New-York tribune., 1918-02-28
Demands Action
By u. S. Against =
German Alliance
Defence Society Statement
Criticises Department of
Justice for Ina ctivity

In a statement issued by Richard NJ.
Hurd, chairman of the Board Of Trus-
tees of the American Defence Society,
that organization yesterday accused the
German American Alliance with being
the core of the pro- German propaganda
in the United States and indorsed the
demand Of Gustav Ohlinger, of the
Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, that
the charter of the alliance be revoked.
The statement also criticises the De-
partment of Justice for allowing the
alliance to retain its charter when SO
much evidence has been obtained
against it,
Mr. Hurd quotes at the beginning of
his statement a remark of the Kaiser
contained in book by lie QueuX. Ac-
cording tc this book, which deals with
German propagandists, the Emperor Of
Germany said a few years ago:
"kven now l rule supreme in the
United States, where almost one-half
Of the population is either of German
birth or German descent. and where
100000 German voters do my bidding
at the Presidential elections. No Amer
lean administration could remain in
power against the will of the German
voters, who through that admirable or
ganization, the GermanAmerican Ma
tional League of the United States of
America, control the destnies of the
vast Republic beyond the sea. If man
ever was worthy of high decoration
at my hands it was Herr DR.. Hexamer.
the president of the league, who may
Justly be termed to be by my grace the
acting ruler Of all the Germans in the
United States"
at is more than an absurdity. it is
folly, it is weakness, to allow an enemy
organization to continue to flourish
under special government charter in
this country, when there is evidence
that its members are loyal to Ger
many and not to the United States.
What reason is there for any mac
tivity by the Department of Justice in
proceeding against German spies,
pro Germans and all disloyal clements
The stream of complaints continues
all over the country and newspaper
comment of the severest kind is vented
upon Attorney General Gregory. With
regard to the German American Ali
ance, Assistant Attorney General
/ O'Brien is quoted in Washington dis
patch as stating that the Department
of Justice had found nothing that its
agents had not already reported in the
testimony concerning the alliance
which Gustav Ohlinger gave before the
King subcommittee of the Senate Com
mttee on the Judiciary.
an other words, the Department Of
Justice states that it is cognizant Of
the activities of the German-American
Alliance. and it has taken no action
against it, Is it not time for an arous-
ing OF public opinion to enforce proper
measures against those who are carry
ing on in this country an insidious
campaign of the gravest danger to our
national life, and one which may re-
suit as disastrously for US as has the
similar German campaign in Russia
Would not the first step in such a
movement be to suggest to the Presi-
dent the retirement Of Attorney Gen
eral Gregory, if by temperament he be
untitled for so stern task, and the
appointment of some man as Attorney
General who would have not only the
will but the energy to suppress rigor-
ously reasonable and seditious acti-
vities against the safety of the United
States ?"
Dr. c. j. Hexamcr. president of the
German American Alliance, was con-
fronted by the charges of the Ameri-
can Defence Society at Philadelphia
yesterday. He refused to CONNIE mt
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