prosperity than any national
ity coming to America We hear of
them refusing to exhibit or follow food
cards, to put out flags and to aid the
Red Cross and Allied Relief. And it
is these who are most reluctant about
investing in liberty bonds.
In the face of these things, is it
surprising that the mothers and IA
theirs who have given their sons to
fight in this great fight for liberty,
that liberty which has done every
thing for us and which we hold dearer
than life itself, are asking the ques-
ton:
as the attitude of this group Of
people the result Of German teach
ing? Have the text books used in
the public schools of America with
insidious methods lauded the kaiser
and German institutions above Ameri-
can ideals? Have they fathered
feeling of loyalty to Germany and dis
loyalty to America? Does this propa-
ganda SO permeate their publications
that the study of the German language
is likely to influence the youth of cur
country in favor of German civiliza
ton for America? Are our boys and
girls to be taught to be Germans or
Americana"
The answer to this question can
only come from the actions of those
people who are anxious that German
hold the place it has held in the past
in our schools. Many of them have
been very outspoken against this gov
eminent and the slowest to see the
danger of Germany conquering the
allies. Whether or not they wanted
Germany to invade this country is not
clear in all cases, but the truth re-
mains they appeared to be more
friendly to autocracy than to democ-
racy-the dominant ideas opposed to
each other in this world conflict. It
is not the persons born in Germany
who have been on the border land of
disloyalty (some would say absolutely
disloyaD but those who have been
born in this country. They have been
taught the German language; they
have absorbed German ideas; they
have swallowed German propaganda.
Now if the German language does that,
then it should go, and go at once.
There is no place for such an element
in the affairs of this republic. If the
German language has been the means
of instilling into the minds of thou
sands of persons wrong ideas, it is
most serious situation. Some of the
people will never get away from the
things they have said and done. Some
from other cities are in prison, others
are in detention camps and still others
have a cloud hanging over them here
at home which will darken their way
as long as they live. They can never
get away from the stigma which they
have built about them. Was the Ger
man language wholly to blame? There
is no getting away from the fact that
this is largely true.
Now there is another phase. Some
one must know the language as long
as there is a German people, AS will
be seen in another column in this pa
per, the son of Senator J. NJ White
head of GAINESVILLE is using his knowl-
edge to good advantage while i'll
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