Norwich bulletin., 1918-01-18
Views of the Vigilantes
Prisoners of An Illusion
By Hermann Hagedorn of The Vigil
 lantes.

By Hermann Hagedorn of The Vigi-
 lantes.
 In McClure's for January appears the eloquent and sympathetic article with the above title. It should be read in it's entirety. for it pictures in vigorous language a condition all Americans should know. Some ex- tracts follow:
 The German Americans are the pris- oners of an illusion. tied hand and foot by sentimentalities. The majority of them are not really pro-German. Even the greater part of them who growl at America and noisily applaud every misrepresentation of our government and our aims, do not really want Ger many to defeat the United States. Pos sibly they do not know exactly what they do want unless it be a divine dis pensation or a negotiated peace which will presumably wipe out the past three years and let Us with sigh of relief-start life again where we left off when the unpleasantness began. They want to see America neither beaten nor victorious. They are doom- ed by their whole bringing-up to an unhappy. grumbling neutrality. '*%*
 The German Americans are fettered with illusions. Germany gave us so much," they say, "how can we turn against herr" When they say that they forget that, once upon a time, they or their fathers somewhere in Germany weighed thoughtfully the benefits of German life and the prob able benefits of American life, weighed the pIeasantness. charm. the conscious ness of being home' among friends, against the greater freedom, the great CT opportunity that the distant shore seemed to promise; and chose to leave the old home and seek the distant shore. What America offered seemed then of greater value than what Ger many offered. They came to America, and they were evidently not disap- pointed. for they remained. They and their children recognized that what America gave was to them of greater value than what Germany could give them. Germany gave us so much, how can we turn against her?'' They turned against her years ago for rea- sons that then seemed just. They wanted the benefits which life in America promised. They secured them and enjoyed them. Now like a child that has paid a nickel for a toy. they are crying because the salesman won't let them have the toy and the nickel also **a*
 It is natural sentimentality which has tied the German American to a Fatherland which he left for excellent reasons and to which he has given no practical attention since. Like all sen- ! timentalists, he wants to have his cake and eat 1t. too; he forswears his al- l legiance to Germany because he wants 1 to enjoy American equality of oppor- l tunity, and at the same time he per- suades himself that he is still ein gutter braver Deutscher. America is his wife, but he keeps Germany as his soul-
 mate. and is puzzled and offended when his wife boxes his ears and hales l him into court.
 Sentimentality has kept the German American the man -without-a- country l that he is. America should have been more observant. She should have seen
 that the German Americans needed some friendly attention. America did not see, but Germany did. Germany | far sighted, keen for openings-Dlayed on the German Americans. sentimen- i tality for all she was worth. She sent silvertongued orators to thrill him; she sent ponderous professors to give his beer-dreams a do-inte1lectual ba- ] sis; she sent secret agents; she sent organizers: she bought newspapers, tc l encourage this sentimental reaching 1 back, with whispers of anti-Germar prosecutions, Anglo Saxon presumption and similar 'tnavitist" hobgoblins. ***a 1 It was a long, slzillful cast; the irni- tation butterfly beautifully concealed the hook, and the German American bit.
 l The Standardization has keer sense of duty. It is inbred in him | ,o-1o af S,,%x, xryiIl Eiy,o yicf faithfully to obey the laws of the l United States of which he is citizen But the German American has like wise an abnermallv developed hump oi sentimentality. That fatal quality vii make him turn again and again wist- l fully to the dream-Germany which has long perished if it ever existed. ant which he himself, or his father. cloth ed and in his right mind. once weighed and rejected. In the hearts of count less German Americans there Is un'
 ouestionably conflict raging betweer
 that sense of duty and that sentimen
 tai turning to the past. On its out come depends the future of the Ger man-American in this country. If dut,
 wins the German American, then al together hn American, win stand fl
 the forefront of American citizens. I
 sentimentalitv wins. the German
 American will, possibly for generations
 be summed and distrusted.
 | An illusion has tied the German American hand and foot. That illu sion Is the sentimental notion tha
 there is such a thing as loyalty of tn
 emotions separate and apart iron
 loyalty of the mind, loyalty whicl may safely be given to Germany with out disturbing to any degree the Joy
 atty of the. mind which is due tn
 United States. As long as this illu ] sion persists, the German American , will remain as he is now, an impoten neutral, who will doubtless receive tn
 consideration which neutrals thes
 days are everywhere receiving. H will be jostled and stepped on durin : the war and given scant affection af
 ter 1t, by either side.*s.