New-York tribune., 1922-12-10
La Toilette and Wisconsin
An Incident of Thirty Years Ago Recalled 10 Explain
the Trump ph Of Battling Bob

driven from the Rhine and the Treaty
Of Versailles would be "sorapped' =
II Is dlaieult 10 understand the
working Of the German mind, but |
found that great mass Of German
Americans were obsossed with such
ideas. Smooth tonFutd bond statesmen
cultivated such beliefs among the
wealthy German farmers. talked 60
one German, who explained that N The
mark became worth even 20 cents he
would be immensely wealthy. His cal
eulations were correct - the German
mark al 90 cents would have made him
very rich. inquired on what he based
his hopes for increase IN the value Of
German marks and bonds. 10 appeared
that all his castles were constructed
out Of the vain hope that the in
coming Administration would prevent
France from recovering reparationa
and that the United States would be-
come an ally. Of Germany
Such a state Of mind was general In
Wisconsin after the election Of 1920.
was IN Milwaukee IN the early part
Of the present year and The hopes ~
the German sympathIzers had not beon
realized. The national prohibition law
was also being partially enforced and
this. too. was regarded as betrayal
by the Republican party. "Ihe Demo
erats gave us prohibition and the
Democrats were put out, and why not
all that they imposed upon us be re-
versed." Such was the working Of the
ordinary German mind.
I recall one Gcrmnn-American who
was particularly abusive Of President
Wilson in 1921 but who was even more
violent in his dcnuneiation Of Prcsi-
dent Harding in 1922. His Incorporate
remarks we're such that one might rea-
sonably fear FOR his sanity.
The name OF Presiden; Wilson was
repeatedly ieered in 1920 and the name
OF President Harding was treated with
equal disrespect IN 1922 by the par
tisans OF La Toilette. The City Of Mil
waukee has repeatedly sent a man
(Berger) to represent her in Congress
whose greatest exhibition OF wit was
in the remark: I'VE got nothing out Of
the war cxcerKnc au and prohibition"
Tho state at lfffe has indorsed La Fol
lettc. whose ultcranccs during the war
werc Investigated by the Senate.
There are growing up in America
little European nations within the
greater nation. whose peoples hold 10
sentiments that are un-American, un-
Democratic and Republican. The
surcst passport to public favor IN some
Of these foreign provinces is 20 de-
uounee the ideals which 90 per cent o.
the 100 per cent Americans believe 60
be good.
The biggest political stock in trade
in the United States az the present
time Is the German mark. "The mark
is the best propaganda remarked
German statesman more than two
years ago. It is cutting a bigger fig
ure than American dollars.
Americans hold about s32o,ooo,oo0 IN
French bonds. Il Is stated on good
authority that Americans have suffered
q clear loss Of $3.50, 900. 900 IN German
marks, and the sums invested In marks
will run we'll over S1.oo0,000, 900. being
more than three times the amount of
French bonds held in the United
states. Small wonder that holders OF
German marks are bombarding Sen
ators and Representatives 20 save Ger
many and destroy France, Il is stated
that more than 800. 00O. 900 is invested