Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-10-07
PRO.GERMANS OF ONE IOWA
COMMUNITY FORCE MER.
CHANT TO QUIT.
lNAueuRArEo BOYCOTT
BECAUSE OF LOYALTY
Merchant Not Backward About Eek
pressing Sentiments. Contributed
Voluntarily to War Funds, While
Neishbors Were Of tho Must Buy
Class-Wilson's Observations.
snecial n rimcs.Republicnn.

Special TO Times epublican.
Grumpy Center, oct. THE propri-
etor OF u general store in small town
sat at his desk one morning working
on his books. a caller entered the
store the usual greetings were ex-
changed, the How is business with
you?" query propounded and the mer-
chant swung round in his chair and
answered ABOUT as follows: Business
Is mighty poor; l an closing out. You
appear Interested in the matter he
continued to the surprised listener,
and will explain T. few things. l
have been here more than twenty
Years and have pros pered. My father
and mother came to this country from
Prussia. You know that the people
OF this community are practically all
descendants Of the same land. When
the war between US and Germany
broke out | decided that if l was any
thing hyphenated' l was an American
German. | wasn't backward about
announcing my position nor about eX-
pressing my opinion of those who took
a different stand. took my share Of
bonds, etc, ard took them because l
wanted them. I've got them yet.
Those of my old customers who took
another attitude also bought must
buys, as they termed them In private
conversations, and a good many OF
these have been turned in already on
investments and donations that these
70
the foreign language Issue was up
dropped all except United States and
when / came upon sidewalk group
talking in another tongue they stop
ped as l approached. were still while
I passed by and started in again when
l was out of hearing. When the ar
mistice was signed things began to
happen with me. Nobody said any
thing about war time feeling but my
trade dropped of until there wasn't
much left Then I decided to give up
the fight. I happen to be the owner Oh
a good zoo acre farm not far from the
town OF Grundy Center. told lot
of my old time customers that they
were succeeding beautifully In ruin
ing nv business because was real
American citizen and that L realized
the hope!essness of the situation.
make no secret OF the matter at all.
I bought a tractor and my boy and l
went out to the farm and did the fall
blowing. We both enjoyed the Job, the
kid had the time of his life. I got a
landscape expert out there and the
building We do in the future will be
done right and in accordance with
system. I propose to better my con-
dition materially because Of this turn
of events in my affairs"
The man was interrupted at this
point by a young farmer who came in,
inquired about tires for his car, Sc
lected two, asked for a check blank,
took out his pencil, inquired the price,
filled out the blank and walked out.
There's one Of them now" said the
merchant, they know I'm selling out
at prices below ordinary. Did you
notice that he didn't dicker any about
It? They all understand. And it's the
younger men too that have done this
thing. l can see thru it all. Simply
neglect on the part Of the father who
came from across the water to send
his children regularly ard long enough
to the public school of this country.
The school life was too brief and ir-
regular to overcome the early home
training that prevented the child from
forming ideas calculated to make him
100 per cent American. This isn't the
only instance of this kind, concluded
the merchant. This thing is going on
all over the country wherever the pop
ulation Is of similar character. Plenty
Of instances will be coming to light
from this time on
The town Of Wel1sburg has a base
ball club which has made a remark
able record az compared with others
Of the same class. According to the
figures as compiled by the teams
manager the club has played thirty
games during the present season and
has won all except four and these
were with teams composed largely Of
professional players. Three Of the
Wellsburg players have been on the
team for twelve consecutive seasons
and two more for eleven years. Only
one man plays on salary and he Is
a resident Of the town. Their pitcher