The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1918-04-05
GERM IAN AMERICAN ALLIANCE

In his letter TO the SENATE JUDICIARY
Subcommittee, defending the German
American Alliance and it's charter,
former Congressman Richard Bar
tholdt wrote:
"If the former 1.-THE cultivation of
German spiritual and cultural aspira-
tions) had ever the faintest connec-
ton with official Germany and / go
further and say even with the interests
of the German people, if in other
words any political propaganda had
been carried on for the benefit of the
German Empire, ! would say stamp it
out"
Well, stamp it out. The leaders of
the German American Alliance,
through it's organization and MEM
bership, have been engaged in Ger
man propaganda since the war began
and before thft for the benefit of the
German empire. The propaganda has
slackened since America entered the
war, but its influence is still felt in
the politics of the United States.
Whenever questions have come up
affecting Germany, the leaders and
members of the alliance invariably IA
vored Germany and German interests.
They were ranged on the side of Ger
many on the question of an embargo
on the sale and shipment of arms and
ammunition to belligerents. They
were ranged on the side of Germany
on the questions vitality affecting
Americas freedom on the seas and the
protection of American life and prop
erty in the submarine campaign
against all neutrals. They were rang
ed on the side Of Germany in the Lus-
itania outrage. They were ranged on
the side of Germany on the question
of diplomatic negotiations in defense
of American rights. They were rang
ed on the side of Germany on the
question of our rights and liberties
against ruthless German militarism.
There is strong evidence that the al
lance dealt with German officials in
this country for propaganda purposes
1t was from leaders and members
of the German-American Alliance
that the floods of kilograms protest
ing against any action in opposition
to Germany's interest in defense Of
American rights and interests came.
Their organs and spokesman have OPP
emily advocated the German side of all
controversies with the United States
and have belittled and denounced
American statesmen who stood for
America against Germany. The
standpoint of the Alliance has not
been American honor and interest
against the interests of all other ma
tons, including Germany, but always
the German interest.
Why a German-American Alliance,
when we are at war with Germany, to
nourish German sentiment, German
sympathy and German culture? Why
the cultivation of German ideals and
spiritual and cultural aspirations when
those ideals and aspirations are COM
bined to attack and destroy the Unit
ed States and to overthrow the ideals
and the practice of democracy? Let
us have candor and honesty N deal
ing with the alliance. Its influence,
no matter what the professions and
intentions of it's leaders and members,
will inevitably be inimical to the in
terests of the United States in conflict
with Germany. The only tolerable
German-American Alliance would be
an organization of Americans of Ger
man origin candidly and sincerely
formed for the sole purpose of de-
stroying German ideals and aspira-
tions and Debating German Imperial
ism and all its Observation-Disclosures.