Language Dispute at Baxter

BURKE, DIPPE, GOEKE, HAMILTON, KRAMPE, KREUGER, KRUEGER, MILLER, MORGAN, ROBB, TRAEGER, TREAGER, WILKINS

Posted By: JCGS Volunteer
Date: 2/7/2025 at 14:03:15

Charles Goeke Makes Statement in Case
A Correction
“As there have been many stories floating in this county regarding the burial of my son, Leo, and the services, I am making the following statement so that the people of this community may know the whole truth just as it happened.
“Owing to the absence of Reverend Traeger and Reverend Wilkins at the time word was received that the body of Leo Goeke would arrive in Baxter, I went to the undertaker and asked him to take charge of the arrangements for the funeral. Upon the arrival home of Rev. Traeger he was informed by the undertaker over the telephone of the wishes of the family. The undertaker told him that he would, upon the arrival of Rev. Wilkins, bring him to the Traeger home so that full arrangements would be completed. Rev. Traeger accepted and was all right. So we thought that everything would be taken care of by the two pastors and that Mr. Traeger would lead the funeral and that Rev. Wilkins and Mr. Robb would follow – this was the plan of our family. But the same day Rev. Traeger changed his mind and came to our house saying that he did not take orders from or preach for any undertaker. He further stated that he, Rev. Traeger, was the man to make the arrangements and that he would not come to our residence to speak or would he stand up with the English minister and speak. He said he would stay at the church and when the funeral procession came past he would take charge of it and should be the only man to have charge at the cemetery or the gates to the cemetery would remain locked. After he had made these statements, Mrs. Goeke cried and begged him to come to our home and he finally agreed to come as far as the road in front of our house, but said that he would not come in. This he did and stood in the road until he was asked to come in and have a seat in the service, which he finally did.
“Rev Traeger told us that he was forbidden to preach at the funeral by a close relative but refused our request for the name of this relative. We again ask him to publish the name of this party and if he does not we know that no such statement was made by a relative of ours. We told Rev. Traeger that owing to the fact that Rev Wilkins fixed the Christmas box for Leo it was no more than right to allow him to assist in making the arrangements. He said that Wilkins was not here at that time, which is untrue, for Rev Wilkins was here and did help fix the box.
“The morning Leo’s body arrived Rev. Traeger was on the depot platform and when he saw that the casket was being taken from the train he jumped in his car and left and did not have any time. We can prove this by the people of Baxter who saw it.
“I stand ready to prove all statements in this article which was written and is signed by myself in person. My three married daughters called on Rev. Traeger and asked him to make an address at our home. He refused, stating that they were asking him to do something he could not do according to the laws of the church. He said that s pastor of the church he was the one we should have come to when we learned that Leo’s body was to come and that he was the one to make all arrangements.
“‘Everything was done over my head.’ (Rev. Traeger) ‘If you wanted an English minister you should have told me and I would have gotten one of the same denomination as I am.’ He also made the remarks: ‘I do not take orders from an undertaker.’
“’I will not sit beside Rev. Wilkins as he is stealing my members.’
“’Leo was buried with military honors in England and that he did not have to be buried with military honors here.’
“’You just want to put on something extra. It’s nothing but what I call boiled down trimmings.’ (Signed) “Charles Goeke”
The foregoing statement by Charles Goeke, of Baxter, father of Leo Goeke, was given to a reporter for The Daily News relative to the funeral services for Leo Goeke, which were held last summer.
Mr. Goeke also says that he had absolutely nothing to do with the statement regarding the affair appearing in The Daily News a week ago last Saturday and The Daily News bears him out in that statement.
In addition to the signed statement which was made by Mr. Goeke, he says he never knew that he had been dropped from the membership of the church until he saw it in this paper. He had been notified that unless he made an apology before April 1 he would be dropped. He said he was never told what he was to apologize for and he knew of nothing he had ever done for which he should apologize.
Mr. Goeke declares that even after the funeral services of his son, he continued to attend the services of the German Reformed church until after the first of the year, at which time he was notified of the apology he was alleged to have owed to the church council. Since that time, he says, he has not attended the services.
It is understood that Rev. Paul Traeger is now saying that at the funeral services of Leo Goeke at the grave that his statement was:
“Leo Goeke, I bury thee not as an American soldier only, but as the son of your father.”
however, there are a number of witnesses, it is said, who will declare the word “only” was not in the statement, and that the minister’s statement was:
“Leo Goeke, I bury thee not as an American soldier, but as the son of your father.”
The statement spoken in the German language, was given two different times, witnesses say. Members of the American Legion heard of the statement after reaching Baxter following the services, it is said. They were unable to understand German and did not know at the time what he said. Had they known at the time what he was saying, it is quite probable the minister would have the opportunity of retracting the statement right there.
Some of the American Legion members declare that when the funeral procession started from the home to the cemetery, Rev. Traeger attempted to drive ahead of the legion escort. Some of the legion members, however, stopped him and made him follow the legion escort.
The statement of Rev. Traeger relative to Rev. Wilkins, pastor of the Congregational church at Baxter, stealing the members of Rev. Traeger, is said to be based on the fact that a number of the young people of the German Reformed church, instead of attending the Sunday school of their own church, attend the Sunday school of the Congregational church in Baxter. This, it is declared, is done by the young people of their own free will and accord, and not by any solicitation on the part of Rev Wilkins.
Patriotic citizens of the county are considerably worked up over the alleged statements of the German minister, and they feel that a statement from him should be made. They recall the trouble the council of defense had with him during the war and they feel that his sympathies were generally with the German forces. In fact, it is declared in some quarters that while the American boys were overseas fighting, Rev. Traeger was in his pulpit near Baxter praying for the Fatherland.
Source: The Newton (IA) Record; Friday, May 6, 1921, page 1, col. 6

