The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-08-07
ADaz Story Of the Life Of American Who Placed German
Institutions Above Traditions Of His Native LuDd

|be tricked into trying the unpopular. with
at least a sharply divided public senti-
ment as the result. / admit that would
be pretty close reasoning for a German,
but I offer it as q possible explanation
of the vociferous demands for universal
service and preparedness that emanated
from SO many obviously German sources
echoing, it is true, similar demands from
sources whose Americanism could not 10
questioned.
OF the career and course Of DR.. Rumay
and the Evening Mail after the dismissal
of Won Bernstorff in February, 1917 I
have no personal knowledge; my relations
with the Mail ended when America broke
off relations with Germany. l have seen
DR.. Rumely but once since; have seen
but one copy of the Mail.
Not the Only Victim OF KultuA
said in the beginning Of these Articles
that proposed to tell the story Of an
! American who became German. I have
told it But Edward A. Rumely il not
the only American who has become
German Thousands and tens of thou
sands have been infected with the virus
of kultur; not all have become SO COM
pletely Germanized and few have had
the opportunity that came to DR.. Rune
| " to spread the poison of German prop
uganda. I suggested that Edward A.
Rumely might be throw back to
some Hun ancestor. That biological e..
| PLANTATION, however, does not account fos
the Americans who have no single drop
of German blood in their veins and yet
who, before we entered upon this war,
saw only good in the German system,
believed that kultur would yet triumph
believe it still in the secret recesses OK
their minds. There was the suggestion.
too. that DR.. Rumely's early environ
ment among the German speaking peo-
pie of his home circle may have Lad an
influence in the GermanizinS.of his iatcf
career.
I The answer and the explanation of Ed
ward A. Rumely are, / believe, none OK
these. Certainly there was no conscious
bending of his yhood aims and aspira-
tons Germanward in his home circle.
have received many letters and heard
from many sources about Edward A
Rumely's early life and his family, sinca
the first Of these articles was published.
and I can assert with confidence that
the manifestations of his acceptance OF
the German viewpoint have uowhera
caused greater surprise nor elected more
expressions of grief than in his home
town of La Porte and from members OK
his own family. That tho grandson OF
Meinrad Rumcly should yield allegiance.
even in spirit, to the military autocracy
from which the founder of the FAMILY IN
America fled is little short of shocking
to the residents Of La Porte, who have
heard the old man tell why lie can't to
America
Look" he would say, pushing back the
short hair on the top OF his head See
that SCARF
2 Grandfaahcr Tells How He Got Scar.
It was plainly visible-a scar several
inches long.
81 slipped when I was mounting my
horse as a German soldier. That was not
a great offence, but it was in the presence
of 'majestaet'-of tho Kaiser himself!
The sword that made that scar was the
Kaiser's own sword!
II was in tho hospital six weeks. Wheu
I recovered I swore I would not serve
the military Of that country another day
+ That is why came to America!"
What, then, is the e1planaton4 How
did this mans grandson become Ger
man? How have the other Americans b.
I come Germans?
1 said that this was the story Of q
. symbol ard a manifestation rather thas
of an individual. Edward A]oysim
Rumely, the man who chose to strive FOL
power and riches rather ttan to serve n
a priest Of the Church, is a symbol Of thu
conflict that is being tough: on the battle
fields of France and Flanders to-day. To
, those who believe, as believe, as America
[ to-day believes, that this is war between
the materialistic conception of lifc and
r the spiritual forces that rule the souls
t and destinies of free men and free nations,
! Edward A. Rumely is q manifestation Of
the triumph of the materialistic ideal