New-York tribune., 1918-01-01
Unsuspicious America
How Liberty Granted to Immigrants
Was Turned Against 1t
q Editor Of The Tribune.

treaties and other crimes 10 open INC eyee VI
the unsuspicious American toward cohoision
in Europe which resulted in the world War'
From the first days spent on American Ho'i
have been wondering at a freedom gIyeh
millions Of people of foreign birth and how
this generosity possibly could have furtnered
democracy.
|. is generally contended that our schools
are our best aids in the making Of Americans
Still. a question Of obligatory study Of the
German language in public schools was
seriously considered and discussed, If l
remember right. in tine early '30s, the ques-
tion introduced in our state Legislature by
prominent LAWYER Of German antecedents.
The question did not seem 20 impress Ameri-
cans otherwise than as an attempt to broaden
our curriculum. But l. having Just arrived
from Europe knew what had been going on
therein Scandinavia, Finland, the Balkans
everywhere German "kultur" had been work
ing its way and the German language intro
duced obligatory language in the
schools
Previous TO 1865 Latin Greek and French
were considered su:rcien. for elementary
studies in those countries. French textbooks
were used in the colleges and universities.
But after the Franco Pruss sian War all this
impossible
a student, unless he enters French school
to prepare himself for profession in chem
istry, physics, medicine psychology or any %
+ the sciences arts to get his diploma IN
those countries unless he has studied Ger
textbooks and standard works
For Greater FatherIand
Well, all these plans and purposes were so
clear IN my mind when I arrived here in
1891, that | could not but wonder how na-
ton so resourceful and promising as tho
United States had not yet made a firm stand
against anything so important factor in
the building of our great Republic for
eign language, which meant to be
anything like official, here in Europe, out
side Of German speaking nations And was
astonished when | ran across "Gerr,an-
Americana who, although born and educated
here, insisted on speaking in German. / first
thought that the reason for this was my in
sufficient knowledge of English, but ! soon
found out that all his friends German.
Amerlcans.' did likewise. although they had
perfect knowledge Of English After this
man buntly had asked me. why did you
to the United States?" and lad been
truthfuly informed that did so with the
intention of becoming American citizen,
he gave a sardonic smile. such as only
: German can produce, and dropped me there
and then. But he is still here, | understand,
and enjoying all the privileges of American
citizenship. Why is he here? For the same
, reason, suppose, when him twenty
five years ago--in the interest of "greater
Fatherand." The was an artist a
Munich student. doing his best to beittc
French art for the sake of the Kaiser And
as to America. why, he did not sec anything
else in it than colonization place for the
coming greater imperial Germany!
do not cxaggerate. All our aliens are not
as educated this was. Ignorance
might therefore be the explanation Of the in
difference of many toward the country where
they call themselves or are supposed TO be,
citizens. bat | convinced that there arc
thousands Of them who certainly never would
stir themselves FOR the sake of democracy
!. The efficient work which has been
c started to weed out these un-American >.citi-
zens' might just we'll have been begun
twenty five years ago without having i'm
paired our claim of being the land of liberty
In fact. the generosity shown millions Of for
eigners has too often resulted in the dis
respect these aliens have shown American
, institutions as long | have been in this
country. AS long as We have many cases
to treat here. might just as well give
them a little of their own medicine used in
. the despotic words of the Naterland "Kultur-
= aIstalten.' if 1T takes better on them And
II lncuraDle why not ship them back to their
) cradle after the war? Then we could have
y good housecleanng-s sweeping out q lot Of
h rubbish. such German American" "Swed-
e ish- -American' and what not newspapers,
e which have been hindering efforts to make
J. Americans AnG with them goes the lie that
d the American people are merely money grab
bers lie made in Germany and here by
Germans.
= Honest Americans
- ized' citizen should hereafter have to pledre
. himself to American democracy Fear rf
= being a TRAITOR TO the Naterland" in casa
OF war with Germany and enlistment in our
army would have kept many OF those cit
- 2ens away IRON our shores. and they should
II therefore be sent back as soor as possible
e since we now have found them out Il is
e easy 10 ind them; they make no bones Of
n their real attitude. The naturalized citizen
lie VINO is honest does not hide himself or " his
1t per even If he bears a German name And
as ne does not speak German or read German
G. newspapers in public. The naturalized
,e American citizen should be at least as good
n as the descendant of a May1ower family if
70 his citizenship really is matter Of choice
. thus less accidental than birth
But if Germans should persist in comins
mere after the is over their prorapan6s
- should be subject to continuous suppression
as 1t ought row 20 be clear to Americans tha;
u we have the greatest numbers of foes Of
ne democracy among our German aliens. Tbei,
ed ATTITUDE mere proves how exaggerated is the
ur contention that we are fighting ONLY the
at Na'ser and his robber barcns But Of course