Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-01-09
ELDER IN COLONY SAYS ALL
MEMBERS ARE FAITHFUL
TO UNCLE SAM,
NO GERMAN IDEALS
FosrEREo ~ SOCIETY.
Germanisr Pervaded Colony -
Schools Not Conducted in Foreign
lansuase-Also Denies Presence Of
Draft objectors--Asks Fair Deal.

Cedar Rapids. Jan. 9..-Accusations
that the Amana society schools are
conducted in foreign tongue, with
emphasis on foreign ideals are brand
ed AS false by Henry j. Zimmerman
one OF the elders Of the society at
Amana and prominent as miller
whose output is widely distributed. Mr..
zimmerman visited Cedar Rapids yes
terday and was asked for an asser-
ton OF his SleWs regarding the pro-
posal to legislate the Amana colonies
out of existence because OF their al
legged foreign nature. He stoutly de-
MED the truth of the statements maue
in Marengo and from Dcs Moines as
to the foreign nature oi the conduct
OF, the schools. He said no German
was taught AMI no old country ideals
fostered. The schools are county
schools under the state superintenu-
ent as all other schools, and anyone
can attend them. he declared.
No Draft Directors.
Our blood is German" Mr.. Iin-
norman said. Are we to be con-
denmned for that? We can not help
it. My father "as born in this coun-
try So was |. We ere banded to-
sether there 1t Amana for two rea-
sons, principally. We are anti-mill-
tarstic and anii-comm. cialistic. the
men who founded the society left Ger
many because they ha ed militarisin
and had religion tina. was perSe-
cuted there. We are against war.
1t is claimed that there was trouble
at the colonies because OF the draft.
| say we had 40 trouble. We admit
that we attempted to nave our men
accepted for non-Com Daiant, service.
Why, we even tried to nave them &C
cepted that way before the dfati
came Our request was :efuSed. we
made the request on religious grounds
not on the plea that we we're Germans.
We despise the things t0' which Ger
many stood. tried my best to get
into any kind of service. | begged to
be accepted. but my crippled arm pre-
vented. / couldn't even get into the
Red Cpss or the Y. M. G. A.
sNone Arrested There.
Pro- Germans were arrested IN
many parts of Iowa. Did you hear II
any pro- Germans being arrested at
Amana? IL there had been any cause
for arrests they would have beer
made. for we we're Investigated time
ana again ands government agents
were among us frequently, Men SEM
out, fyom Washington Investigated US
before we go. government contract:
for blankets. ! believe We had con-
tracts for abous- 10000 blankets.
we are accused of being bootleg
gers. We Wlnt the authorities e.
prosecute us If We arc pootleSSerS
We eject every man convicted OF d
crime and he c.r not again be mem !
Der of the society. Just d few months
ago we elected a man i" no was con
yicted OF boot Logging. When this state
went drv we emptied thousands of GAL
Ions of wine mto the river. Murh OIL
tI,at wine was ine, white grave vino
so thick tina, you could almost cut IT,
II would have made Wouoertul mater
ial for hospitals and doctors II "o"iu
have done much in a medical way, anu
va would gladly have gwen II away
for that purpose. Blu, the attorhe!
generals order was obeNcd.
Ask Fair Deal Only.
",u we wait is a fair deal. Ahi
man of any blood can occo'he 'iie''
Der Of our society II ne WISHES ~
adopt our religion. bu; II we a's
wrong it is our wish to De SHOWN no"
we are wrong. We hope mat what we
have will not he taken from us we
work hard. bu: no one is rlch. o",
money all goes into one treasury anu
g handled by cur trustees.
Il am an American. am as lo!a
DC Won If T am not / wish to die.