South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-06-30
This Fourth ofTuly
By Gertrude Anterior

l. the Germans win there will be "A new Fourth
/ of july about hundred years hence. when
after Il long and dreaTy struggle, the American
people once more are free. Even then it would by
means be the United States today. which, for
all its heteroseneity is still American. IL would be
a vast German colony in which the old American
spirit had proved unquenchabIe spite OF the
enormous expectation from their native land of
German women with their hideous fecundty, in
spite OF the kulturZng of all schools of the prac-
teal slavery OF the masses.
This hemisphere is long distance from the ancient
cradles of civilization. Ii has its atmosphere.
physical and mental Its own set OF climates which
have developed characteristics and conditions;
which in turn react all that come within its in
huence. Millions of Europeans have fallen under
its spell, not excepting Germans, and have become
more American than the Americans In the event
of conquest its administrators i'm time would he men
OF colonial birth. who with their inherited craft.
would endeaNor 10 disSOCate their land from the
original stronghold Prussian tyranny The in
eNitable result precipitated by and par
ucularly stupid act of long range dcspOtsm, would
be a revolution. Once more the Americans would
be able to celebrate their freedom tire yoke of
German tyrant, and no doubt old newspaper files
would be unearthed and searched ancestral de-
scriptiOns of the GLORIOUS Fourth"
Ii is possible, however, that the committee on
celebration would agree to fe-consign these old
programs oblivion. realizing their inability To
plagiarize them They would be too sad. To mi-
tate would be to caricature. nearly "A century
and half the old Americans had been the freest
people i'm the world and their great national
holiday they showed their almost chiIdke appreca-
ton OF the fact i'm all of naive exercises: ex-
uberant flights of OratOFy. professions BY and
torch with bands playing tunes that express COM
pete faith i'm the destiny their Flag the waving
OF that Flag from every window: and. for Young
America fireworks. the tin horn and the fire.
cracker
The Americans could hardly be i'm the mood
for such demonstrations They would be likely
herald their independence with the slow boom
ing of cannon, possibly with of the magnificent
funeral marches. celebrating the death of tyranny
the German mind. when il desires be impressive
runs TO morbid and pOmpOus drama innocent of hu-
mOrous relief. There would the same stupid
looking masses marching that used see ON
Il German holiday moving along slowly. their bodies
filled with ndigCstble food, their minds stuntcd BY
the truly internal system of German education
"In previous century, let imagine someone
writing. the German people went business stoiid-
~. took their rCcreations phlosophcay. set their
weary Jaws at opera and theatre. Wound up
mata they were i'm the old days. soldier and civilian.
30 they still in the old world.
] sluBIqaa0 TeedOm the soul OF the continent
has struggled and fought and conquered. Another
generation and they will be individuals once more"
So let enjoy this Fourth OF July with all
might. II be our last. That of course still de-
ponds upon ourselves. but have extraordinary
i'm the wrong places. Let every and
wake up and crttiC1se every act. past and present
of the who have the fate this country
their hands Let them satisfy themselves that the
individuals COMPOSING any bOdy placed in
power 10y the people actively working for Ger
man defeat. If they do mp
dard that grows scrneT every day. danger in
Crcases. let them summarily be swept out Of power
Lord NOrthcline said TO me last summer: You
Americans the sOfteSt people in the world until
YOU about. and then you tle ruth
less" The first i true. hope the last j.. other
wise let celebrate our independence day" with
fearful JOY Of the condemned criminal who de
YOURS his lat meal On earth.