The Devils Lake world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1920-1982, 1920-12-29
4 Real American Reply
To Umjmstitied Sarcasm
PENNIES REPLY
TO MILFORD H. GRAHAM
Editor The Journal
DEVILS LAKE,, N. OAK

Dear Sir and Friend:
I have just read the article con-
front page of the Journal Of Deem
front page of the Journal Of Deem
Der 4th, and 1 trust you will give me
an opportunity to be heard in ans
to the farewell which you have
so kindly given me.
I wish first to thank you for the
kind words you have said of me, even
though you have mixed them with a
little bitterness. Perhaps you did
that thoughtlessly and under the idea
that little man with the stopping
shoulders" never would see them and
that it would not matter, anyway. So
l forgive your cruelty and take to my
self the warmer, kinder thoughts in
your words: "Bennie has a heart as
big as a mountain II He was al:
ways ready to extend a helping hand,
even to an enemy, and would have
gone any distance to give a word of
cheer to a sick friend"
That is a good blessing for any man
to have leaving a town where he has
lived for over thirty years. It is
all that your own prophet, Jesus of
Nazareth, demanded of his followers,
and I, who am of his race, feel happy
that I have measured up to that stand
ard in the eyes of his followers. 1t
is a good Christmas thought-and l
have tried to make my year an en-
tire Christmas.
l know you will not permit me to
discuss my political beliefs, though
you criticise them and call them I'M
American. Therefore I will write
no defense Of them. I wish to be
no cause for ofense to any man. l
will only discuss other matters in your
article concerning me.
You say: 1--WE wondered what the
mission of such a little man," and ex-
press surprise and curiosity as to the
motives for any thoughts and actions.
Of your W Jesus Of Nazareth the
people asked: "What manner of man
is this?" I am in no way an equal
Of his, save in desire for right and to
help my fellow man, but I take it as
a compliment that men should be cur
ious concerning me. It shows that
perhaps l have made some think.
How should you ever know the
workings of the mind Of a man like
myself. Born under the tyranny of
the Cars, of a race hated, despised,
prosecuted and slaughtered, l escaped
from that land of horrors and came to
this Land Of the Free, so that I might
in my small way-help to build up
this nation. Not many Of my race
take to farming, because there is NO
land they can call their own and they
have been bounded and penned up in
ghettos in the cities for so many gen.
erations that they have lost the in.
stinct for cultivation Of the soil.
was an exception-I went to farming
and plowed and reaped and became, as
I thought, an American.
Now you tell me I am not an Amer.
lean. You tell that because I wisl
through my political beliefs, to max,
more people happy that I am withou'
i, the inspiration of Washington, Lin
coin and Hamilton. Yet l have rea.
as much of Lincoln and know more O.
him as a man, than I have Of tn
great German Marx. Lincoln was o
the people, a man who was big enough
to feel for "little men" like me. H,
taught me that u republic would en-
unless we changed the system an
prevented the great growths Of wealtl
which now aflict US. I have rea
him-and I believe in him. I hav
read also Washington and Jefferso
and I hold with them. Indeed I rea
them before I ever read any Of Mar
writings. II it is un-American t
believe as I do and speak and wor
as I have done in Devils Lake-the
Lincoln and Jefferson and Washing
ton were un-Ameriean, for the
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