In the present crisis in the affairs of our country, whose interests are above all individual interests, all the elements composing this great Republic must work in harmony and cooperate for the interest and welfare of the whole. Small and great, educated and otherwise, rich and poor, patricians and plebeians, Greeks, Americans, French, English, and all other nationalities composing the United States of America must, especially at this time, aspire to one goal - to serve their country, which is making tremendous sacrifices to safeguard civilization and democracy and the human race from being enslaved by the Huns. The press, as a part of the whole, is not exempted from this duty. And especially at this time the press must be on its guard at all hours lest harm and injustice arise from silly, egotistical, and biased statements in print.

Some silly, selfish, and narrow-minded people will do and say anything in order to gain publicity; nothing is sacred to them. But the press should consider it its duty and obligation and a cardinal principle of journalism 2to abstain from publishing what tends to create antagonism, race-hatred, and discrimination. Some people and some newspapers in Chicago, it seems, will stop at nothing when it comes to finding fault with the Greeks, and if they cannot find anything wrong, they will fabricate a story in order to make news. The press takes great pleasure in blazoning in extraordinarily large letters anything which an unscrupulous person sends in as news regarding the Greek race in Chicago. The Greek makes news for these publications, and therefore, whether right or wrong, the Greek name is and must be assailed and ridiculed for that purpose.

Some systematic propaganda, intended to undermine and destroy the ever-flourishing and growing Greek business in Chicago, uses the press as its medium to poison the minds of the masses in order to accomplish its selfish and miserable object. The Greek must be blamed for anything under the sun so as to create prejudice in the minds of the people and thus destroy Greek business.

For instance, if there is a discussion about military exemption the Greek is put on the top line of the list of those accused; if it is a matter of 3slackers, the Greek is used for ridicule and humiliation; if the subject is meatless and wheatless days, the Greek is again the target of accusation on the first line; if sanitary conditions in restaurants are questioned, the poor Greek is again accused and blamed; if the elements of nature go wrong, the Greeks and their gods are to blame; and if the politician goes wrong, again the Greeks are blamed for corrupting him. Specifically, the most comical and silly of all accusations is the following, which was published a few days ago.

The city clerk met a Greek engaged in the candy business, who told him that he (the Greek) was not such a fool as to become an American citizen and be sent to the front. Suppose he should be wounded or killed. How then could he enjoy the $70,000 which he had made in a few years in his candy store? He was not such a fool as to go to war, and so forth.

This is ridiculous, since there is no Greek confectioner in the city of Chicago who possesses so much money, and we challenge the city clerk to point out the man.

But if there really is a Greek so ungrateful to this country, which has enabled him to become the possessor of $70,000, that Greek must be uncovered and made to suffer for his ingratitude. He is a dangerous man and must be punished. It is the imperative duty of this city clerk to point out the Greek so that the whole community and all the city may know him and deal with him accordingly; above all, the United States Government wants to know him and his kind.

Mr. City Clerk, you will be performing an act of justice to the Greeks and a service to your country and mine, the United States, if you expose this ungrateful man. It is the manly and patriotic thing to do, Mr. City Clerk.

And on the other hand if you do not perform this act of justice and do not render this service, it is, Mr. City Clerk, scandalous, unethical, unpatriotic, and really murderous of you. You are asked to make this exposure public, and if you do not do it, you are either a paid tool of those who hired you, using your position for their Satanic purpose of destroying Greek business, or you are one of those fools who fabricate such stories to get publicity.

Statistics indisputably reveal that the Greeks of Chicago and in all parts of the country are, on the per capita basis, at the top of the list of volunteers to the United States Army and Navy and at the top of the list of subscribers to the Liberty Loans.

Every honest and sane person knows these facts, and the United States Government knows much better than anybody else that the Greek race in America has showed its patriotism not in empty and idle words but by actual deeds.

Come, Mr. Man, expose this non-existent $70,000 Greek confectioner, or we will expose you.

Pick out any Greek in Chicago at random, and he will produce from his pockets more Liberty bonds, in proportion to his means, than you, Mr. City Clerk.

Come, expose the Greek, or admit your part in this campaign of defamation, and the case will be closed.