American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-01-15
OTTO KAHN ASHAMED OF
CRIMES OF THE KAISER
New York Banker Who Served in Ger
man Army 30 Years Ago Believes
Prussian Militarism Must Be De-
strOyed Before World VIII Be Safe.


Otto II. Kahn of the firm of Kuhn,
Loeb & Co. addressed a mass meeting
in the Auditorium at Milwaukee Mon
day night, appealing for all German
Americans to support the United
States in the war.
He told his audience. which was
composed largely of German-bOrn cit
liens, that it was the duty and op-
portunity" of every one of them to
assist their adopted country in stamp
ing out the poison of Prussianism"
that has permeated German within the
last thirty years, resulting in the pres
ent world war.
Mr.. Kahn said in part:
I'm the gloomy and accusing pro-
cession of infinite sorrow and pain in
flicted on Americans of German de-
scent the iron has entered our souls.
eve have been wantOnly robbed of
valuable possessions which have come
down to us through the centuries; we
have been rendered ashamed of that
in which we took pride; we have been
made the enemies of those of our own
blood; our very names carry the
sound of a challenge to the world
Surely we have too valid a title
to rank among those most bitterly
aggrieved by Prussianism, and to align
ourselves in the very forefront of
those figuring to rid the world for
ever of that malignant growth.
Il do not seek forgiveness for my
German birth. | am proud of the il
lustrious contributions which the Ger
man people have made to the imper-
ishable assets of the world
Until the outbreak of the war
maintained active personal and bust
ness relations with Germany. l served
in the German army thirty years ago
But l am ashamed-bitterly and
grievously ashamed-of the Germany
which stands convicted before the
high tribunal of the worlds public
opinion of having planned and willed
war; of the revolving deeds committed
in Belgium and northern France, oi
the infamy of the Lusitania murders
of innumerable violations of the law
of nations, of abominable plotting il
friendly countries and shameless
abuse of their hospitality, of crime
heaped upon crime in hideous defiance
of the laws of God and man.
II know something from actual ex
perience of the plotting of the Prus
sian war party and how for a full
generation they had endeavored agail
and again to bring about a situation
which would force war upon th
world
Il know of my own personal knowl
edge that the stage was set for
six or seven years ago in connection
with the Agadir episode. l know tha
the pan-Germans meant to have foot
ing in South America and once ther
would have threatened and had pre-
pared plans to threaten this yer
country of ours.
Il know that Austria in 1918 mean
TO conquer Serbia. and so informe
her then ally, Italy, believing tina
she could do so with impunity. And
know that Austria did not believ
that its ultimatum to Serbia in Jul,
1914, would bring on a serious wa
"A defensive warl
WAS it a defensive war whic
Prussianism was thinking of when
declined England's repeated offer fC
a reduction by both countries of Ii
building of warships when it refuse
at the last Hague conference to di
cuss the limitation of standing armi,
and armaments; when Germany
alone amongst the great natiOns-r
jected our offer of treaty of arbitri
ton?
Now, America, the never-defeate
has thrown her sword into the seal
because to do so was mdispensab
for our honor, the preservation of Of
institutions and our very destiny.
If ever a nation entered war aft
having maintained infinite forbea
ance in the face of intolerable prov
cation. America is that nation.
I'VE seek no place in the sun-tO u
the German chancellor's term-exce
the sun of liberty.
America is incapable of hating
entire people, but we do hate and
shall fight with every ounce of o
might, the spirit which has pow
over the people of Germany a
which, if it were to prevail, would {
stroy liberty, justice and demo
Iacy."
tSEC EnR MnDE MnNEV