School Superintendent on Babel
World War I; Babel Proclamation; Council of Defense; German Language; Anti-Germanism; Education
County superintendent of schools approves of measure, as she has personally noticed the "pernicious influence" of foreign languages as the method of instruction.
Jenette Lewis
N/A
State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa
6/8/1918
N/A
N/A
N/A
Letter
English
TEXT
Box #14, Council of Defense, Governor's Office: Harding, Research Group #43, S61/07/05
1918-06-08; Rockwell City, Iowa; Calhoun County
Lutheran Support
World War I; Babel Proclamation; Council of Defense; German Language; Anti-Germanism; Religion; Lutheranism
Lutheran pastor offers qualified support, noting that it was only "old custom" which kept him teaching younger children in German, although they understand English much better. He does ask for concessions in terms of elderly German-language speakers.
W. Meier
N/A
State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa
7/2/1918
N/A
N/A
N/A
Letter
English
TEXT
Box #14, Council of Defense, Governor's Office: Harding, Research Group #43, S61/07/05
1918-07-02; Manson, Iowa; Belmond, Iowa; Calhoun County
Dual-Language Preaching
World War I; Babel Proclamation; Council of Defense; German Language; Anti-Germanism; Babel Defiance; Religion; U. S. War Council; Enforcement
Chairman of local War Council sees local reverend. Reverend asks for German-language concessions, as they've been given them in Fort Dodge. Chairman thinks "no," but writes Governor regardless, remarking in space on loyalty of Farnhamville Germans and known disloyalty of Pomeroy Germans [especially Rev. Shoeman, currently out on bail].
E. G. Stevenson
N/A
State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa
7/6/1918
N/A
N/A
N/A
Letter
English
TEXT
Box #14, Council of Defense, Governor's Office: Harding, Research Group #43, S61/07/05
1918-07-06; Rockwell City, Iowa; Calhoun County; Farnhamville, Iowa; Fort Dodge, Iowa; Pomeroy, Iowa;
Wilhelm Schumann, Disloyal German American
World War I; Babel Proclamation; Council of Defense; German Language; Anti-Germanism; Espionage Act; Babel Defiance; Religion; Informants
Wilhelm Schumann's disloyalty and the situation in Calhoun County
Edwin Wattonville
N/A
State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa
7/29/1918
N/A
N/A
N/A
Letter
English
TEXT
Box #14, Council of Defense, Governor's Office: Harding, Research Group #43, S61/07/05
1918-07-29; Pomeroy, Iowa; Calhoun County; Fort Dodge, Iowa; Levenworth, Kansas;
Against Post-Secondary German Language Learning
World War I; Babel Proclamation; Council of Defense; German Language; Anti-Germanism; Education; Morningside College;
Morningside College has decided to continue teaching German, a move which Fitz condems as against the tenor of the times in both public and executive opinion.
M. W. Fitz
N/A
State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa
9/10/1918
N/A
N/A
N/A
Letter
English
TEXT
Box #14, Council of Defense, Governor's Office: Harding, Research Group #43, S61/07/05
1918-09-10; Manson, Iowa; Calhoun County; Sioux City, Iowa;
Rockwell City Support
World War I; Babel Proclamation; Council of Defense; German Language; Anti-Germanism; Enforcement; Gender; Newspapers
Mrs. Engel sends Harding a newspaper clipping, comments favorably on his speech in Rockwell City--in which he stood by his proclamation like a "man"--and notes that there are many loyal Iowans.
Mrs. A. C. Engel
N/A
State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa
9/27/1918
N/A
N/A
N/A
Letter
English
TEXT
Box #14, Council of Defense, Governor's Office: Harding, Research Group #43, S61/07/05
1918-09-27; Rockwell City, Iowa; Calhoun County
Schumann Defiance
World War I; Babel Proclamation; Council of Defense; German Language; Anti-Germanism; Informants; Disloyalty; Religion; Secret Societies; Babel Defiance; Knights of Pythias
Informant notes continued intransigence of Rev. Schumann in Pomeroy
J. K. Alline
N/A
State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa
10/5/1918
N/A
N/A
N/A
Letter
English
TEXT
Box #14, Council of Defense, Governor's Office: Harding, Research Group #43, S61/07/05
1918-10-05; Rolfe, Iowa; Pocahontas County; Pomeroy, Iowa; Fort Dodge, Iowa; Calhoun County
Defiance and Threats
World War I; Babel Proclamation; Council of Defense; German Language; Anti-Germanism; Babel Defiance; Religion; Violence
City Marshal writes of Germans disregarding Babel and threatens potential violence
T. D. Conroy
N/A
State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa
12/23/1918
N/A
N/A
N/A
Letter
English
TEXT
Box #14, Council of Defense, Governor's Office: Harding, Research Group #43, S61/07/05
1918-12-23; Jolley, Iowa; Calhoun County
Babel Concessions
World War I; Babel Proclamation; Council of Defense; German Language; Anti-Germanism; Swedish Americans; Lutheranism; Religion
Lutheran pastor asks for concession, citing the local Swedish church which is conducting worship in Swedish without molestation, apparently.
Ad. Trost
N/A
State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa
12/31/1918
N/A
N/A
N/A
Letter
English
TEXT
Box #14, Council of Defense, Governor's Office: Harding, Research Group #43, S61/07/05
1918-12-31; Farnhamville, Iowa; Calhoun County
German After the War
World War I; Babel Proclamation; Council of Defense; German Language; Anti-Germanism; Postwar; Religion;
Local wondering whether German communities can again preach in German, as war recently over.
T. F. Legg
N/A
State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa
3/18/1919
N/A
N/A
N/A
Letter
English
TEXT
Box #14, Council of Defense, Governor's Office: Harding, Research Group #43, S61/07/05
1919-03-18; Rockwell City, Iowa; Calhoun County