Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1918-08-09

deserve being picked at, for God
knows we are not to blame in any
way.
I am German. but husband comes
out of a Dane family. He can talk
German also. Please excuse my poor
writing, I'm nervous. God bless you
for the work you are doing"
Now, my friends, | am going to
make bold to say that there is some
thing wrong with any person who
can read that letter unmoyed. Here
is a noble woman, with aged parents
and an invalid sister, from whose
family two sons have been sent into
the army of democracy, to lay down
their lives if neeG be for our coun-
try's flag. Their hearts are right and
they are doing everything within
their power to uphold our nation in
the cause for which we fight. because
they believe in it. Yet these people
are Inundated, insulted and abused
and for what? Why because some
of them cannot understand English!
Their only sin is that the older ones
came, at Americas welcoming invi-
tation, to her hospitable shores to
escape the very evils against which
America is fighting today. Born I'M
der the black eagles of Prussian dark
ness, they turned to the Statute OF
Liberty's reckoning light. Sons were
born to them and grandsons-stal-
wart, broad-shouldered men who
have helped to make the grain belt
rich and prosperous, by farming in
that careful intensive way which the
old world taught them, and from
which our native farmers have
learned such valuable lessons. They
have been good citizens here; they
have prospered here and received
much America, but they also have
given much, and whatever obligation
exists is mutual. The parents loved
America and it's ideals, or they would
not have settled here; they and their
children and their children's children
have entered into the spirit OF Amer
lean ideals, have absorbed it's tradi-
tions and gloried in them. Perhaps
they have appreciated more what a
free America means than those of us
who have never known anything diff
erent, and who have not had the
struggle to attain it which they have
had. Two of them are preparing to
fight and die, if need be, for Ameri-
ca, And yet they are subjected to
ridicule and insult, instead of the
honor which is their due.
A few years ago these good Ameri-
can citizens were honored and re-
spected. Campaign orators We'd with
each other in complimentary referen-
ces to their solid virtues; bankers
welcomed their deposits, which grew
yearly from industry and thrift;
tradesmen sought their patronage,
because their credit was Of the best;
states and counties We'd with each
other for the prosperity which camo
with their immigration. Tomorrow
when the war is over and reason and
justice resume their sway, they will
again be honored by their neighbors,
who for generation have lived in
peace and friendliness with them.
But today, in the madness which has
come upon US, they are made to feel
like outcasts because of fancied
fault, for something which they can
not help, by those with fancied vir-
tue, which they possess without
credit Of their own.
Now my friends, | can conceive Of
but two kinds of people who would
cause such cruel pain and unneces-
sary suffering in family like this.
The first are simply natural-born
'smart-alecks" This is not very
dignified term,- but neither are the
actions Of those to whom / refer and
| cannot think of any other express
sion to describe those tloughtless
ones who seem to delight in making
sport of people who are unfortunately
situated. The second are the hard of
heart, the calloused and brutal, who
always seem to. enjoy inf1icting pain
on others, or who are acting through
motives of personal spite and enmity.
1t may possibly be there is a third
and very limited class who have a
mistaken idea that they arc acting
patriotically in mistreating these
good neighbors, and are serving their
country in this way. If SO they need
to pay some attention to what our
public officials are saying, and to
learn that, instead of promoting our
national unity (Which is the greatest
need at this time) they are hindering
it and are themselves the very worst
foes TO our cause. They are using the
same brutal means that We condemn
in our enemies and putting themselves