It may seem presumptuous to give an article, written in an American newspaper, a title like the above--or maybe just stupid. For many of our readers will say: Whatever is printed nowadays in an American newspaper, even though it is printed in German, will forever be concealed from the eyes of Germans living within the boundaries of the Reich. But we happen to know better. And the following lines and articles are written, in fact, to enlighten the German people about the mentality, sentiments, position and attitude of American citizens of German origin and descent. It has become clear from various speeches of German statesmen and a number of German newspaper articles that the German people, before and after America's entry into the war, had been ill advised and were actually misinformed on this matter as on so many others.

The fact cannot be denied that at the outbreak of the war in 1914 the sympathies of Americans of German as well as other (especially Hungarian, Swiss-German, Dutch, Scandinavian, and, above all, Irish) origins were on Germany's side.

They remained there at first, in spite of the rape of Belgium, because the assurances of the Prussian-German Government, given through the press, were believed. These statements asserted that the German Reich was forced into the war and now was fighting for its existence. One believed that Russia, emboldened by the accomplished encirclement of the Central Powers and by the establishment of the Entente, used Austria's demands for atonement for the assassination of the heir presumptive, Ferdinand, as a pretext for starting a war to destroy Germany. But in the course of events this belief began to evaporate before the eyes of those Americans who had clung to it. They began to take notice when the news of the sinking of the "Lusitania" shook the world. At first they were incredulous when news about the infamous acts of German agents within the then neutral United States came to the attention of the public, and only unwillingly did they become convinced when members of the German and Austro-Hungarian embassies were forced to leave the country. It is not necessary to enumerate these infamous acts to the German people at this time. History will record them. For a moment, Americans sympathizing with the Central Powers gave a sigh of relief when the German Government, in 3reply to a sharp protest by the American Government, promised to conduct the submarine war within the bounds of international law. But then an incredible thing happened, on the last day of January, 1917. The German Government insulted the American Government and the American people by announcing that from that day on an unrestricted and illegitimate submarine warfare would be resumed, but the United States was graciously allowed to let a boat sail for England once a week on the condition that it be painted all over with stripes, resembling a pole in front of a barber shop. Consequently, diplomatic relations were severed and yet many Americans still hoped that Germany would not carry out her threats. But even this hope had to be abandoned. On April 6, after a statement and report of the prevailing situation was issued by the President, Congress had to declare war. Even those who, at that time, still considered the war avoidable, have now been converted by the revelations since made of crimes committed under the sponsorship of the Prussian-German Government, crimes which simply defy description. Nobody in America believes any longer in the innocence of the German Government regarding the outbreak of the war in 1914. On the contrary, everybody knows now not only that the German Government could have avoided war, but that it even seized the opportunity to 4unchain it. Everyone in America is convinced that it was done to satisfy the insane ambitions of the Prussian-German military caste and Junker class. [Translator's note: Junker is a Prussian landed feudal lord.] This was confirmed by Prince Lichnowsky.

A resident of Milwaukee who recently, in the fall of 1918, returned from a trip to Germany, tells us that there are still some innocent souls in Bavaria who really and earnestly believe that the assassination of the Austrian heir-presumptive was the sole cause of this war and that, consequently, it was not quite unjustified.

When will the democratic idea, the American idea, dawn within the German people? Can one hope that it will be soon, after they have had to go through all this horrible suffering? When are they going to realize that the democratic idea puts the same value on the life of all men? And that if one man, regardless of his position in life, has fallen victim to a heinous crime, this in itself is no reason to start a war in which millions of men are slaughtered? But this 5is beside the point, for it is the democratic idea which we will dwell upon in the following articles.

At the conclusion of this article may we just point out the appalling fact that German Government circles were poorly informed about the position and attitude which American citizens of German descent would assume at the out-break of the war. It really was their hope that German-Americans would turn against their adopted country, to which they had sworn allegiance. That became clearly evident by the way they raged at the German-Americans later on. The German potentates did not even realize the best traits of the German character, namely, a sense of duty, loyalty and faithfulness. Long before the outbreak of the war their agents in America, if they had kept their eyes open, should have known that if hostilities should begin, the citizens of German origin, also, or rather German-Americans above all others, would do their duty. But these potentates were and still are afflicted with blindness. And in the end this may turn out to be fortunate for the German people. Hundreds and thousands of brave German-Americans are fighting today in France against 6German military autocracy, and maybe soon will fight on German soil, and they will keep on fighting until the job is done. They fight with all the more enthusiasm because they understand what the president of their country has told them, namely, that they are fighting for an ideal, to keep the world safe for democracy, and for the liberty of all peoples including the German.

The sooner the German people wake up to this fact the sooner will they co-operate in breaking the power of their masters. When that is done they will be delivered from their misery and the longed for peace will be theirs.