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5418474_5_0114.xml
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5418474_5_0114.xml
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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<?oxygen RNGSchema="../schema/flps0.2.rnc" type="compact"?>
<TEI xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0">
<teiHeader>
<fileDesc>
<titleStmt>
<title>
<bibl><title>Abendpost</title>,
<date when="1919-05-07">May 7, 1919</date>.
<title level="a">The Last Stone of the Building</title><title level="a" type="sub">(Editorial)</title></bibl>
</title>
</titleStmt>
<publicationStmt>
<publisher>The Newberry Library</publisher>
<pubPlace>Chicago, Illinois</pubPlace>
<address>
<addrLine>60 West Walton</addrLine>
<addrLine>Chicago, IL 60610</addrLine>
<addrLine>USA</addrLine>
<addrLine>http://www.newberry.org</addrLine>
</address>
<idno>5418474_5_0114</idno>
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<notesStmt>
<note>Transcribed from digital images contributed to the Internet
Archive by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.</note>
</notesStmt>
<sourceDesc>
<bibl><title>Chicago Foreign Language Press Survey</title>, <date>1936-1941</date>,
<sponsor>Works Projects Administration</sponsor>,
<sponsor>Chicago Public Library Omnibus Project</sponsor></bibl>
<bibl>
<title>Chicago Foreign Language Press Survey [microform]</title>
<sponsor>University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign</sponsor>
<sponsor>Internet Archive</sponsor>
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<catRef target="#grp-german #code-I.G"/>
<catRef target="#grp-german #code-III.D"/>
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<change when="2009-10-02">Automated conversion to expanded header.</change>
<change when="2009-09-21">Initial TEI transcription from PanGeo Partners, Inc.</change>
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<front>
<pb facs="5418474_5_0114.jpg" n="1"/>
<div type="group">
<list>
<item>GERMAN</item>
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<div type="codes">
<list>
<item>I G</item>
<item>III D</item>
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<div type="citation">
<bibl><title>Abendpost</title>,
<date when="1919-05-07">May 7, 1919</date>.
<title level="a">THE LAST STONE OF THE BUILDING</title><title level="a" type="sub">(Editorial)</title></bibl>
</div>
</front>
<body>
<p>Americans of German extraction are well aware that the Federal Government fully comprehended, and displayed considerable tact in handling the difficult situation in which they found themselves during the War. The Federal Government never failed to oppose firmly the attacks and accusations private organizations and groups of people made against American citizens of German descent, or, and this is well borne out through the recent investigation of the Security League by Washington Authorities, to make organizations and individual persons responsible for their acts of persecution. It is evident from a report of the provost marshal to the Secretary of War on the system of the selective draft, that the above-described attitude and procedure are common to all branches of the Federal Government.</p>
<p>We quote from the report: "In regard to those of German descent....Finally, let us add a word about registrants of German parentage. They rallied to <pb facs="5418474_5_0115.jpg" n="2"/>the colors loyally. There were thousands of them. In the beginning the public suspected them, and the obvious intrigues of the German Government to obtain their support have caused the public to harbor some doubt of their honesty and good will. Thus it is important to emphasize the highly satisfactory findings of local boards, which should be remembered just as well as the other side of the picture. The numbers of men, the loyalty, and the honesty with which families of German origin supported recruiting may be seen from the following letter from the Recruiting Board, which is typical of numerous others: "We were called upon to furnish six men within twenty-four hours. The six were to be placed in a large university for preparatory training. Our chairman made a search (via auto) for six men who could leave within the specified time. At the first house he visited his summons was answered by a lady whose physical appearance was evidence of her efficiency in the culinary art. She answered his greeting with a seemingly indifferent, 'Good morning'. Asked if Fred 'X' were home, she replied that Fred was usually absent during the day. After our chairman informed her of the object of his visit, she stated that four of her sons were already in <pb facs="5418474_5_0116.jpg" n="3"/>military service. Were thay drafted? Oh, no! Two of them had joined the Canadian Army, one of them was serving with the Regulars, and the fourth one was on duty with an voluntary contingent.</p>
<p>"'Well,' said our chairman, 'if your son is not at home, I suppose I'll have to look for somebody else.'</p>
<p>"'Oh no,' she replied, 'he will be glad to go. When does the train leave?'</p>
<p>"When our chairman told her, she said, 'He will be there.' And he was."</p>
<p>The Federal Publicity Bureau, which has been sending certain items to German newspapers for publication in the German language, illustrates the loyalty of citizens of German parentage by citing the following example: "A man of German descent was state's attorney of an eastern industrial city. His opponent in the election of 1916 was a lawyer who had two sons. The latter lost the election by only a few votes. To make his task easy during the <pb facs="5418474_5_0117.jpg" n="4"/>next campaign, he posed as a patriot, by inciting citizens against Germany and advocating that America go to war against that country. During the entire winter of 1916-17 he visited hotels, billiard halls, barbershops,etc., demanding that our country war on Germany, declaring that he was ready to go, and charging the citizens of German extraction were no better than their brothers abroad."</p>
<p>A few months later war was declared. The two sons of the American registered. It was known that one of them could not pass the required physical examination. The other, a good-for-nothing who until that time had done nothing but play baseball for a local team, developed into a most experienced farmer in a single night. The father deeded his property to this son. The greater part of the property consisted merely of abstracts, and included only one farm, which had never yielded a harvest and was hardly large enough to afford the owner space to turn around. The son's request for exemption from military service was denied, as was an appeal to the President, and the young man was finally forced to serve.</p>
<pb facs="5418474_5_0118.jpg" n="5"/>
<p>"The father bought no Liberty bonds, no Thrift Stamps, contributed nothing to the Red Cross or other war charities, and refused to speak before any organization which assisted our country during the War.</p>
<p>"The state's attorney, however, participated in every Liberty Loan, bought Thrift Stamps, was chairman of the country's Four-Minute Speakers, served as chairman of the Young Men's Christian Association Collection Committee, and his speeches were heard and commended by people who live far beyond the confines of his country. And in 1918 he was elected again. His majority was twice the number of votes cast in favor of his opponent."</p>
<p>The last Liberty Loan is now being launched. The record which German Americans made under the most trying difficulties during the War guarantees them (the German-Americans) one of the first places, if not the first place, among all nationalities. Should their patriotism fail at this time, just as the last stone is to be placed in the magnificent building of their loyalty, it would be both foolish and regrettable--regrettable, because the <pb facs="5418474_5_0119.jpg" n="6"/>importance and the impression of their previous patriotic accomplishments would be considerably lessened. It seems superfluous to talk about the value of the Victory Loan as an investment. Though Poles and Bohemians are fewer in number, they are in first place in Chicago. It is the duty of every good American citizen of German descent to subscribe immediately for as many Victory Liberty Loan bonds as he possibly can--thus to secure for his nationality the place it deserves.</p>
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