The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1918-04-05
WISCONSIN LOYAL.

IT. WISCONSIN LOYAL.
While It is cause for apprehension
that any state in this union should
nave cast over $4,000 votes for the
German kaiser, 1t is nevertheless graf
tfyihg that Wisconsin has answered
bysA vote Of over three to one the
charge that she is disloyal to the
american Union. The combined vote
received by Davies, democrat and
Lsnroot, republican, both loyal Amer.
leans 10 nearly three times that of
Berger, the German candidate. In
the German -centers along Lake Michi.
gan and in the city Of Milwaukee. the
candidate Of Potsdam received an i'm
mense vote. Thousands of Germans,
who have in the past taken an oath to
support the constitution of the United
States, failed to stand the test of 10y
slty and voted for the "fatherland."
But the loyalists Of Wisconsin can
lind much consolation In the result.
It has answered the charge that
majority OF the people Of that state
would rather be subjects Of the kaiser
than citizens Of America. Wisconsin
now takes her rightful place in tie
constellation Of American states.
There was no loyalty issue between
Lcnroot the republican and Davies
the democrat Wisconsin is normal.
y . republican state by an immense
majority It naturally gave ma
jority vote to the republican candi.
date. although less than the republi.
cans had q right to expect. Lenroots
small lead over Davies is no doubt
hugely accounted for by the fact that
tA4 disioyal republicans generally sup
ported Berger, the candidate. of the
dtsfoyaf, elements.
For many years the politicians,
both among the democrats and re.
publicans tof Wisconsin, have been
ccwed by the pro German vote. They
oyer estimated the disloyal and un.
American sentiment Of that state. The
result Of the contest just decided
should clarity the atmosphere of the
tate considerably. Legislation that
VIII ! forbid German propaganda
Through the public schools ought to
and doubtless will be enacted. In
some Of, the counties OF the state no
Effort has been made to Americanize
the German emigrants. In the public
scho0lss German has been taught in
preference to English. There are
many families whose children, al {
though born In America and claiming !
ths blessings Of oil its privileges have
.. much better understanding OF Ger
man than they do Of English, know {
and appreciate German literature and |
IN fact give every preference to the 8
system and institutions OF that nation.
There has never been an hour prob I
9pik when q determined, aggressive Q
and courageous fight for Americanism !
wonld not have prevailed in Wiscon. I
ltaut the politicians have been too ?
c0wardfy to undertake it. (
t.Ehs same situation exists, or has g
existed in more or less degree in c
other states of the Union having a 4
considerably smaller German popula. v
lion. Even in our own capital city of I
Nashville, where the purest Anglo a
Saxon citizenship in the world is d
,oasted. the Watch on the Rhine was 81
'ung In the public schools after the Il
'attle for freedom and civilization t.
commenced in Europe. There has Il
never been an hour from the first mo- a
nent Of the rape Of Belgium that an n
overwhelming majority of the people fl
4 Nashville we're not intensely hos Ii
lie to the German empire, yet the 10
TO Germans there were more aggres- W
I've and succeeded in some OF their OF
nsidious propaganda. ell
Out of the blood and treasure that E
re shall freely spend in this great Of
truggle new and better day for 50
umerica and for civilization will have
q birth. Our Americanism will be pt
aofe virile, more aggressive and OF
lore thoroughly dedicated to the h,
fihcipfes that gave our nation birth. tn
Fe shall really have a national spirit tn
let can come only from national uni. sh
And that we shall have for the to
fst time. German propaganda will ar
q banished forever from our shores tn
nf our civilization shall continue to de
. Of the highest type OF the English Sc
peaking peoples. re