South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-09-21
SECRET GERMAN
AGENTS At WORK
Efforts Made to Spread Harm.
full Lies Concerning Food
Conservation.
International News Service:

International News Service.
WASHINGTON, Sept 21.-The in
sidiousness of German propaganda
has again been demOnstrated-this
time in a new quarter. 1t is now the
food administration which is receiv-
ing a goodly share of attention from
the kaisers agents in this country,
and as a result the campaign to con-
serve food supplies and increase the
amount of canning has been ham
pered.
For some time reports have been
reaching Mr.. Hoover's offices of the
activity of persons seemingly bent
upon defeating the purposes of the
canning campaign. Housewives in all
sections of the country were told
that the government planned TO seize
all the fruits. preserves and other
materials canned by the women for
the use of the national army. The
campaign was described as
gigantic fraud perpetrated by the
government on the people, the object
being TO get large quantities of food
without the expense Of purchasing
il from the large canneries and man
ufacturers.
Propaganda Harms.
In the cities and more enlightened
communities this propaganda did
not bear much fruit, but in the rural
districts, and particularly in COM
munities where the foreign-bOrn
population was large, n great deal OF
harm was done. Ignorant women
discarded their plans for canning
Of to 4
fruits. or. if they canned any at all,
Immediately rushed them off to
market.
These conditions were found par
ticularly embarrassing to the food
administration in certain parts Of
the south, and when it was brought
10 the notice of Mr.. Hoover that
whole communities were entering
into agreements to refrain from do
ing any canning he Immediately sent
agents 10 make investigations. These
agents were followed by others,
whose duties were TO educate the
people and disabuse their minds of
the poison implanted by the German
agents.
L. 8. Takes Hand.
The work Of the propagandists
reached such proportions that il was
decided 10 bring the matter TO the
attention OF the department of JUS
tice. 1t is probable that arrests
will be made where sufficient direct
evidence can be obtained, but be
cause of the adroitness of the prop
agandists il is feared that it will be
a hard matter TO obtain convictions.
A high official Of the department
of Justice summed UP the situation
in these words.
This department is willing and
anxious 70 run down every agent no
matter how remotely connected, of
the German government. We have
been fairly successful, but have been
hampered by lack of sufficient evil
dence in many cases. 1t sounds easy
enough 70 say that some one is
working for the kaiser and against
the best interests of the United
states. but it is not always so easy TO
prove. In the case Of the propa-
gandists working against the success
of the food conservation campaign,
we hope to make some Roadway, but
are up against the same proposition.
Unless we can trace the actions OF
the men and women who are sowing
their seed of suspicion 10 some
source proven 10 be connected with
the German government we Will
have a hard time getting cOnvic-
tons. This is probably one Of the
most insidious phases Of German spy
work we have yet come into contact
with"
At the offices of the food admins
t~ation il is stated that the educa-
tionaI campaign OF volunteer work
ers has 10 a large measure nullified
the effectiveness OF the propaganda
lists