Paul Traeger Bluffs Editor of New Era
Baxter New Era: Last week Charles Goeke prepared a written article setting forth certain statements relative to arrangements for and the service over, the remains of his soldier son, Leo. The statement was signed by Charles Goeke and presented to The Newton Daily News and The Baxter New Era for publication. The Newton Daily News published the same as would have The New Era except for the fact that before this paper’s publication day, formal written notice was served by Rev. Paul Traeger on H. B. Morgan, publisher of this paper, stating that the article by Mr. Goeke was libelous and would cause us to be sued for damages. The formal notice stated that publication of Mr. Goeke’s article was to provoke Rev. Traeger, to expose him to public hatred, and to damage him in the eyes of his fellow citizens, etc.
On the other hand Mr. Goeke insists that he stated only such things as he can prove and that they are known by many people of this community.
After consulting several attorneys regarding the matter the publisher of this paper decided that he would sit on the side until this matter is adjudicated in the courts. If it ever is a full report will appear in these columns, but there is one sure thing when you read it – it will be a true copy of the court record no difference who it hurts.
For the information of our readers we wish to state that the fact that an article is signed does not relieve the publisher from being sued by the party feeling aggrieved. This being the case and the fact that it costs money to defend a case, even when you win, causes us not to take any action.
Source: The Newton (IA) Record; Friday, May 13, 1921, page 1, col. 1

