A very important and highly interesting question has been stirred up by a fascinating article in the "Staats Zeitung" entitled: "The German-American in Foreign Politics of the United States." The question is, whether or not the German-Americans bring their influence to bear upon the United States foreign policies, because of their consciousness of German nationality.

The article has occasioned many lively debates in German-American circles. The writer answered the question in the negative and asserts that the active interest of this consciousness of German nationality is undesirable, because it would place the German-Americans in opposition to the natives; besides, it is simply impossible to do so in this country.

In another statement, made by a German weekly magazine, it was assumed, that President Mc Kinley's decision about the Samoa affair in favor of Germany, and the frustration of an English-American alliance is solely due to an awakening of 2the German-Americans to a consciousness of German nationality. The Staats Zeitung expresses the opinion that the assumptions of the weekly magazine are entirely exaggerated.

However, I am somewhat more optimistic about this matter. I am of the opinion that is was, indeed, the political influence of the German-Americans, being supported by the Irish, that killed the English and American Alliance in its very beginning. It is an undesirable fact that strong pressure was exerted upon the weak president by means of this Anglo-Saxon Alliance to make the United States a political henchman for the cunning Britons, particularly in Eastern Asia. But when Mr. Mc Kinley, who is ever ready to listen to what the people have to say heard the thundering "no" of the German-Americans in Chicago and elsewhere, not to mention the Irish, the beautiful bubble busted pitifully. The opposition of the Irish would have been sufficient pressure to determine Mc Kinley's action but when the German-Americans arose as one man against him, the American-English Alliance was 3frustrated. The Anglo-American newspapers furnished convincing evidence of the fact that the Germans effected this frustration, because they were either entirely silent about the large German protest meetings, or they made cynical remarks about them, asserting that they were highly unpatriotic and anti-American. The opposition against an alliance was always considered as an exclusive German activity by the Anglo-American press, therefore the opinion of the Staats-Zeitung, which is equivalent to a denial that the opposition was an exclusively German one and originated from a German-National consciousness, is not valid. Speaking with Americans I have always found that they considered the protests of the Germans as "dutch." This is plain enough. No one in New York had the courage to protest against the contemplated alliance, and as Chicago proceeded, they followed in line. However, individually they had subscribed to the Chicago program enthusiastically, and the fanatics of the English-American Alliance were well aware of this fact.

Undoubtedly, they protested at those remarkable meetings in Chicago against the proposed alliance with due regard to the undying words of exhortation by 4 Washington and Jefferson, but it will be remembered that they also protested against the anti-German crusade of the English, and against the transferring of the same tactics to the United States by the Anglo-American newspapers. Was this no German protest, coming from the awareness of German nationality? Was it not a direct interference into general foreign politics in favor of the German-Americans, and also in favor of Germany? Again and again the speakers at the Chicago meetings and elsewhere emphasized, that they protested against the infamous attacks, because they desired to preventanimosity between their country by adoption and their old native country. If the German-Americans consider themselves Americans only, free from all physical and spiritual relationship with the old country, they could agree with Bill Hearst, who stated in the New York Journal:- "We'11 have to thrash Germany too!" But this they failed to do, and their determined and surprising stand undoubtedly, contributed to the fact, that Mr. Mc Kinley decided the Samoa affair in favor of Germany.

Of course,our German political aristocrats, who desire to be known as Americans 5only, do not care for the consciousness of nationality and its interference into American politics. But the mass possesses this awareness and is asserting the same in foreign and local political affairs.

We have experienced this many times when the Germans acted unitedly against prohibition, and the Sunday-question. This also must be considered as Anti-American and as the expression of the German Nationality-Consciousness. Such activities are always in proportion to the numerical or mental strength of a foreign or immigrated population. The millions of Germans have a right to express their national consciousness, as long as they do not damage others and are good citizens in every respect. The German in the United States can assert his national consciousness and still remain a good American in the fullest sense of the word. The Anglo-Saxons have suppressed the national consciousness of the Germans in this country so long, that it is not surprising, if they protest against it. The Anglo-Saxons have contributed involuntarily to the awakening of this national consciousness.