Decorah-posten og ved arnen., 1918-07-19

sherman:
observation-disclosures honor theii
homeland, but the new land to which
they have given their fealty and Their
oath must stand and always has stood
first. They are ready, if fate demand,
il Of them, to give their blood (kleda
blodig skjorta) for their adopted
country, even against the land wher,
they were born and bred, or where
their parents were born and bred"
This article was attacked as "trai
~torous" by the Conservative organ
"Nya Dagligt Allahanda" in Stock.
holm, whcreupon "Nordstjernan' re.
affirmed its American loyalty in ever
stronger terms, saying:
1T is uncomfortable to us how any
Swedish newspaper editor can fail tc
see that in the moment when we took
our oath as citizens OF this country
We bound ourselves to defend it with
our hearts blood, and this means that
we might even have TO fight our old
homeland, if - which God forbid
there should be war between the
United States and Sweden
Our entrance into the war was &C
ccptcd by the Scandinavian-language
press with a sober realization OF the
struggle ahead of us, but in a spirit
of absolute loyalty. The pacihst or
gan, Reform still believed that
President Wilson's ideal Of a League
of Nations could have been realized
without war. but bowed to the will
OF the people as expressed through
Congress, counselling all citizens OF
Norwegian blood to stand solidly with
the country. and to bear their share
OF the burdens faithfully. "Vecko-
bladet,' which on the very eve of war
had pleaded for peace, wrote that eve
must each and all be ready to make
sacrifices in whatever manner the
welfare OF our country demands, and
must show in word and deed that we
are worthy of our citizenship" a
more bclligercnt note was struck by
the larger newspapers. Thus Sven
ska Amerikanarcn," before the de
claration of war, wrote:
America did not want war and does
not want war. If the matter rested
with America, there would be no war
between us and any other country. If
America were to all rights
as a neutral, war might be avoided,
but that would be the most contempt
ible position any n could take, and
such a course would soon bring its
own punishment"
On the day war was declared, "Uge-
bladet" wrote:
America is now in the war. That
is no cause for rejoicing on the
contrary, it is TO be regretted that il
should be necessary to 60 so far. But
the step has been taken, and now all
Americans, native-born or immigrant.
have but one duty: to be loyal to our
country and our Government"
"Skandinaven" expressed unQuali-
fed approval of the action taken by
Congress:
"No one who has read the Presi-
dents message to Congress can doubt
that Germany, through a long series
OF laWleSs acts that lack a parallel in
history, has forced the United States
into the war. 1t had to come. The
United States has been compelled TO
take up the gauntlet thrown us by
PrusSian autocracy, the natural enemy
of democracy
Turning from the press comments
at the time OF our entrance into the
war to those of a year later, we find
a remarkable consolidation of patrio-
tic purpose. All papers without ex-
ception give generous space to the
Liberty Loan, the Red Cross. and
other national service. All record
with pride the part taken by Scandi-
n~avianS, the hocking of young men 10
the colors, the dedication OF service
flags, the loyalty meetings, the in
Vulnerable activities TO aid the Gov
eminent in its prosecution Of the war,
Among the editorials urging subScrip-
ton TO the Liberty Loan, we note
one in Observation-Disclosures remind
ing its readers that liberty was often
the only heritage they brought with
them from Norway" and they, to
whom the liberty had always been the
very breath of life, ought TO be the
first to contribute.
II might perhaps be expected that
Scandiuavians, being proverbial kick
ers' and haters OF graft. should be
the most l~oud-voiced critics Of the
Government, but their press is singu-
larly moderate, slow to believe in
Exposures" strong in demanding
fair play for the Government. Thus
"Svenska Kuriren" urges everybody
10 drop all discussion and cease all
criticism" that might breed disSen-
sion and create division, thus dis
couraging people from the sacrifices
necessary TO win the war" Similar
pleas are made by minneapolis Ii
dendc." DEBORAH Poster" "Vecko-
bladet," and others.
While the moral loyalty OF the
Swedish American editors to their
country has always been beyond cavil,
it might perhaps be said that their
intellectual enlightenment was COM
pleted with the German occupation OF
Finland. "SvenSka Tribunen Nyheter"
writes:
What does all this mean except that
Germany is carrying on a war OF con-
quest, and that Prussian autocracy is
a real danger threatening the world?
That danger is imminent for little
Sweden. which is now i'll a much more
dangerous position than in the days
OF the mighty Russian Czarism. Any
one with open eyes can now see that
a German victory would be fatal TO
all democratic nations, and O least
to Sweden and the other Northern
countries. Therefore it seems 10 us
that the Swedcs and their nearest
neighbors should be especially thank
ful to America. which has entered the
war. not for gain. but in order TO help
the weaker nations. TO destroy Ger
man autocracy and militariSm. and
protect the freedom OF the world
From America help must come, and
America will win.
Minnesota Stats T~idning," while
admitting that the war was not at
first popular" thinks that there are
surely few who do not now see the