Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-05-24
THE QUESTION OF THE HYPHENATE- Frederic j. Haskn

supplies as she was busily canning everything she
could lay her hands on, IN order To be ready for
them.
Another example of German propaganda, found
where it least expected, is furnished by Maurice
Kutferath, Swiss writer who calls attention to an
extension of remarks attached to a Beethoven
sonata published in collection of music called the
Universal Edition of Leipsic." The sonata is
twenty-four pages long, while the extension OF re-
marks by one Heinrich Schenker fills seventy pages
The German nation MI Schenker says, lis
the most capable in the world, more richly
dowed with talents and faculties than even the
Greeks or the Romans. Concerning other nations,
MIR. Schenker has varying opinions of an unfavor-
able nature which he takes great~pains to express
The French he considers "a people devoid of all
sincerity, of all intelligence, of all culture of life
He calls England the great criminal among ma
tions, while Americans, he declares, "a rabble
of shopkeepers, without culture, whose dull brains
are exercised only the coarsest bufoonery.
During the past year tremendous controversy
has ragged over the question of suppressing German
music. Musicians have held that it is ridiculous to
implicate music in the war-especially the music Of
dead composers who had nothing to do with the
conflict. Furthermore Beethoven was anything
but militarist, and Wagner was violent anti
Prussianist. Nevertheless, the American people
have themselves placed an embargo on German
music the opera houses have discharged their Ger
man singers, and concertists have eliminated Ger
man numbers from their programs.
An attempt to place a similar embargo on the
German language however has not entirely sue
ceeded. There is still wide d1nerence OF opinion
this question. Many economists say that 1t
would be a mistake to eliminate a language which
will be needed in the future for industrial and
mercial purposes. DR.. P P. Claxton is one or the
prominent men opposed to this measure. I'VE are
at war with the German government and not with
the German language or literature, he says, and
he points out that the value of Goethes and Schil-
ler's works has not been lessened by the war.
Goethe and Schiller were not propagandlsts, and
it is German propagandists that the American gov
eminent is looking for,
There is another phase of this German-American
question, which has been somewhat overlooked.
Thousands of the most loyal Americans are of Ger
descent, and of these are being done seri-
Gus injustice. a.
If all German-born residents of this country
felt the same about the war does Andrew P.
Larsen, of Olathe Colorado, for example, lot of
our secret service would be- out of their Jobs,
and there would be nothing dsgraceful about wear
ing a hyphen
Larsen used to be a United States marine, but
when he applied for re-enlistment recently at
the Kansas City recruiting station, he was turned
down because he had been born in Germany.
Larsen. has marine corps discharge with .charac-
ter excellent" and he has good conduct medal.
He wanted to be a marine once more, andShe want
ed it very badly. So he presented his by let
ter, dated May 7, to Major General Barnett, COM
mandant of the marine corps at Washingto
General Barnett gave the letter his immediate
personal attention verified the claim of service with
the marines decided that Larsen right, waived
the fact that the ex-marfne not fully natural
lied citizen of the United States, and authorized
his re-enlistment.
''I was born in Hoptrup, Germany, but. of Dan
ish parents. My parents were both born In Den
annexed by Germany In 1854. Hoptrup is just
three mile sosuth of the present Danish border.
My grandfather my fathers side fought against
the Germans in 184S, and my grandfather on my
mothers side fought against them in S64. It has,
always been the height of my ambition some day
while 1 have the chance it is denied me, and am
classed as one Of those have hated all my life.