The courier-index., 1918-07-05
Why We Fight
No. q
Because Cermsny for Years Sought
90 Undermine Our Government
and Our ldesls
Nv (~I.ARENCE u. SPEED
Secretary OF the War Committee OF II
Union League Club OF Chicago.


ut. We are fighting for our laws. our
sdeals, our homes, our institutions.
sBut, how" one may ask. "were all
xhese things threatened by Germany
before the war started? II is easy to
zee how they may be threatened now,
for If we are defeated we are lost, but
Before the war started did Germany
menace those things we hold most sa-
eredf~
Let the Germans themselves answer.
After you have read the evidence out
Of their own mouths, you may decide
whether or Dot Germany planned to up
ret our institutions, our ideals, our very
node Of life.
In 1901 the National German-Ameri-
can alliance was formed In the Upited
States. In 1907 IL was incorporates
hy act OF congress. Its charter is
now being attacked In that same body.
One Of the objects Of the alliance. as
of1cially announced. was ITO check pa
tivistic encroachments." In other
Words, to keep the Germsns from be-
coming Americans. Another object
vas ito awaken and strengthen the
sense Of unity among the people OF
German origin ip America"
This alliance It's preliminary
statement Of aims concludes. as
.3,edged to bring Its entire organiza-
Don TO the support Of any state fed
eratioa which is engaged In the strug-
NE for any Of these objects"
h was pledged, 10 other words. to
have It's members vote not as individ-
unis. but as German controlled units.
for or against anthing Of which
they did not approve, 49,
The desire for resisting 'nativistic
tncroachments." was particularly alb
horrent to American ideals. because
the effort in this country has always
been to keep politics free from racial
>r religious Influences. Yet here was
\ body. proclaiming itself German in
~riein and thought. seeking to perpetu-
ate this German feeling In the midst
Of America.
From its very start the alliance
nought to foment discord with England.
II always spoke Of the American press
ms '.fhe .Ang,o-American" press. and 1t
carried out long and well-directed
campaign for the introduction Of the
German language into the schools and
ITS use in civil life.
ssThe National Alliance" according
10 an issue of its official Bulletin be
fore this nation entered the war. rs
waging war against Anglo-Saxonism,
against the fanatical enemies OF per-
sonal liberty and political freedom. II
Is combating narrow-minded. benight-
ed know nothingism. the influence OF
the British. and the enslaving Puritan
ism. which had its birth in England
ssThe race war which we will be
compelled to go through with on Amer
lean soil will be our world war; said
the New York Stats Zeitung in Tight
ing proposal to amend the New York
constitution 10 make ability TO speak
and write the English language a
requisite for suffrage.
Ludwig Fulda wrote book. amer
lean Impressions" They were Inn
pressions of German who had stud.
ied this nation with view TO seeing
II ultimately Germanized. German
fzation is Synonymous with causing 70
speak German" he said land speak
ang German means to remain German
Wherever there were signs of dis
content, Of movement which might
tend 10 disrupt this country. or any
other which Germany might find as q
commercial rival. the German-Ameri
can alliance was sure to be on the
job. II gave support to the Irish
American societies. because these soci
cites. before the war. were working fol
TIE separation of Ireland from Eng
hand. matter in which Germany. a
that time. could have no Legitimate
interest. But Germany. even then
was preparing for war, and was doini
every possible thing TO weaken il
coming enemies. A disorganize'
America. one filed with German re
eervists. would be in no position q
side with her enemies. Germany fig
ured. On this subject the much-quotei
Bernhard wrote:
Measures must be taken at leas
20 the extent Of providing that IN
German element is not split up in tn
world, but remains united In compac
blocks, and thus forms. even in fol-
elgn countries. political centers O
gravity In our favor. The isolate
groups Of Germans abroad greatly Der
eft our trade. since by preference the
obtain goods from Germany; but the
may also be useful TO US politically. a
we discover in America. The German
Americans have formed a political a
Nance with the Irish; and thu
united. constitute power in the stat
with which the American goyernmer
must reckon"
With the outbreak OF the war In E.
rope the actions of the German Anne
lean alliance became holder. The can
paign for membership took on NE
vigor.
Can we talk OF peace with a &c