Semi-weekly herald., 1916-02-07
HOW THE AMERICAN DEFENSE
SOCIETY Is SAILING UNDER
FALSE COLORS.

FALSE COLORS.
From the Fatherland.
Professional patriotism is a hate
full business. 1t has become truisn
the type of man whose last refug,
is patriotism. But just now patriot
ism appears to be profitable.
The Fatherland, during the lasI
year, has successfully exposed gooc
many sham patriots. There was Col
onel thompson, tor instance, with
his scandalous Navy league. The
Colonel was loud in his asseverations
oi PATRIOTISM. But on analysis, they
proved faulty.
The fatherland showed that Colonel
Thompson personally was sorry
patriot; that he had been found guilty
ana tined in the federal courts for
violation of the Sherman law; that
he was chairman of a company known
III Wall street to be making huge
pIofits from munition manufacturers !;
l,rally, that his precious cnield, the
Navy league, was backed by Morgan
and his Wall street munitions group
Since then the Colonel has sub
sided. Very little has since been
head of the Navl league. 1t has been
discrediied from one end OF the
country to the other.
Similar was the fate of the Ma
tional Security league, founded by
the same interests and managed on
the same lines.
There was in existence at the time
u third patriotic organization, the
American Defense society-then Il
small and struggling body, not sup
piled with the generous donations that
flowed so abundantly into the Golfers
OF the Navy league and the National
Security league. from Wall street
bankers interested in the Steel trust
and the manufacture of munitions.
A month ago received a letter
fIom the chairman OF the board OF
tfuseees OF the American Defense So
s'S1y, SouNicu III coluiai piIdScS, III
viting me to join the board of this
society OF patriots.
l hesitated moment, for profes-
sional patriotism is distasteful 10 me-
But as u strong believer in the Ma
tional defense, 1 communicated with
the officers of the society. Several
letters passed between US. L set some
Investigations afoot. Then l made
some amazing discoveries.
l learned that this society, which
so loudly vaunts its American pat
is not an American society
at all. That is committee on pub
Lefty Is acknowledged to be pro-ally.
That, like the British patrol boat,
Baralong, it also is pro-British
cIaft, sailing under false flag. That
it is not carrying on a campaign for
the national defense, but a cam
paign on behalf of Britain and her
allies.
| found that its advisory board
was composed of men who for the
most part were dangerous advisers.
Among them were firebrands, who
were savagely attacking our presi-
dent, while seeking to involve this
country in Europe's war on England's
side; / found that munition makers
were among them, and lastly two
vice presidents of the notorious Navy
league, the illegitimate offspring OF
Morgan and his Wall street group.
am, therefore, compelled to re-
fuse the courteous offer of the Ameri-
can Defense society. l cannot iden-
tify myself with an organization sail
ing under false colors. ....
Facts in the Case of the
American Defense Society.
While the Navy league and the Ma
tional Security league, few months
ago were waxing fat on the profits
of preparedness, the American De-
Tense society, as l hvae said, was a
poor, honest and struggling little
patriot. 1t had dingy quarters in an
unoccupied office in Fifth avenue,
where it exhibited in the dusty win
dows some little tin soldiers TO attract
the passing throng. The managers
Of the society at this period confessed
that at times they had to borrow
money to pay their stenographer
Then suddenly something happen
ed. This something was the collapse
of the discredited Navy league and
the Neutrality league. From some
source the obscure Ameri-
can Defense society suddenly leaped
into public favor. 1t in turn sud
denly waxed fat and prosperous, to
prove that preparedness is profit
able business. 1t opened "War Ex
hibits' in Broadway; it boasts that
it is now opening war Exhibits" in
pvQry city tnwp and yiIlaUe that IL