New-York tribune., 1918-07-22
"New Yorker Herold" Asks
for Gradual Change to
English Tongue
Cites Its Loyalty
Col. Roosevelt's Arguments
for Foreign Papers Are
Recalled in Editorial

"The New Yorker Herold," a paper
Of unquestioned loyalty, though pub
Nshed in German, prints this morning
an open letter to Senator King, of
Utah, protesting against the bill he
has fathered for the suppression of
the Gernanlanguage press.
Instead of an immediate suppression
Of the papers printed in the German
tongue, The Herold" urges that Sem
ator King modify the bill in accord
with the recent suggestion published
BY Colonel Roosevelt in THE Metro
politan' urging that loyal German
papers undergo a gradual change in
language.
Calls Attitude Misjudgcd
"The Herold's" letter follows:
The attitude and the work III the
American newspapers published IN the
German language is still m,sjudged by
some elements in our nation. To the
careful observer it must De clear that
the German language press is doing
excellent work for the country in all
not be done by other press organs be-
cause they would fail to reach the
reople for whom the American papers
in German ere published. And it is of
the utmost Importance that this part
Of the population should be reached
in our campaign Of enlightenment, and
this task the German language Lress,
and especially "The New York Herold," ,"
is fulfilling IN way eliciting praise
not only from branches of the govern
nent, but also from representative
men in our nation.
In an article published in the
August metropolitan" Colonel Theo-
dore Roosevelt has this 20 say about
the "best type of German-American
newspaper:
"'Many Of these papers have a fine
and honorable record. At this moment
such paper as the "New Yorker
Herold' is doing capital work;
there is just one way by which to pre-
serve in its usefulness such paper,
and that is to have it gradually change
from German into English
This gradual change of the Ian
guage of newspaper is suggestion
worthy Of serious consideration: it is
suggestion timely and reasonable.
not only for the publisher and the
reader but also for our common coun-
Iv, Will you not, therefore,. senator
King, as father of the bill for the sup
preston Of all German language pa
pers, take up this suggestion instead
OF the drastic measure before Con-
gress? And the American Defence So
ciety, which is gathering signatures to
petition for the suppression of these
papers, might follow the leadership of
its honorary president and look into
the practical value of such a paper as
the New Yorker Herold' and moderate
its views.
III the aim of you, Senator King, and
Of the Defence Society is the thorough
Americanization of all men and women
Of German birth, then the better way
to achieve this to the fullest extent
would seem the enlightenment of these
iorcignborn citizens with the aid of
the language they understand best.
"'The New Yorker Herold' has done
all the work which present day con-
ditions demanded of an American news
paper.
ut has been the instrument by which
the German born citizens were induced
loyalty to stand by their American
citizenship, understand its duties, obey
the laws. and follow the rules laid
down by the government for their
conduct during war times.
The fact that the citizens of Ger
man birth ever since this country en-