HYPHEN OUTED.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 281, 1 June 1917, Page 2 (Supplement)

HYPHEN OUTED.

THE ZIMMEKMANN NOTE. t'NITiNG THi UNITED STATES. COLLAPSE OF PKO-GERMANISM. The exposure of Zimmermann's noro. revealing the German plot to incite Japan and Mexico to war with tho United States proved a bombshell in America —a bombshell which has shattered the pro-Germanism existent since the bi-giniiing of the war. No longer is the voice of the German-American loud in the land; he speaks—'but mildly, repudiating tho land of his birth, and talking with the broadest Yankee accent he can command. The newspapers are unanimous; the public men speak in chorus; the pacifists have downed doves, and stand ready to handle their rifles. The position is summed up by the Manchester '' Union,'' which says that the Zimmcrmann note, so "frank ly admitted by its author," is proving a blessing, for, besides having "shaken us together," it orystalised tho demand for military preparedness. Nothing, tho Springfield "Republican" remarks, "could solidify the American people like the threat of a hostile enterprise winch aimed at the dismemberment of the country." The Los Ange'es "Tnbune" declares that, in the presence of the situation we now confront, all differences are extinguished, all racial prejudices obliterated, and the men and women of America unitedly support tli© President in the pride and strength of their common devotion to their country." In Wisconsin, a State claiming many citizens of German birt.l\ the Oshkosh " Northwestern" asserts : " Pacifists, •critics and carpers have l>een turned into real Americans overnight, and patriotism has been fanned into Hame of fervent loyalty." In still another section, "The Arkansas Gazette," of Little Rock, finds the whole situation simplfied by tho publication of the Zimmermann note, which—"Should result in a falling off of German sympathisers in thct iTJnitod States that may amount to total elimination." TEUTONS FALL IN.

German-American editors wore at first inclined to doubt the authenticity of the Zimmermann note. It seemed incredible. "America," of S. Lott'is, had "no hesitation in declaring it a forgery. A statement prepared by Ihe editor of "Viereck's Weekly" (New York), formerly "The Fatherlanu," was full of such phrases as "obviously faked," "brazen forgery." "impudent hoax," and "ludicrous." According to the pro-German Milwaukee "Free Press," the published letter was one " which) ev|en schoolboy |s«nse {should suspect of spuriousness." Whether genuine or not, "such negotiations would only be natural," is the Newark " Frie Zeitung's" opinion, "and a commonsense step on the part of Germany." The Minneapolis " Volkszeitung" found the words "plot" and "conspiracy" inappropriate "for protective purposes." On the other hand, the Illinois "Staats Zeitung" declared that if the Zimmermann note were authenU, "then Germany had committed an act of unfriendliness toward our country." And in the face of such a fact, observed the "St. licyiis Times," an English paper representing German-Americans, "heartstrings are one thing, and loyalty to the nag is another." In this situation, said Dr. A. Sieber, a eading German citizen of St. Louis, "we must forget our sympathy, which we will do." In "fact the declarations of loyalty convince, the New York "Journal of Commerco" that most Americans of German origin are anxious "to have it clearly understood that they will stand by their adopted country and its free uisitutions." The majority of them, the Sioux City "Tribune" is confident, "will not hesitate when they plainly perc-eivo that their individual interests are as much at stake as those of other citizens." In an editorial headed "German-American Eyes Opened," the Minneapolis "Journal" thus discussed tho effect of the Zimmermann disclosures :

"Americans of German birth arc astounded at this proof that the'r native land contemplates attack on their adopted country. They hegin to see that the Prussian war-lords, in pursuance of their dream of world domination, have not played fair with the German-Amencans, but have tried to use them as mere pawns in the great game conquest . .Now they are filled with resentment to learn of the calculated treachery of that Imperial Governmen whoso cattso they had been led to espouse." MILWAUKEE ASTONISHED.

The Milwaukee "Journal" observed similarly: "In the United States are many people of German birth or German blood, of whom a very few are disloyal, hut among whom many have honestly believed it consistent with the'r loyalty to America to seek to serve the cause of Germany. They have not believed that tho Fatherland with which they have sympathised in its struggle and winch they have sought to aid was capable of plotting ddiberately to devote them to destruction.

