Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 100, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 March 1918 — LETTERS FROM OUR READERS [ARTICLE]

LETTERS FROM OUR READERS

AMERICAN PROPAGANDA IN GERMAN V. (By William L. Wood) Nearly four years have elapsed since the bloody struggle began in Continental Europe, which apparently began over the assassination of two members of the royal family of Austria; but as the days passed by and the struggle became more fierce it developed that the military power of Gerrirany was behind the war for the purpose of adding territory to her empire, at the expense of the weaker nations on her border that would enable her to conquer the world. Prussian militarism has predominated in Germany and the larger portion of her territory has been added by force, at the expense of the conquered. She wrested from Austria the beautiful province of Celiscia without a cent of remuneration. She took from Denmark the provinces of Showleweg and Holstein. She took from Prance Alsace Lorraine. She has conquered Roumania, Lithewaina, Transylvania, Eucranea, Finland, and the larger portion of this territory has been added to her empire toy a treaty of recent date. Servia, Belgium and northern France are helpless. Russia, in her present disorganized condition. Is at the _mercy of that military, brutish army that the imperial government of Germany has organized

to subdue Russia and the remainder of the world if possible. The United States of America was obliged to.enter the war to protect her citizens, her honor and her rights on the high seas. She has furnished a 'home for German subjects, who have lived within 'her borders in peace and happiness and prosperity. Many of the German people in America left the fatherland for the reason that they objected to the military service they were obliged to give to the German government if they remained in Germany. We take the position that the greater majority of the people of German extraction who live in j America are able to give to this | nation a great service by establish- ' ing to the- -best of their" ability a German-American propaganda in Germany, in order that the rank and file of the German people might see the light, might have a more perfect vision of American,' civilization, and we believe that kind of a I propaganda should be organized in every county in the United States. 1 Let every German who believes that l democracy should be established in ' Germany precipitate in explaining . to his friends in Germany that the I kaiser and Von Hindenburg and | the whole military autocratic system of Germany was driving them |to the slaughter pen. Break the ' news to them that the United States of America did not enter this war for, conquest or for indemnity, , that it" was not the will of the j American, people to war, hut I to defend the rights of a free peo- | pie; to protect the Weak; show to ' them that American civilization is ' that right is might, and that America, American manhood, American 1 money and all that America stands j for will fight until that point is ! won—What might does not make right.” Let every German-American be an American. If be is, he will willingly give his people in Germany

the facts concerning the war that it is possible for him to give. And when he shows to them that nearly - five million - of- their best -soldiers have perished, that they were largely made up from German provinces outside of Prussia, and when the people of Germany have learned that Fritz and Julius and Paul, and many of their fellow soldiers will never again return home: that those who have been waiting for them will never again see their faces; that they have long since perished, yet their names appear as alive; and when the provinces of Germany outside of Prussia realize that the cause for Which they ijave given their blood was a false representation, made by the military powers of Prussia that ruled the German empire, it Is then that the German provinces will awaken to the sense of their duty—but possibly too late to retain any power in the empire—or Prussia and her military power will go marching on at the expense of her weak sisters. It is our duty, and our whole duty, to impress this thought on ! the minds of the German people as (inuefi as it is our ability to do.