THE LIBERTY BOND MOVEMENT

Margaret’s husband was German. His family was still culturally and ethnically German. They spoke the language at home and in the community in which they lived. Until very recently the last name had been spelled Hermann. Slowly the spelling of the name changed, perhaps to reflect a more assimilated image in a country experiencing an increasing anti German sentiment. Now that the United States was embroiled in the world conflict and wrestling with the decision to enter the war, that anti sentiment was growing. The second “n” had been dropped by the time the United States entered the war. Ohio experienced a strong reaction to the population of Germans now living in the country. It was not a positive reaction. Anti German sentiment was so high many feared for their lives, even those who had been born in this country and had never even set foot on European soil. The German language was banned in schools and universities, books were burned, German culture was looked at with disdain and people were ridiculed for any connection they might have with anything German. There were lynches and tar featherings in various states. Street names were changed from German to Anglicized versions or completely different names.

The anti German movement was fueled by the Temperance Movement. This movement was gaining steam at a time when the United States government was promoting anti German sentiment with anti German propaganda in the form of posters and postcards and advertisement. Trying to lift the American public’s anti war sentiment, anti German sentiment had to be pushed into the eyesight of the average American citizen. Suddenly, everything German was considered bad including the Kaiser, the people, the culture, and the language. When it reared its ugly head, the consequences were enormous. If opinions other than negative ones were expressed about the Germans, you were not expressing opinions you were simply anti American.

In addition, the Temperance Union was exercising its muscles and sometimes the two were directly intertwined. Running side by side was the country’s growing intolerance for all things alcoholic. The country had been receiving new immigrants in unprecedented numbers since the turn of the century. They came for the most part poor and to already over crowded cities. Social welfare programs were almost non-existent and jobs were for English speakers. Men especially, the traditional breadwinners had been lured to a promise land of milk and honey. Instead, they brought their families to a land of little promise and alcohol. They found for the most part no jobs and no way to take care of the family. The women could find employment as maids, washerwomen, sweatshop workers, etc., and many times became the only breadwinner in the household. Cultural differences widened the gap. Even if your ancestors came from a particular culture, you did not “see” yourself the same as the new arrivals. In some cases, the language had changed to the extent there was no understanding the new arrivals.

Men without the ability to bring home money and living in less then desirable conditions turned to drink and the companionship of other disenfranchised men. Society failed to understand the root causes and correct them. Instead, women who were the champions of the Temperance Movement saw only the disease and not the symptoms. If doing away with alcohol would make society a better place, then it must be banned. No more alcohol meant an end to domestic violence, child abuse, unemployment and life would stabilize. What was meant to be a good cause to eradicate an evil sin eventually helped to fuel an even greater sin. One which was directed toward the German American culture and the consequences it would bring to the American people, namely anti German sentiment.

The Germans were destroying world peace and the German Americans were destroying the country’s families. Their men folk and especially the newly arrived immigrants were turning to drink. Drink was the backdrop for all the other social ills. The Germans had the distilleries and the breweries. (The other ethnic group targeted with such sentiments was the Italians. The Irish also experienced extreme prejudice, but were able to better assimilate into the culture and at a more rapid pace) For some odd reason, the public failed to realize the French had been engaged in the wine making industry for decades, some even in the area of Ohio where the Marblehead Lighthouse was located. The Italians also brought wine making skills and vineyards to this country. They unfortunately, also happened to have a motherland on the wrong side of the War siding with Germany. The Temperance Movement was targeting the German breweries and believed by eliminating them, they would eliminate the evils of society and a more moral, pure nation would exist.

Women marched, they protested, they committed civil disobedience to get the job done. Women who were themselves disenfranchised, who had few if any rights and certainly not the right to vote, saw dysfunctional families and no way to fix them. Frustrated by their own place in society they pressured those who were able to vote. On January 16, 1919, the 18th Amendment was ratified, making it illegal for the sale of alcohol. But the anti German sentiments produced had far lasting effects and some of the very women who rallied to the cause of intemperance now found themselves defending their German husbands and in some cases their own ethnicity.

Margaret Herman was one of those women. There is nothing to indicate Keeper Herman experienced any hostilities toward his ethnicity. Or that Margaret was made to feel uncomfortable being married to Edward. Yet, the lack of postcards from 1916 to 1920 may give an indication of the atmosphere surrounding Margaret and Edward. Charles wrote to them before he left for Europe on May 2, 1918. The only other surviving postcard is dated 1919 or 1920. The postcard was written by Edward’s
youngest sister thanking them for the birthday card sent to his mother and provided information about her health. The last line informs them that “Charlie” was on his way home from the war. The years from 1916-1920 were uncannily silent except for the one postcard from Charles.

Margaret did what she learned to do from her mother. When there are obstacles in life, you turn to face them head on and with determination. Margaret joined the War effort. Becoming a part of the Liberty Bond Movement was the most American thing she could do. If her husband were to be perched on the deck of a Lighthouse saving the lives of sailors, Margaret would be saving the lives of American soldiers. Margaret pursued a most unusual set of actions. She enlisted the help of the head lighthouse keeper, Charles Hunter. Together they would do what the lighthouse keepers and the lighthouse keeper’s wives had been doing for centuries, organizing and helping to save others. Only this time the lighthouse keeper’s wife would be mentioned in the logbooks. (Charles Hunter was so influenced by Margaret’s participation in the Liberty Bond Movement; he went on to help with the 5th Bond sale after the war ended.)