New-York tribune., 1916-02-15
A Truly British Success.

Perhaps at this time, when the SITUATION
at Washington is slowly resolving itself
into a German manipulation of the United
States foreign policy by two agencies, by
the use Of American newspaper CORE
spondontS in Berlin and by the use Of
other American newspaper correspondents
in Washington, there is certain peril
nence in pointing out to the British how
completely they have failed to understand
the American newspapers and what for
them have been the consequences of their
misunderstanding, to give it no more un-
happy description.
When the war began the British were
advised. and wisely advised, not TO initiate
the Germans and send special advocates
like Dernburg TO this country. By taking
that advice they avoided the blunders
which the Dernburg affair led TO. and IN
the same fashion escaped the criticism
and censure that the Germans earned
through Dernburg.
But with the recall Of Dornburg the
Germans learned their lesson. They sent
no more agents; they made no more at
tempts to make converts by using German
methods and German machinery; they set
out to employ American machinery, and II
is impossible TO resist admiration for the
fashion in which they have made the
American press serve their ends.
The German method was very simple.
They selected from among the representa-
,ives Of the American newspapers at Ber-
lin such correspondents as they trusted.
They recognized that it would be an inesti-
mable advantage TO them if they could
steadily put before the American people
statements of their own case, Of the Ger
man side in each dispute, Of the German
view on each question that came up. To
do this they met the requirements Of
American newspapers; that is to say, they
made the chancelors, the Crown Prince
and others in high places all contributors
TO the American news columns.
Thus we had first an interview with the
Crown Prince, which was reprinted from
one end Of this country to another. Then
we had Tirpitz. Then we had General
Bernhard, already a familiar name, called
upon TO furnish to the American news
papers precisely the kind of statement of
the German military situation that the
= 4 ,r,44 ID fpa
should have.
The other day, when the Lusitania dis
pute was at a crisis, even more acute than
usual, no less parsonage than Bethmann-
Hollweg himself talked to innumerable
millions of American citizens through the
medium of an interview and this was sup
plemcnted by another statement from Zim-
mermann, which made such profound i'm
preston that the American Secretary of
State felt called upon to give out an in
tcrview to German newspapers explaining
his position and that of his government.
Now contrast the British method There
arc American correspondents in London
who are quite as trustworthy and compe-
tent as Wiegand or Ackerman. The British
are theoretically as much concerned in get
ting their case before the American people
as are the Germans But what happens?
As we recall it, Mr. McKenna did once
make statement on the financial question,
but does Mr.. Asquith ever degn to talk to
Americans through the lowly medium of
an interview? Does Sir Edward Grey
ever condeScend TO tell the American pub
lie in direct talk what the British con-
ception of the blockade is?
Naturally not. The American CORE
u spondents are left TO wallow through Blue
Books or White Papers or what not. They
arc left to drag from the official papers
and reports of Parliamentary debates, and
carry by the censor, such dry facts as
their industry may accumulate and their
discretion put in satisfactory form. But
who reads these in America?
Would it interest the British to know
that American newspapers have long ago
ceased TO look for anything of real value
from London, and the least Germanophile
newspapers in the country are rcgrettinr
that they cannot transfer their London
bureaus TO Berlin? \ newspaper is news
paper at all times. If the German Chan
cellor is willing TO talk 10 an American
newspaper, it is news-t is good news.
II may not be Cricket" according TO Brit
ish conceptions of the way chanccllors
and the like should behave, but 1t is news;
1t gets printed and it has a real effect IN
the country.
As for the "items" that the British cen