The Washington times., 1917-05-15
Don Marquis
Column
Coarse Work.

II German intrigue in Russia really
should succeed in bringing about a
separate peace it will be almost It's
first success on a large scale. The
German system of espionage, propa-
ganda, and intrigue has been remark
able for its inefficiency. 1t has not
taken into account the motions of the
intellect not German nor the impulses
OF the heart which has not been de-
humanized.
The German agent is clever enough
up to a certain point, but he Is not
ultimately clever. He is almost GER
tain, II he is given enough time, to
tip of his own hand.
Generally speaking, in this country,
the German agents and propagandists
have been bunglers.' While they have
been making overt and covert at
tempts to bring pressure Of various
sorts to bear upon individuals reso-
lutely antagonistic to German barbar-
ism for the past two or three years,
they have unwittingly been furnish
ing those same individuals with maps
and plans and specifications of the
whole German system.
The '.idiotic Yankees" as q certain
noted parsonage called them. have not
in all cases been, so simple as they
have appeared. Some of them have
watched the attempts to influence
them with q mixture OF emotions In
which quiet amusement has not been
the smallest ingredient. German at
.
obvious: it seems to be impossible for
a German agent to engage in an at
tempt to put any specific thing across
without leaving at least three or four
patent Indications, as plain as chalk
marks on the schoolhouse fence. Of
what he or she is trying to do.
The artist Should always study the
medium in which he aspires to work.
The Berlin organization should
have known that when 1t had mapped
the roads and fortified places OF q
country. listed economic forces, fam,
iliarized itself with superficial poll
tics, ingratiated itself with profes,
sional and amateur malcontents, II
had only made a beginning in the
ambitious work OF remaking that
country nearer to the Prussian hearts
QeSlTG- dEC aAN oJS ~ NC 49,
sidered the great majorities who
listen to much, say little, think and
feel somewhat, finally observe what
is persistently thrust in their faces
and, after a long time has elapsed,
silently arrive at a conclusion.
The German agents have not known
how to gauge the temper OF that most
important element Of country, It's
population
They have acted on the assumption
that all peoples are bound to react 70
the same lures and brides and threats
and pressures to which 1--WE must con
clude) Germans themselves are sus,
ceptible.
The overwhelming majority OF Ger
man-Americans are loyal to America
They can rest assured that their
friends and neighbors are we'll aware
OF that. They can be certain that they
are not confused with the compare.
lively few German secret agents and
spies in this country who are at the
present time desperately scuttlihg for
any cover which seems to offer II
self. The American mind, that me
dunn with which the German propa
gandists so signally failed as artists,
has nevertheless received pretty accu
rate Impressions as to which German
American is essentially American and
which German is the tool OF Berlin
Frantic protestations of loyalty on the
part OF the few who have been nib
bling at treason come too late now to
be convincing; on the other hand, 1t Il
the very fact that the small, disaffect
ed minority is well known which con
stitutes the safety of the large and in
nocent majority.
without being at all in the conn
dence OF the authorities, Federal OF
municipal, we imagine that the really
dangerous agents, and those who
have tried to be dangerous, are as
well known as the Capitol dome OF
the Washington Monument 1t could
scarcely be otherwise, considering the
bungling manner in which the crude
plotters have worked.
And, we repeat, II is this knowledge
which should prove the protection OF
the German-American majorities who
are wholly loyal and American.