The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1918-05-16
cERMAN.BoRN CITIZENS.

/
zenshp papers Of one Frederick w Wursterbarth Ger.
proGerman and AntiAmercan attitude having attracted
wide attention weeks ago. action taken which
resulted in test of his fitness to retain the privileges Of
American citizenship. The found that Wursterbarth
had taken the oath Of allegiance with mental resera-
ton reserving his true allegiance the country of his
birth and thus failing to comply with the true intent of
the law He never was in fact American citizen Civ
ing full allegiance to the United States and renouncng
allegiance to the German emperor
There are ten Of thousands Of such Citizens in the
United States The Department Of Justice has line up
them. These German in spirit they were
when they lived in Germany They at heart opposed
to the United States and all that it is ghting for in this
war. If they dared, and if opportunity offered they
would attempt by overt acts to hinder the United States
its war activities They far dangerous than Ger
subjects for all alien enemies under close
veiance while Germanborn persons il naturalized are
presumed by law and by custom be law-abidng and
loyal Under this cloak of protection the doya ones are
carrying their sinister work of sediton and
Canada compelled to revoke the citizenship of Ger
manborn persons naturalized during the last fifteen
years. 1t found that these persons as rule were
loyal only to Germany having regard whatever for the
obligation of their oath of allegiance to their adopted
country.
For the safety of the United States may be necessary
look quite carefully into the loyalty of Germanborn
citizens of this country Those who are loyal need not
fear that they will be made to suffer- for the spirit of
Americans incnes them to the other extreme of I'M
questioning confidence 1t has been difficult for Ameri-
accept the unfortunate truth that Germanborn
persons always be trusted after they have be-
come citizens. Much heart burning and much damage
could be avoided if it only true that German up
taking the oath of allegiance to the United States casts
off forever all allegiance to the German empire and its
settled rule of the German to regard its
subjects subjects forever without regard to their pa
taton in other countries The Delbrueck law in fact
enables Germans to perform the dshonorable feat of re-
tanning pretended allegiance two countries Facts de-
veoped during this have proved conclusvey that the
German government has utilized this perdous system
method of prOpagandzng in enemy and neutral coun-
tries, well cloak for such crimes as arson bomb
throwing, sabotage, &C.
really loyal to the United States to be looked upon
with critical eye they must accept the situation as best
they and retain the esteem of their negbors by
full speech and conduct The interests Of the nation are
paramount to the feelings of any set of citizens The
safety of the country demands the rigorous and thorough
roofing out of spies and traitors Every man. native
foreign BORN should be willing to stand scrutiny in order
to prove up" his claims loyalty If any one is not will
ing to prove up, upon official inquiry his refusal is in it.
self suspicious
The situation is rendered difficult account of the vol
unteer activities Of superpatrots who take upon them
selves to correct their neghbOrs without referring the
matter to the government No citizen need be ntmdated
by these seappointed busy bodies If any loyal German
pestered by oicious local critics. he find relief most
promptly by getting into communication with the govern
ment and establishing his right to live unmoested
ington Post.