▁the ▁First ▁World ▁War , ▁Germ ans ▁in ▁America ▁sought ▁to ▁reg ain ▁their ▁political ▁influence , ▁and ▁they ▁succeeded . ▁Both ▁Val entin ▁Peter , ▁editor ▁of ▁the ▁O ma ha ▁Trib ü ne , ▁and ▁the ▁National ▁German - American ▁Alliance ▁gained ▁enough ▁political ▁cl out ▁to ▁influence ▁United ▁States ▁president ial ▁campaign s . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 0 , ▁immediately ▁after ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 ▁United ▁States ▁president ial ▁election ▁in ▁November , ▁Peter ▁came ▁under ▁scr ut iny ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Senate , ▁and ▁was ▁called ▁to ▁test ify ▁on ▁his ▁invol vement ▁in ▁the ▁campaign . ▁According ▁to ▁Peter ' s ▁testim ony , ▁he ▁f li pped ▁to ▁supporting ▁Cal vin ▁C ool idge ▁in ▁exchange ▁for ▁$ 1 2 , 5 0 0 . ▁Later , ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 8 ▁president ial ▁election , ▁the ▁Democratic ▁National ▁Committee ▁en list ed ▁Peter ▁to ▁join ▁to ▁show ▁the ▁support ▁of ▁German - Amer icans ▁for ▁Al ▁Smith . ▁ ▁There ▁were ▁deep ▁div ides ▁among ▁Germ ans ▁in ▁America ▁in ▁politics ▁and ▁many ▁cultural ▁issues . L ue b ke , ▁Frederick ▁C . ▁( 1 9 6 9 ) ▁" The ▁German - American ▁Alliance ▁in ▁Neb r aska , ▁ 1 9 1 0 - 1 9 1 7 ." ▁Neb r aska ▁History . ▁ 4 9 ▁pp ▁ 1 6 5 - 8 5 . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁By ▁this ▁period ▁there ▁were ▁few