Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 98, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 March 1918 — ARE REPUBLICANS AFTER THE PROGERMAN VOTE? [ARTICLE]

ARE REPUBLICANS AFTER THE PROGERMAN VOTE?

What Happened the Next Day After the Speech by State Chairman Great house. GOVERNOR AND HIS STAFF ATTENDED GERMAN CELEBRATION This Is an Echo That Will Be Heard All Over the State of Indiana This Year. There was wild disorder in the Republican camp in Indiana after Charles A. Greathouse, democratic state chairman, made it clear in his speech at the democratic editorial banquet that the pro-German and disloyal vote is not wanted by the democrats and that if the republicans want that element of voters it is welcome to them. Republican politicians began at once to deny that they were playing for the proGerman vote. They did not, however, make their denials loud enough for the pro-Germans to hear them. And then a very significant thing happened. There is in Indianapolis a big German club that was known as the German House. When the Lusitania was sunk there was great joy in the German House. The sentiment in favor of Germany was so strong and the glee over the sinking of the Lusitania was so pronounced that q wellknown Indianapolis man had to “hand it to” one of the members of the German House for expressing his ghoulish joy over the sinking of the ship and the drowning of hundreds of American citizens. Public feeling against the German House became so strong in Indianapolis that the club decided to change its name to the Athenaeum. The very next night after State Chairman, Greathouse made his striking speech, there was a celebration at the German House when the change in name was announced. Governor Goodrich, the republican governor of Indiana, attended. the celebration in company with his military staff. This made it clear that the republicans did not propose to do anything or say anything that would offend the pro-Ger-man vote. It was significant, too, that one of the speakers at the German House celebration said he hoped the same spirit that had always existed in the German House would continue to exist under the new name. In view of this kind of coddling hy republican politicians, it is not strange that State Chairman Greathouse served notice on the pro-Ger-man vote that it is not wanted in the democratic party.