GERMANS IN AMERICA

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 4 June 1917, Page 3

GERMANS IN AMERICA

VIEWS ON ENTRY INTO WAR

NEWSPAPER EXPRESSIONS The declaration of war by the United States was received with, very mixed feelings by the German-American press. Their comments on the situation contained expressions of feelings ranging from sorrow to anger; some affirmed that the first duty of the German citizen in America was loyalty to the country; others did not qualify their indignation at the action of Mr. Wilson and of Congress. While it promised to "support loyally any action taken by the representatives of the people," the New York Staats Zeitung, one of the leading German newspapers in the United States, declared: "The address of the President demanding a full and complete warfare against the German Imperial Government will come as a shock to millions of Americans of German ancestry. The steps leading to the present crisis have been taken during a period of over two years, but"" the actuality will, nevertheless, occasion painful sur-

prise. . . " The Cincinnati! Volksblatt recognised the fact, but did not approve of the decision. "We agree with the President that war exists between the United States and Germany," the paper said, "and that all citizens must comply with, the duties arising out of the state of war. All other statements in the President's speech we disapprove and reject." "The wor that the United States may lead against Germany has nothing in common with the objects for which England and her allies are fighting," was,.the ,view expressed by the Cineiunatti Freie Press. "If we should enter the war we will not go in for conquest. For this reason we shall not be compelled vto change our sentiments toward England if we wish to avoid a conflict with o'ur duties as American citizens. < To five Cleveland Wachter and Anzciger,' the prospect was most painful, "For Americans of German birth it is to be a war of brother against brother, and .in. many cases of son against father, a war against the sweet memories of childhood and friendship. Days of, untold sorrows and bitterness are in store for us,, terrible days of conflict between duty toward our country and natural sympathy for the land of our And to modify the impression Svliich the expression conveys, the newspaper'naively added: "There can not be any question as to which of the two, duty or sympathy, will prevail; for perfidy is not a German trait, and if it should break our hearts, America shall not find'us wanting."

There was a similar tone in the St. Louis Amerika. It declared: "If Congress grants the President's wishes we will have at one sweep war aud militarism and all other blessings of this humanity and culture. There is not one sentence in the message which promises a practical solution as to the carrying out and ending of the adventure."

Bitter anti-war views were expressed by the Seattle German Press: "The entire nation is opposed to war. Wilson lias been sandbagged by the jingo press, is kept by the financial interests of the country. The vigorous auti-war-demonstrations of organised Labour aud other organisations have been persistently ignored by the war press of this city. British gold, WalL Street ammunition, makers, and the indifference of the people are solely responsible for this national catastrophe."

.Similar ideas evidently prompted (lie proposal made by the Louisville Anzeigcr, which said: "Our President contends, in his message that we have to go to war to free the world of autocratic rule. The German peoples, says he, were not asked if they wanted to go to Avar or not. Even so, let us not make the same mistake, but give our people, by a referendum vote, the opportunity to decide themselves about the momentous question, peace or war."