Oxford eagle., 1918-05-30
Why We Fight
Mol
Because Cermsay Tor Year, Hss
Been Mskinf Secret, Trssehss-
ous War on Us
BY CLARENCE L. SPEED
secretary OF the War Committee OF the
Union League Club OF Chicagol

nie AT war Win Germany Is that
Tor a generation Germany has been
making war on us. Germany has
made this war not openly. braveiy or
numanely, but secretly. treacherously
and persistently. She has sought to
create race discord. to corrupt and de-
die politicians and oficehoiders, and
to create separate German communi-
ties within our borders. She has poi
Soned the minds Of children In our
schools In an endeavof to make Ger
mans Of them instead Of have them
grow up into loyal American citizens.
She has invaded the sacredness Of the
pulpit itself In an endeavor to corrupt
our people through the very leaders
OF morality TO whom they are accus-
toned 10 look for guidance.
These may be startling assertions.
but they are all true. as you shall see
from the documents Of the Germans
themselves. We all knew that II was
German feet which stripped for &C
tion when Dewey sailed into Manila
bay. We all knew ft was the Germans
NAAW WNuEnt W Utftik uUOUt huEUptuu
alliance against us when we were en-
gagged in the war with Spain. Few of
us relaized. however. that all these
years Germany has been busy within
our own borders. through editors.
teachers and preachers. seeking to
break down our national unity. so that
when the time came II would be easy
to defeat the United States In open
warfare to set AZ naught our cherish
ed Monroe doctrine. and to seize. In
the Western hemisphere. anything
that the land grabbing rulers Of the
German empire might desire.
The climax sf Germany's under.
handed war on the United States came
I'm 1913. more than a year before the
outbreak of hostilities In Europe. This
was the enactment OF what IL known
as the Delbruck law. which provides
that II an emigrant from Germany
who is about to be naturalixed makes
application TO German consul. he
may retain his German eitixenship
even after he has become q citizen Of
his adopted country.
In plain words, THIS law, and the ap-
plication OF IL. mean Just this:
German goes into court IN this
country and solemnly foreswears al.
legiance to the kaiser and pledges
his word-the temptatf-, was 70 say,
''of honor"-that he vii become q 10y.
al citizen Of the United States. Then
he slips around TO the German consul
and says:
You know I didn't mean that. ai
all. Those Americans are easy mafks
and they FELL for that stun right Oh
But you Just put me down on your list
as a good. loyal German. and II the
time ever comes when I can prove Il
you can count on me-"
So the German consul puts his name
down In the little card index OF which
the Germans are so fond. and this
man.-this creature who swears al.
legience 20 the country which gives
him an opportunity 10 make q real liv
ing and 10 become somebody In thii
world. and at the same time swear
secretly TO be true to 0ermany4s
turned loose 70 work his win. while
Americans 20 carelessly about theiE
business and refuse TO see the DANCES
in the arrangement.
Long before the passage Of the Del
bruck law. there was formed the ve
rein fur das Deutschtum i'm Ausland-
the Union for Germanism IN ForetEu
Lands. This organization. o6lcially
fostered in Germany. issued q quarter.
iy magazine. which. In its very nrst 10
sue. outlined its aims as follows:
The purpose OF this union is the
preservation and promotion OF the
Germanism OF over S0.O00000 people
Of German blood dwelling outside the
German empire" All II aims to do.
you see. is 10 keep Germans who come
TO this country from becoming Ameri-
cans.
Away back In 1890 the Aildeutscher
verband. or the Pan-German league.
vas formed. II now consists Of 266
chapters Of which two now are-or at
least were Immediately before the war
in the United States. one In New
York and one In San Francisco. To
quote from the Aildeutsche Blatter. its
Official publication. "the Pan-0erman
league Is founded for promoting Ger
man National interests. both In Ger
many and In foreign lands"
A few thinking Americans knew
all the time what was coming-what
must come. But America. rs q whole.
went along In that carelessness and
indifference with which II treats all
things unpleasant. and allowed this
German war on our most sacred insti-
tutions TO continue unchecked.
So Germany stands today. with one
foot on PROSTATE Belgium and the 9TH
er on the neck of poor deluded Rus
sia; with a bayonet planted In the
heart of Serbia. and the point OF its
sword at the throat OF Roumania.
while II looks out over the vassal
States Of Bulgaria and Turkey to In
dia and the Orient. And as II stands
thus. 1t cries to its foes on the west
ern front:
"Kameradi Why 60 on with all this
killing? Lets have a peace by nego-
tiationf" and. under its breath. adds.
'rve got all I want for the present"
Can wa talk of any peace until