New-York tribune., 1916-07-13
THE TRIBUNE AND THE TRUTH
A Critic of Sundry Articles Has His Day
in Court.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: Inasmuch as Mr.. Samuel Hopkins
Adams has done such beneficial work in the
separation of the wheat from the chaf in the
advertising department, you might with as
good results detail some one of equal men,
taity to Gull some of the propaganda stuff
appearing in the Sunday issues. The truth is
just as essential in the magazine and editorial
pages in the advertising columns. For
example, there has been a series of articles
running for several Sundays, supposedly writ
ten by one who pretends to be German born,
the son of Prussian major and himself at
tended a military academy for five years" 1t
seems to me incredible that a paper whose
principles have always been high should
publish this, knowing, as you must, that the
bald assertions of this person could not be
taken seriously unless he were known to be
familiar with conditions in Germany and in
innate with those of whom he pretends to
speak. Such accusations as those appearing
in to-day's issue if true, could only be known
to one personally connected with those con-
cerned in the capacity either of relative or
member of the household.
The fact of ones being born in Germany,
the son of Prussian major and himself at
tended a German military academy for Ave
years" would not, to my mind, be sufficient
for me to take his word for what he has said.
Were to criticise General Leonard Wood,
do you suppose | would be believed unless |
told who | was and showed conclusively that
was or had been in a position to know some
thing about him?
This series of articles is remarkably like
some that ran in "The Cosmopolite," jan
uary II, by one Baiy Milard, entitled the
STORY of a Deserter," and after reading one
only appreciated the more that old adage,
d" Tis foul bird which defles its own nest"
How could any one who ever saw Germany
imagine secret (open or otherwise) existing
b~tween officers and privates, to say nothing
of the ability of private to pass upon the
military ability of Frederick the Great? He
says: 81 have seen him order charges at army
maneuvres that in actual warfare would have
meant instant and utter annihlation." Such
q statement needs more than the mere asser-
tion, and naturally the question arises, How
does this person arrive at such a conclusion,
and how many charges in real war has he or
dered or taken part in and in what wars
This assertion is only equalled in its alb
surdty by that in which he quotes one Graf
Haesler: "My officers, you have obeyed his
majesty's commands splendidly, only in real
do the opposite. You may win then"
Could The Tribune Office be run in this fash
ion very successfully or very long?
Can any one conceive of such a monstros-
ity as IAN unfortunate anonymous general"
or the Kaisers own staff laughing behind his
back or kidding" him? The person who
wrote this is only trying TO see how far youc
credulity goes.
The Kaiser, like all humans, has his faults,
and there are perhaps many in his household
who smart under his rule, but there is not a
vestige of evidence to support any such ac-
cusations as those made by the writer of the
articles in question.
We must admit in spite Of what we try 3
make ourselves think of the Kaiser that if he
possesses no ability himself he is under a
lucky star if it is by accident ne has gath
cred together around him his advisers. I'M
der ordinary conditions the selection OF ones
staff, If they are able, requires considerable
ability and foresight. He says: an the war
the Kaiser leads no cavalry charges; his gen
erals would not let him." 1t might be in
SeAS'e'"S I" n'o" JUST why, iHdsHlucn as tnat
would be the easiest way of getting rid o,
him. This stuff was obviously manufactured
right in New York. /. is on a par with the
letter sent out by a lady who had some in
terest in a society TO relieve distressed Bel
gans. This letter went into great detail II
was supposed TO be from young soldier 70
mis- mother, and was sent Just few hours
before his execution. 1t struck sympa-
thetic chord in most readers, who took it as
a genuine article. Shortly after its appear
ance in one of the New York papers hap
pened TO hear the brother OF this lady boast
ing Of her success and among other things