Crowd Demands Rev. Treager Speak English
Baxter, Ia., May 25 – The Rev. Paul Treager, pastor of Bethany Reformed church, has again broken into limelight in a manner that is not exactly conducive to what could be termed peace of mind.
The German pastor had callers Monday night, although the affair was not listed in the social calendar of any newspaper. It was a sort of a surprise party, so to speak. At least, it is alleged that the German pastor was more or less surprised and as yet there are no reports current that he was exactly pleased with the visit.
It seems from reports in circulation here that some of the people are tired of the services at the German church being conducted in the German tongue. Accordingly, Monday night a crowd of about 150 men went to the parsonage to see the reverend. After some little time, the preacher appeared, and it is alleged that the men demanded that he cease preaching in the German language. There was much argument, so it is said, and after a considerable discussion. Rev. Traeger is said to have promised to again put up the proposition to his congregation, probably next week, and he will publish the decision. With this promise the crowd dispersed with a warning to the reverend that it would probably be the wise thing to see to it that the German language is dropped in conducted the church services.
It will be remembered that the Jasper county council of defense had a barrel of trouble with the Baxter German divine during the war in getting him to conduct his services in English. He was decidedly stubborn about it and it was only after real heated discussions had been held that he finally consented to preach in English. Since the war he has again resorted to the German language for his sermons and reports have it that some of the people in the vicinity of Baxter have grown weary of his practices. Even funeral sermons, preached for soldiers who died overseas, are given in the German language and in his committal service for one soldier he is alleged to have made remarks which some people thought were not at all American.
It is claimed by some people that the entire war record of Rev. Traeger is not what it should have been and it is hoped by many persons that he will soon become Americanized and have a complete change of heart.
The decisions on the language question will be watched with the greatest interest.
The crowd which called on him Monday night was determined, it is alleged, and some rumors aver that only cool heads in the crowd kept steps of violence from being taken.
Source: The Newton (IA) Record; Friday, May 27, 1921, page 4, col. 4

Rev. Traeger Talks in German Tongue at Funeral of Soldier
Baxter, Ia., May 26, Funeral services for Elmer L. Krueger, Baxter soldier who died overseas were held from the Bethany Reform church Friday afternoon.
Rev. Paul Traeger was in charge of the services. It was announced Rev. Alvin Grether, pastor of the East German church, would preach the funeral sermon in English. He did talk about fifteen minutes, it is said, after which Rev. Traeger, it is declared, preached for an hour in the German language.
The American Legion assisted with the services the deceased soldier being given military honors.
Source: The Newton (IA) Record; Friday, May 27, 1921, page 6, col. 1

Congregation Takes Blame From Pastor
Leroy Krampe, Peter Burke, Henry Miller, a Mr. Dippe and a Mr. Kreuger and nine other members of the Bethany Reformed church near Baxter, were in Newton Friday for the purpose of ascertaining what could be done concerning the crowd which waited on Rev. Paul Traeger a week ago last Monday night. While in Newton they dictated and authorized the following statement, which is in no sense a retraction of any thing The Daily News has printed heretofore, but merely the statement of what they wish presented to the public:
“Members of the Bethany Reformed church near Baxter, of which the Rev. Paul Traeger is pastor, wish The Daily News to state that the conducted in of the church services in the German language was in no way the fault of the minister; that in so doing he was carrying out the desires of the members of the congregation and that had the congregation wanted the services in German; that the change in language was made at the request of the members of the congregation and that they made the request only because of fear of a recurrence of a visit of a mob which waited on Rev. Traeger a week ago last Monday night; that if their real wishes were carried out they would still prefer the services conducted in the German language, but they made the change only because of a fear of mob violence.
“The members state that they desired the services conducted in German because of the older members of their congregation who understand the German language only and would not be able to understand the services were they conducted in the English language.
“The members further state that the statements that have been made concerning Rev. Treager and the accusations that have been made against him are untrue and unjust to him/”
Following are the minutes of the meeting which was held by the Bethany Reformed church last Sunday afternoon:
Baxter, Ia., May 29, 1921
Meeting at Bethany Reformed church.
The chairman announced that a quorum is present. Edward Krampe was appointed recording secretary.
The pastor advised that in the future our services should be held in the English language.
The motion was made and seconded: “That in the future our services shall be conducted in the English language.: Motion carried.
Mr. Ray Hamilton remarked that according to his opinion the resolution passed would be perfectly satisfactory.
Upon motion Mr. Hamilton was requested to sign these proceedings, to which he consented.
(Signed) Edward Krampe, Rec. Sec.; Ray Hamilton
Source: The Newton (IA) Record; Friday, June 10, 1921, page 4, col. 3