TaÌˆgliche Omaha tribuÌˆne. [volume] (Omaha, Nebr.) 1912-1926, 1916-08-14
Behind The Scenes
in Washington.


garded as the court orgaA of
the White House. 1t is said 10 be
the keeper Of the conscience OF
the Administration. 1t is sup
posed TO know more about the
secret thoughts Of the President,
the State Department and the
Secret Service than any other
newspaper It is important to
bear this in mind in estimating
the significance of an editorial
which appeared in that paper
a day or two ago in which APP
pears this passage:
"The hundreds Of millions
that we are voting for defense
are the price that we are to
pay for security because Ger
many proved itself a bad neigh
Dor. And while those stagger-
ing appropriations are being
made, the German vote, in part
nership with the Republican or
ganization, DEGREES the defeat Of
the President Of the United
States"
This is the FIRST semi-ofhcial
intimation that the entire pre-.
paredness propaganda is being
directed against Germany and
proves eonclusively that the
former campaign Of arousing
antagonistic sentiment against
Germany and German Ameri-
cans is being revived The re-
crudescence Of the old spirit Of
trouble-making indicates, in the
opinion of close observers here,
a connected movement on the
part of the munition makers
and political advisers Of the Ad-
ministration to prepare the pu-
bile mind for a new crisis with
Germany to cover our retreat
from Mexico and continue the
present state Of prosperity" by
increased orders for munitions
Of war.
So far as 1 can learn, the
German American element
throughout the United States is
by no means unanimously pledg-
ed to the Republicans, and al
most every German language
paper has been for prepared
ness, under the d~eiusion that it
was meant to put the country
in readiness for emergencies
from any direction.
This emanation from the per-
sonal organ Of the Administra-
ton ought to open the eyes Of
the public to the truth OF what
I have repeatedly stated in this
column that the danger Of a
crisis with Germany is not
passed, and that Germany is to
be driven into a position, il pos
sible, to do something that viii
afford us a cue for war-like ac-
ton. Three months have gone
by since Germany agreed to our
terms on the Submarine dispute,
provided steps would be taken
by this government to make the
Allies observe the rules of war,
but nothing has been done eth
er to break the ineffective, il.
legal and indefensible blockade
or to send Red Cross supplies
to the Central Powers, or to
more than make a formal reser-
walton against certain DEGREES
OF the British council. No atten-
ton has been paid to any pro-
tests of the Central Powers, and
further evidence Of unfriendli-
ness has been furnished in the
court decision repeating the trea-
ty Of 1919 and turning the APP
pam back to its original Eng
fish owners.
The protest on the British
boycott is regarded by many
here as a little joke played be-
tween the State Department and
the British Foreign Office under
an agreement to hoodwink the
American people. Everyone
knows that it will have no
consequences. While even the
New York Times has just
sounded a note of alarm regard
ing the danger which threatens
us from Japan, the supposed
personal organ Of the President
now drops the mask and begins
to harp on the old string that
Germany is "a bad neighbor"
and that the oyerburdened tax
payers Of the country must be
prepared to bear still heavier
burdens to defend themselves
against Germany.
Meanwhile the attempt Of the
Administrator to hush up the
fact that a British cruiser enter
Cd nt,r mrntere has made q had