Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1920-10-29
IN THE MELTING POT
The Irish Reproved-The Germans
Rebuked
(By John Bush)


ton of putting achievements behind
bombastic claims. Not all who cry
"Plato, Plato" are Platonists; and
not all those who now appeal to
Americas mighty name for sanction
of their petty capriceS and crazy
creeds have learned the first prin-
ciples of Americanism.
April 16, 1917, the United States
declared war on Germany, and in re-
sponse to the Presidents call the
whole nation seemed to arise. Men
of all classes forgot their quarrels
and hastened to the defense of the
nation. The heart of the people
stood by the nation and by the old
flag.
The fine phrase used, "War for
Democracy" touched men in all con-
ditions of life, and touched them as
nothing ever had before. Farmers
left their ploughs, mechanics dropped
their tools, clerks said farewell to
their employers, college students
threw down their books and all hur-
ried to take their place in the ranks.
Today, almost two years after the
cannon ceased to resound, the state
of mankind in most countries is worse
than the former estate. The entire
world is in turmoil and unrest. There
is little light in the darkness, and the
future is indeed shrouded in uncer-
tainty. But the madmen who en-
broiled the world in war did not pur-
sue their policies without warning of
wiser men. A few thinkers saw clear
ly that the militarism of Germany,
Austria, Hungary, Russia, France and
Italy, and the navalism of England,
combined with the intrigue of the
politicians of the nations would in
evitably result in a war as destructive
to the victors as to the vanquished.
But nothing could stay the scheming
of these madmen. They insisted up
on sowing the wind that was to bring
the whirlwind,, and the poor fatuous,
unthinking clique of the press, the
pulpit and the university frantically
applauded the fools who were scat
tering the seeds of the awful harvest.
The few who had foresight, who spoke
soberly, who deprecated war and
counseled moderation and peace, were
reviled and denounced as though they
had advised the destruction instead of
the preservation of order, liberty and
constructive civilization.
The world has been rudely awaken
ed from it's sleep which began when
the armistice was signed nearly two
years ago. At that time people who
had become eXhilarated by the eX-
cessive use of fine phrases heaved
sigh of relief, saying German mill
tarism having been crushed every
thing would come out all right Of it.
self. But the people are beginning
to sense the true state of affairs; it
is like man waking up in the morn
ing after night of carousal to find
the stern realities of neglected duties
and unfinished tasks awaiting him.
These conditions are in evidence in
America as we'll as in Europe, and
when we stop to compare the fire
phrases with the unkind remarks
made and the attitude shown toward
the German and Irish people who
have been soloyal to the principles
conducive to constructive civilization
it is not surprising that unrest is
prevailing.
The writer deems it duty, as we'll
as a pleasure, to at least speak a
good word in behalf of the German
and Irish Americans. If we were to
eliminate from the ranks of the
United States army and navy the
people of these two nationalities,
from the days of the Bacon rebellion
of 1879 to the present time, it is a
question whether the stars and
stripes would be waving to day. Then
again, if we were to take out of
America all that German and Irish
brain and skill has produced in in
dustry there would be little to boast
about.
If we Americans expect to main
tain our honor and dignity as power
among the nations of the earth we
should use fewer fine phrases, lay
aside class hatred and petty jealousies
and set about putting our own nation
in order by learning and promoting
the true principles of Americanism.
Merchants, like all others, must be
judged by their actions. If a nerch- !