The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-07-09

Christian Science Monitor. Almost
as il the signing Of the peace treaty
had given 2 new lease Of life 10 GER
tain forces IN the United States. pro
Germauism Is nov manifsstins NSeA
here in new and more definite forms
All that the prescribed German
American Alliance stood for. and
more, is represented by the chicago
organization. OF nationwide scope,
which prints the word America with a
small sa- as part of It's ute,
Germansmerican Citizens League
What the German-Arnerican Alliance
did NOT pretend 70 be, namely force
In American politics, this new German
american Citizens League seeks ueH-
nitely and avowedly TO become. ies
il is not designed TO INCLUDE Amelr
cans OF any and all ancestries; IL Is
for those only who are of German
lineage. Ii will aim 10 develop Ameri-
can citizenship in this country, TO tne
exclusion Of Anglo-Saxonism as wen
as Germanism; citizenship based on
knowledge Of American history, OF the
federal constitution, administration
and legislation; on knowledge OF ma
tional needs, and on consciousness
that the right Of suffrage carries with
il the obligation 10 vote. The league
declares that il will support national
defense. preservation of the nation
natural resources. immigration, tarlfl
and taxation. civil service reform; IL
viii provide legal defense for mem-
bers II .hsy are accused unjustly IN
matters reria ming to the activities OF
the league" and il viii support mem
bers with employment agencies, IN
formation bureaus, and aid stations.
! All this the league proposes 10 do I'D
harmony with the words OF President
Washington himself, in the passage
beginning observe good faith and JUS
tice toward all nations" and including
the sentence, Against the insidious
wiles OF foreign influence and jealousy
of free people ought to be constantly
awake" But now witness the marvel
| Almost in the very section that IN
cludes this famous quotation from the
/ first American president, the consti-
tuition of the Germanamerican Citizens
/ League, apparently in all simplicity
and sincerity, declares as one of It's
prime objects the preservation OF
! the German language and kultur," In
| the midst of the very nation that lent
| its utmost aid to the overthrow OF
! German kultur, claiming oneness OF
purpose and loyal citizenship with
/ that nation, this league declares the
preservation of German kultur to be
/ it's cherished purpose. With ostrich
| like faith that its monstrous bulk will
remain unperceived so long as It's
+! head is hidden in the sand, kultur
once more becomes vivid. That which
/ the world abhorred is to be openly In
| culcated in the United States. Here
/ it is to be presented in terms OF
! language, music, the theater, art
calisthenics, and economics, blandly
confident that what it stood for in the
great war Just finished will be over
| looked, II not forgotten.
| There is no lodging the menace Of
this thing to the people OF the United
States and their government. But the
real menace is not SO much In am
direct and active effect that thi!
league is likely to exert, even thougi
| it now intends to go into politics
using what votes it can muster u
elect only those public officials ant
Representatives who shall De friendly
or at least not hostile, to the German
purpose in this country. The rea
menace is in the fact that this German
/ element in United States citizenr!
does not understand its own perfldy
These people apparently cannot under
stand that the loyalty which they mus
profess for the United States In be
coming citizens of this country u
vitiated, made of no account, raisl
fled, by their predominating loyalty U
Germany and German purposes ina
is why their protestations are 10
America, to the exclusion OF every
thing else, yet their real intention
are to perpetuate and inculcate Tn
essential thought OF their fatherlano