Gilpin observer., 1915-06-17
A DECEIVED PEOPLE

w Tile VI thC w man
people. That sentiment is bitterly
hostile to the United States, because
the German government willed that
it should be bitterly hostile. The
child now menaces the father.
The anti-American propaganda in
spired by Berlin has been carried on
in both countries with a single pur-
pose to stop the sale of American
made munitions of war to the allies,
regardless of International law or in
ternational precedent In this country
the propaganda has been in the hands
of hired agitators who tried to bull
doze the president, the secretary of
state, the congress and the press.
When it was seen that the anti
American campaign in the United
States was making little headway in
spite OF its generous subsidies. the
German newspapers were mobilized
in a final attempt to coerce this gov
ernment. The German people were
even told that the allies were using
shells made by the United States gov
eminent. until the German sentiment
against the American people is now
stronger than the sentiment against
the French or the Russians, with
whom the Germans are actually at
war.
Until the Lusitania was destroyed,
tie German government seems to
have deluded itself into believing that
American opinion was steattly aris-
ing against President Wills on, and
that if the attack could be ma de Wig
orous enough lie would be compelled
to yield, or else he would be over
thrown by a coalition of German
Americans, Irish-Americans and Re-
publicans. This is the sort CT nonsense
that Germany's hired agitators have
reported back, and in place of the
real American sentiment Berlin re-
ceived the sentiment that it had
bought and paid for.
When the Lusitania was sunk and
American opinion fully asserted it
self, the German propaganda in the
United States instantly collapsed,
leaving only the German peoples hat
red of the United States as record
of its achievements. That hatred is
1t lis no less serious because it is
without justif.cs ticn, and because it
has been manufactured deliberately
by an incompetent German govern
ment whose diplomacy is as blunder-
ing as its armies are brave and ef-
ficient.
Count Won Bernstorff's telated at
tempt to make Berlin realize the true
state of American sentiment deserves
hearty encouragement; but unfortu-
nately it is an eleventh hour effort
and eleventh hour efforts do not cas-
lily succeed. 1t is the more difficrlt
for men like the German foreign min
lister to understand the facts because
he has been fed for months upon fic-
ton written by hirelings who report
ed what they thought would most
please their employer. 1t is also the
more difficult for the German gov
ernment to act because If 1t acts WISE
w and sanely it must fly in the face
OF the rabid pubhc sentiment that it
has so stupidly fostered and fur
thered.
II Count Won Berenstroff can con.
vince Germany that the American
people also fear God and nothing
else in the world" that they are con-
cerned about nobody's noble anger"
and that tley are actuated only by
sentiments Of humanity, justice and
fa.r dealing, he will have performed
one OF the greatest services yet to THE
credit of any diplomatist. But before
this can be done completely the Ger
man government must tell the Ger
man people tie truth, which is that
the American government has been
drreproacEabIy neutral, and that its
neutrality has been as fully In ac.
cord with German precedents as with
American precedents.
Whenever Berlin is ready to admit
the truth. to promuigate the truth and
TO deal with the United States on
basis of truth and law. the differences
between the two countries can be cas-
fly composed In Washington there is
q Just man. an honest mn, a truth
full man and wise man. Is there
such man in Berlin to deal with
him n?-New York World.
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