6 FEBRUARY 1915, Page 15

GERMAN-AMERICAN "NEUTRALITY."

[To THE E➢rrOS or THE " SPECTATOR."1 Sra,—Mr. Bartholdt, who is mentioned in the Times as the presiding officer of a "so-called Neutrality League" which held a meeting in Washington on Saturday, January 3011., thus describes himself in Who's Who is; America (1911. 1915)i— n Richard Bartholdt, congressman, born in Germany Nov. 2, 1855; son of Gottlob and Caroline Louise (Wagner) Bartholdt; came to U.S. in boyhood . . . married Caecilie Niedner, of St. Louis, Inns 27, 1880; member 53d. to 63d. Congresses (1893-1915) 10th Missouri District; Republican. . . . Homo: St. Louis."

The meeting over which he presided (among other things) favoured the passage of the "Shipping Bill" which is pro- moted by the Democratic Party and opposed by the Republican Party. Mr. Bartholdt, being German by birth, parentage, and marriage, of course favours this Bill, even although in doing so he places himself in opposition to the political party with which he has acted in Congress for the last twenty years. It is the citizenship of origin which counts and not the citizen- ship which is adopted by naturalization.—I am, Sir, Ac.,

S. R. H.