Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-12-07


BY this time most Americans must
be aware that the German propagap-
dlsts in this country are using every
IA cans in their power to Influence loyal
citizens against our country and it's
cause. Here are a few samples:
LIE No /. The latest lie Is the
sweater story now being circulated
throughout the country, which has
been given various colorings of alleged
fact. In substance, this story is based
upon what is said TO have been the
experience of some one, usually "a
friend of a friend Of mine," who knit
ted a sweater to send as a gift to her
son or brother in the army or navy,
and carefully sewed into the pocket or
collar (army and navy sweaters have
NJ collars) a ten dollar note. This
generous knitter later visits the camp
where is stationed the young man who
was to have received the sweater, and
is amazed to see an officer wearing the
W 61O A1aoO Jill 0Cho LIZ OAiitNA
where he got it. and he tells her he
bought it for Sc or So. She then tells
the officer she made 1t, and to prove
her statement asks him to look in the
pocket or rip the collar to find the
money she secreted there; the officer
does this and is overcome with embar-
rassment when the greenback is re-
vealed. The purpose of this lie is to
discourage the making OF our soldiers
comforts, and at the same time 10 Gre
ale suspicion and distrust in regard to
such trustworthy agencies for war re-
lief as the Red Cross aud its auxilia-
ries. Every one who hears it should
outspokenly nail it ss a lie.
LIE No. 2. That engineering regi-
ments here had received hurried orders
TO proceed to France at once to take
the place of the 18Th Engineers, who
had been practically wiped out of ex-
lstence by German shells. Word from
France is to the effect that the men of
the 18th are very much alive.
LIE No. 8. That the Belgians are
smuggling food supplies sent to them
by America through Holland iuto
Germany.
LIE No. 4. That 300 men have de-
serted from Camp Meade and twelve
have committed suicide because they
don't want to fight Germany.
RED CROSS DEFAMERs FACE INQUIRY
BY UNITED STATES.
Persons circulating slanderous stories
concerning the Red Cross are to be
prosecuted. This policy is the result
of a con ference between F. e. Morgan,
of the Pennsylvania Division of Red
Cross, and Francis f. Kane, u. s..
District Attorney. Prosecutions will
be made under Section 8, Title l, OF the
recently passed espionage act, which
provides penalties of imprisonment for
twenty years and a fine Of Sic, 900.
The United States district attorney
has promised his cooperation in bring
ing slanderers to justice, and has re-
qaested the public TO aid him by re-
PORTING to him or Red Cross officials by
telephone, letter or in person the iden-
THY of any one who takes part in the
circulation of false stories. Charles
Scott, Jr., director of the Pennsylvania
division, whose business address Is
1901 Walnut street, Philadelphia, will
be among the Red Cross officials who
will receive such reports. Mr.. Scott
says: ''Such lies are outrageous and
must be stopped; we will investigate
all reports and it must not be over
looked that any one who repeats such
stories is just as responsible In the ey es
of The law a. the original offender. It
is our intention to make an example Of
persons who maliciously or thought
lessly attack the reputation of our
workers. 1t is apparent that these
stories, emanatlng as they do stimuli
taneously from many parts of the
country, are not accidental, but are