Shortly after the outbreak of the War George Creel was appointed Chairman of the Bureau of Publicity. Although he was severely attacked several times during his tenure of office and his dismissal was demanded in Congress, he succeeded in keeping his position and even escorted President Wilson on the latter's first trip to Europe. Having returned from abroad, Creel announced his intention to retire to private life. At the same time he stated to New York reporters that there was not an iota of truth in the rumors that he was leaving office because he did not agree with the President on certain matters. On the contrary, he declared that he considered himself very fortunate inasmuch as he, during his entire term of office, was in full accord with the President's political views and had only the greatest admiration for the policies of the Chief Executive.

In view of his emphatic assertion that he was in perfect agreement with the political opinions of the President, an article which Creel wrote for publication in Everybody's Magazine is very significant. In this article Creel criticizes the unjust treatment of the foreign-born during the War. We offer a resume of the article printed in the Milwaukee Herold:

Creel berates the zealots who forced their way to public attention at the beginning of hostilities by establishing a detestable espionage system and hounding the foreign-born citizens of our country in order to Americanize them. He cites an example of the brutal impertinence which often characterized the activity of these officious people. One day some Chicago "Americanizers" went to the modest home of a family which had emigrated from Bohemia. "We have come to Americanize you," said the speaker to the lady who opened the door for the "gentlemen".

"You will have to come back next week."

"What," yelled the Americanizers in chorus. "You have no time to listen to us? You refuse to live as Americans do?"

Scared to death, the woman assured the gentlemen, whose manner was sterner than that of the sternest police, that she and her loved ones were very willing to be Americanized immediately, if necessary, but that she was at home alone; that her sons had voluntarily enlisted for service in the army; that her husband was at work in a munitions factory; that her other children had gone out to sell Liberty bonds; and that she did not want to provoke the "gentlemen" to anger, but must really ask them to return next week.

"This story," writes Creel, "is as true as the Gospel, and characterizes the behavior of our immigrant citizens and their American-born children better than it could have been done by writing volumes of books."

Creel bitterly reproaches those overzealous persons who insisted that exclusive 4use of the English language be considered a characteristic of true patriotism, and cast suspicion upon and brutally persecuted everybody who would not act in accordance with their presumption. And the author strongly commends the foreign-born whom neither ill will, nor persecution, nor prejudice could deter from doing their duty during the War. The foreign-born thus aided in impressing the world with the fact that our country was united.

"The ideal conduct of the Americans of foreign birth during the War," writes Mr. Creel, "has put to shame the evil predictions which were made before the War. The idle talk of mass demonstrations of disloyalty, of impending revolutions in Milwaukee, Saint Louis, and Cincinnati, of imminent revolts here and there, of rebellions by hostile foreigners, of mass incendiarism, mass murders, riots, labor disturbances, etc., proved to be nothing but foolish talk.

"According to the results of registration, there were about five hundred thousand 5German enemy aliens in our country, and between three and four million who had emigrated from Austria-Hungary. Besides, there were millions of people who hailed from other countries, and who, with their children, became American citizens. Only six thousand of these millions were arrested in accordance with the Espionage Act, sixty-five of them for uttering threats against the President. Nine hundred of those arrested were prosecuted, including members of the Industrial Workers of the World. Some of the nine hundred were released, and many cases have not yet been decided. That is all that happened despite all the noise, and despite the infamous accusations which were voiced against the innocent people who were the objects of mean persecution--just another proof of the old adage, 'The greatest crimes are committed in the name of patriotism.'

"Nothing is truer than that 'man lives not by bread alone'. The great majority of people live by slogans. For years the people of the United States have fulfilled their responsibilities toward the immigrants by merely talking about 6the melting pot, but the not usually was not in operation. Thousands, who came to the land of promise in high hopes, have been treated with cold indifference and came into contact with American life only by chance. Cheated by employers, lawyers, usurers, and employment agents; excluded from American's social and religious life, they were only 'wops' 'dagos,' and 'hunkies'. Penned up together in ghettos and in those parts of the city reserved for foreigners--that is the way the millions here lived. And when war came were surprised that the millions were not yet Americanized, and we made much noise about foreign languages, foreign newspapers, religious services in foreign languages, declaring that these were manifestations of disloyalty."

The author recalls the proclamation of the Governor of Iowa prohibiting all conversation in a foreign language, and mentions other foolish laws. Then he praises the foreigners, who not only remained loyal, but also increased in loyalty, and who acquitted themselves most honorably, despite all persecution under the guise of patriotism. And Creel makes no exception. He writes that 7all "foreign" groups performed their duties nobly and gladly, and made whatever sacrifices the war demanded.