The World at War, Felt in Kennewick
As Europe descends into the First World War, Kennewick residents with roots in Germany, Belgium, and Britain watch the news with growing anxiety and divided loyalties.
The story, cleaned up
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Interest in local politics and the oil fever has given way this week to excitement over the European war. The arrival of daily papers has been eagerly awaited and even the baseball fans have forsaken the box scores for the front page scareheads. Owing to the comparatively few foreigners in the community, Kennewick’s interest has been largely of the Yankee stamp, and yet the anxiety of the few who will answer, in spirit if not in person, their native country’s call to colors has given a fuller significance to the history that is being written on the other side of the Atlantic. Among Kennewick’s businessmen are a number whose homes are in the very center of the war arena. William Helm, manager of the Kennewick Grain Milling company, has his old home in Hamburg. His mother and father live there and he has three brothers marching under the colors of the army of North Germany. Mrs. Helm’s brothers are likewise in the ranks. In the South German army are a number of near relatives of S. Feuchtwanger, of the Kennewick Clothing company. H. J. Claussen, of the Kennewick Hotel, whose old home is in Northern Germany, is one of the strongest Kaiser sympathizers in the city. H. Schroeder, of the Kennewick Meat company, did military duty at Spandau, near Berlin. Although yesterday’s news was anything but encouraging to the German sympathizers, it brought rejoicing to Peter Lagae, employee of Dircksen’s Market, a Belgian who took pride in the showing made by his countrymen against the invaders. John Bull has a loyal backer in R. Stanton who is already planning a celebration to commemorate what will happen as soon as the British locate the German fleet.
“The anxiety of the few who will answer, in spirit if not in person, their native country’s call to colors has given a fuller significance to the history that is being written on the other side of the Atlantic.”
This article perfectly captures the 'first draft of history' feel, where global crises suddenly feel local because of the neighbors you know. It reflects a moment in 1914 before American entry, when the melting pot of the American West was forced to confront the splintering of the old world.
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