The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1918-04-04
Fred Beier b n In Prussia,
Writes Stirring Words to
All His Brother German!
Highly Respected German Citizen Of Darlington
Is Well Aware Why He Left Kaiser's Kingdom
Read This Loyal Mans Appeal, Aliof You.

To all people of German blood who
live in this state or elsewhere in the
United States, whether you are citi-
zens or have intended to become such,
/ have few words to say about what
our duty is in this war.
There is much written and said
these days about the Germans in
America. Some of the things said
about us are kind; some of them un-
kind. Many things are said that are
unkind because we are not understood
and we are not making the effort we
should to show that there is no rea-
son for people to believe as they do.
/ feel that it is duty to say a
few words to the Germans for two
reasons. One is, because am q Ger
man born in West Prussia in 1860
and lived there till I was twenty lone
years old, so I know something about
the Fatherland. The other is because
I am now citizen of the United
States and have not forgotten my oath
of allegiance which I swore as soon
after coming here as I could get my
papers. Also see what my duty as
a citizen is and want to do it as far
as1 am able.
One Of the first questions I am
often asked by people "Why did you
leave Germany?" Well, that is not
hard to- answer. My father was a
poor man with a family Of nine chill
dren. He only owned seven acres of
land. It was hard to make living
d for us all and there was no chance for
me to get any part of it when l was
grown up. It was not like in this
country where nearly every farmer
can spare 100 acres to start his boy
out with if he wants to farm. If
stayed over there and hired out as a
laboring man the best wages l could
earn as common Iaborer was fifty
cents q day. As a skilled mechanic
the best wages could earn would be
one dollar day.
The most thrifty man who worked
as a common laborer could not save
but about twenty dollars in one year
and think what q long time it would
take to get enough. together to buy
even a few acres Of land when it cost
from 4100 to 5000 per acre. sIsez
Besides it cost more to live there,
since though the land produced we'll,
there were extra heavy taxes over
what we. pay, here. There was the
military tax and there was the royal
tax that was for the benefit of the
royal family. These taxes amounted
to about twenty dollars per acre over
the regular taxes such as we pay here,
or as much as plenty Of land can be
bought for, in this country.
Over in Germany there was no free
homestead land like we hav and
which has been the start in the pros
perity which many Germans now in
this country enjoy. There was no
land to be had only at high price
and the poor man had no chance for
getting ahead in the world.
Besides if l had stayed in Germany
I would have had to take three years
of military training and after that
give about two months of each year
to military work and be subject to call
for active service at any time. This
would have continued true until l was
IS years old and after that I would
have had to join the land reserve or
home guard as it is known here.
The only thing I could get over
there that amounted to anything was
a good common SchOOI education but
there were no free higher schools and
no chance for a poor fellow to better
himself.
We Germans often heard and talked
of America and many who could get
away were anxious to come to land
that we heard so much about, with its
free lands, free schools and freedom
of all kinds that we did not enjoy
there.
l was one of these who emf
grated to the United States and
l have never been sorry that l
did 80. Instead of being sorry l
am. glad I came and am proud
to let it be known that l am as
true an American citizen as l
know how to be. Why shouldn't
be glad when l compare what
Germany had to offer me along
side of what America offers?
am not the biggest man in this
country, far from it, but am an
independent American citizen. As
long as l am honest and tend to
my business. am the equal of
every man here. / don't have to