" In the Mississippi Valley, which by the plan of invasion Germany proposed to Mexico, would be invaded, are millions of Americans in whose vein* flows German blood. But the German plan made no more reckoning of them than of any other Americans. Ift. Texas, against which Germany hoped to bring all the force of half-civilised Mexico, »re many Americans of Germaii blood. |iut their Fatherland rocked not of fhis. In California are very many Americans of German biooc. But against California tin- German Government hoped to launch all the force of Japan, a people of another iraco vvli'ch the German Kaiser had declared a peri! to civilisation." In view of these revelations, the New York " Herald" asks of Germaii-Amcri-cuns the question, " I'nder which flag?" Tne onto pro-German New York " Evening Mad" puts the same question in the form of the Command. "Choose You This Day Whom You Shall Serve," and •ornceeds:

"The Ziramermann note Inn taught a terrible lesson to Gorman-Americans, ♦ind one that they will never forgot. "It has taught them what an ominous conflict of interests might ari-o hetwoon the country in which they were horn and the country to which they owe ailegmn'-e "They have learned ilial every eoiinti;, looks out- lor its own inten-U. end i! - own interests alone. "They have learned ilia.t the 101111trv of their «lio;uus, of their cradloso'ngs and childhood, propose* a plan to strike u-i at our weakest poi-i-*", to tern loose the handit.s of Mexico and Iho hordes of the ICast, and continue lighting with tiicni until we are forced to cede to Mexico th" State, ol New Mexico, Arizona, and Tcxa-- and to •lapaii we know nol h<>w miuh more. swinging tijk nkiti: \i,s Senator Sherman, of Illinois, who think.s there have hern "a->niany oeipl ■ (if pro-German sympathy m the l"n«t••*! States as pro-Ally," predicts that the puhlication of the German intrigues will 'create a reviil-,1011 in sentiment and |o;n Germ.itiv lh« main fr'end- -lie I id throughout :!m gnvit Mddlo

West." The Sacramento " Bet'." after pointing out that besides German sympathisers of German descent there are, "hundreds of thousands of Americans whoso sympathies always go to whoever appears to be the under dog." declares: "To-day that sympathy should be completely wiped out by the exposure of Germany's treacherous enmity, underhanded, nasty intriguing against a peaceful country that has stood with patience unsurpassed the constant succession of serious acts bordering on hostility from that nation." Hot, bes'des Gorman-Americans and pro-Gorman Americans, there are Americans who have kept neutral in thought and speech, holding the scales lialam-ed evenly between Entente and Central Alliance, finding about the

same proportion of good and had on (•tliT s'dc. and hoping I'm- a jioaeo without a divided victory lor either. Such was practicallv the [Hisition of lno Omaha, "World-Herald." Hut ii declared: "There can In' no iii'iii rain y in llie heart ol any patnot'e American when the R-no shifts from Germany against (iicai. Britain to Germain :sltuin-f the I'nifed States . . . The German Goveniment stands willing lot urn 100-, > upon the ("niled Slate- our own country the horde; of al'en rod inferior c'vili-at'ons tinle-s \ie acc-pl and how to ir> iika.-cs upon the high has tried to do it. though it U:- failed and. we hope and heliovo, will i onliniie to Inil. The failure do. s nol hlot out the will and intent. Alter all that ha* happened, and in the light of thingas they are. for Germain now r i ;o hieve victors - would mean a frightful danger to this Repuhlie." PACIFISTS Ol! !••()]{ I'ICIiT. !'i>a<-'--10, iie' Socialists mm nol have

hid a change of heart, but some of them see that the exposed German plans contemplate the invasion of Initcd States territory, and the Socialist Milwaukee " Leader" emplintv-ally assorts that "an invasion ot the tinted States bv iinv force or power whatsoever would find a united nation—the American Socialists are a very valuable fi.nitmg unit." There are more facts vet to lie told about German plotting-;, 'the Boston "Journal'' hears, and it thinks "bv the time the lighting point is reached,' even me pa-ilist worm will |„. ready to turn." The admission from Berlin of the genuineness of the Zmiprmanu note comes as a hard Mow to pacifists for whom the Detroit " 1 mies speaks as follows: "Hogrotful as the ca~e may be, it looks l?ke war for this countr\ of ours, ff itii onlv one thing left to praise God |„r, and that if a war comes, that it was not of our own making. . . . ■'And, should that point Ik' reached. .Mr. Jingo, if you are tin re in the thick of the fray, v>o want you to take notice of the fellow flditilig at your s'de- we want von to take noliie of just how i.a.-d and how well a pacifist can light when there is no longer a chance for peace.''

F,et us h egr.iiei'ul to Zimmcrniann, savs the Xew York "Tnhune," for "I"' has rontrihuted largely to our knowledge and understanding of the German method and the German idea. M's is the most illuminating rovolaiior, since Hi,. Lusitaui;,. mas a ■■re." I'nwdl ingly, the German statesmen respoiisihle in ih's ( a-e performed what the New \ork "Journal of Commerce" calls "a service of lasting value to the eaus. of haman--11 v in the rovolat'nn they were making of German perfidy and nieudacitv ol the inipo-sihiliiy of any dvilxed Power lying on toims'of :unit v with Midi a Governuii nt as their-.."