100 years ago in Spokane: As calls for war grow, German Americans urge caution

From our archives, 100 years ago

Tension was building between Spokane’s German-American community and what it called the “American-British” community over the prospect of war.

Spokane’s German-American Central Verein wrote a lengthy letter to the editor in reply to a pro-British petition signed by 500 American-British citizens.

“These patriotic 500 should stop and think before they hurl a firebrand … among our people,” said the letter.

“Let every good citizen seriously weigh the probable tragic consequences for all of us in the event of war,” said the German-American letter. “These consequences would, of course, be more serious for those of us citizens of foreign birth, but even if it should concern us alone, which is of course impossible, it could not do so without affecting the progress and prosperity of our common country.”

From the prohibition beat: If you were wondering how people were evading the statewide prohibition laws, the following might give you a clue.

A Seattle pharmacist was arrested for forging a doctor’s name on a prescription for 144 quarts of beer. The prescription specified the patient was supposed to drink 1 quart with “each evening meal.”