We have some nice girls, too, so we hope to have an interesting evening."The company was sufficiently varied to forbid monotony, and sufficiently intellectual to be stimulating, and there was always the background of Big Business. Larry was conscious that he was moving amid large ideas and far-reaching interests, and that though he himself was a small element, he was playing a part not altogether insignificant, with a promise of bigger things in the future.
Professor Schaefer became easily the centre of interest in the party. He turned out to be a man of the world. He knew great cities and great men. He was a connoisseur in art and something more than an amateur in music. His piano playing, indeed, was far beyond that of the amateur. But above everything he was a man of his work. He knew metals and their qualities as perhaps few men in America, and he was enthusiastic in his devotion to his profession.
After dinner, with apologies to the ladies, he discoursed from full and accurate knowledge of the problems to be met within his daily work and their solutions. He was frequently highly technical, but to everything he touched he lent a charm that captivated his audience. To Larry he was especially gracious. He was interested in Canada. He apparently had a minute knowledge of its mineral history, its great deposits in metals, in coal, and oil, which he declared to be among the richest in the world. The mining operations, however, carried out in Canada, he dismissed as being unworthy of consideration. He deplored the lack of scientific knowledge and the absence of organisation.
"We should do that better in our country. Ah, if only our Government would take hold of these deposits," he exclaimed, "the whole world should hear of them." The nickel mining industry alone in the Sudbury district he considered worthy of respect. Here he became enthusiastic. "If only my country had such a magnificent bit of ore!" he cried. "But such bungling, such childish trifling with one of the greatest, if not the very greatest, mining industries in the world! To think that the Government of Canada actually allows the refining of that ore to be done outside of its own country! Folly, folly, criminal folly! But it is all the same in this country, too. The mining work in America is unscientific, slovenly, unorganised, wasteful. I am sorry to say," he continued, turning suddenly upon Larry, "in your western coal fields you waste more in the smoke of your coke ovens than you make out of your coal mines. Ah, if only those wonderful, wonderful coal fields were under the organised and scientific direction of my country! Then you would see--ah, what would you not see!""Your country?" said Hugo Raeder, smiling. "I understood you were an American, Professor Schaefer.""An American? Surely! I have been eighteen years in this country.""You are a citizen, I presume?" said Mr. Wakeham.
"A citizen? Yes. I neglected that matter till recently; but Ilove my Fatherland."
"Speaking of citizenship, I have always wanted to know about the Delbruck Law, Professor Schaefer, in regard to citizenship," said Larry.
The professor hesitated, "The Delbruck Law?"
"Yes," said Larry. "How does it affect, for instance, your American citizenship?""Not at all, I should say. Not in the very least," replied Professor Schaefer curtly and as if dismissing the subject.
"I am not so sure of that, Professor Schaefer," said Hugo Raeder.
"I was in Germany when that law was passed. It aroused a great deal of interest. I have not looked into it myself, but on the face of it I should say it possesses certain rather objectionable features.""Not at all, not at all, I assure you," exclaimed Professor Schaefer. "It is simply a concession to the intense, but very natural affection for the Fatherland in every German heart, while at the same time it facilitates citizenship in a foreign country.
For instance, there are millions of Germans living in America who like myself shrank from taking the oath which breaks the bond with the Fatherland. We love America, we are Americans, we live in America, we work in America; but naturally our hearts turn to Germany, and we cannot forget our childhood's home. That is good, that is worthy, that is noble--hence the Delbruck Law.""But what does it provide exactly?" enquired Mr. Wakeham. "Iconfess I never heard of it."
"It permits a German to become an American citizen, and at the same time allows him to retain his connection, his heart connection, with the Fatherland. It is a beautiful law.""A beautiful law," echoed his friend, Mr. Meyer.
"Just what is the connection?" insisted Hugo Raeder.
"Dear friend, let me explain to you. It permits him to retain his place, his relations with his own old country people. You can surely see the advantage of that. For instance: When I return to Germany I find myself in full possession of all my accustomed privileges. I am no stranger. Ah, it is beautiful! And you see further how it establishes a new bond between the two countries.
Every German-American will become a bond of unity between these two great nations, the two great coming nations of the world.""Beautiful, beautiful, glorious!" echoed Meyer.
"But I do not understand," said Larry. "Are you still a citizen of Germany?""I am an American citizen, and proud of it," exclaimed Professor Schaefer, dramatically.
"Ach, so, geviss," said Meyer. "Sure! an American citizen!""But you are also a citizen of Germany?" enquired Hugo Raeder.
"If I return to Germany I resume the rights of my German citizenship, of course.""Beautiful, beautiful!" exclaimed Meyer.
"Look here, Schaefer. Be frank about this. Which are you to-day, a citizen of Germany or of America?""Both, I tell you," exclaimed Schaefer proudly. "That is the beauty of the arrangement.""Ah, a beautiful arrangement!" said Meyer.
