New-York tribune., 1918-06-10
For the Kaiser Still


is still alive and still offensive. In cer-
tain fatuous way it has just proved it's
own existence while attempting to
deny it.
First there is the sequence of events.
Several weeks ago twenty three groups
of alien born citizens petitioned the gov
ernment to sanction and proclaim 10y
atty Day, on which all loyal people of
foreign nativity might with one impulse
publicly manifest their feelings.
On May "a the President published his
hearty approval of the thought, and ap-
propriately named July to be the day.
The Committee on Public Information
then undertook to organize nationwide
demonstration. 1t telegraphed the Gov
ernors Of all the states to support the
movement. The Governors have respond
ed. In New York City the Mayors Com
mittee on National Defence adopted the
idea and began to prepare for loyalty
parade of at least $4,000 citizens of for
eign origin. The Mayor issued suit
able proclamation.
Enter now the German-Americans.
Their attitude toward the announce
ment of a Loyalty Day demonstration,
in which, of course, they should be ex-
pected to participate, was at first eau
tious and non-committal. The German
language papers merely printed the
news. Suddenly "The New Yorker
Staats-Zeitung" and "The German Her
old" proposed that citizens of German
origin should have a loyalty demonstra-
ton of their own. to be organized by
themselves and conducted by their old
leaders, whose words they were accus-
toned to hear and enjoy. This separate
rate day, preferably Flag Day, which is
June ID.
The question at once is asked, "Why
should citizens of German origin wish
to demonstrate their loyalty in sepa-
rate manner on a day apart?"
To this the answer is, or was, quite
plausible. In the first place, it could be
said that the suspicion inherent in the
question was gratuitous. Secondly Ger
man-American loyalty having been so
much aspersed, it was fitting that citi-
zens of German origin should make their
own confession of faith one of special
occasion.
That did not answer the question, and
yet there was much to be said for the
wish of these citizens, first, to have
their loyalty taken more for granted
than that of twenty-three miscellaneous
groups of foreign born, and, secondly, to
emphasize it in their own particular
way
And now what happens?
On Thursday night last, at the instance
of "The New Yorker -Zeitung"
and "The German Herold," meeting Of
American citizens Of German origin and
German descent is held to arrange the
special demonstration proposed to be
held in advance of Loyalty Day.
A resolution is offered, and immedi-
ately there is an uproar. The resolution
as prepared by Mr.. Sigel, representing
the Friends of German Democracy, con-
tains the following American sentiment: {:
"That in order to prove our sincerity
beyond question we believe that such
demonstration must express our absolute
condemnation of the German government,
the German Kaiser and the Prussian mil
= itary autocrats who are and have been
the German government and whose lust
Of conquest brought on this terrible
war"
This part of the resolution is unac-
ceptable to the American citizens of Ger
man origin.
One denounces it on the ground that
he has met the Kaiser and knows him to
be democratic gentleman.
Another expresses a belief that al
though the German-American societies
wished America to win they did not
wish Germany to be defeated.
Another says it would be suicide fol
the representatives Of German American
societies on their own responsibility tc
adopt such resolution.
Mr.. Ridder, Of "The New Yorke,
Staats-Zeitung," denounces Mr.. Sigel
who introduced the sensational resolu.
ton, on the ground that he does not rep.
resent German organization.
Herman Hagedorn, the poet, who il
seeking to Americanize the sentiments Of
citizens Of German origin, and who or,
ganized this meeting, begs that the
resolution be accepted in principle. But
no; it would not be accepted even in
principle. Instead it was referred to q