South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-10-07
BY a Staff Correspondent
American O

enemy peoples solely 10 the infiu-
ence, say, Of sir Edward Grey, OF
Lloyd George, Of Ribot--Of Pres't
Wilson. Unquestionably, the Ger
man government reasoned, and tru-
ly. that any public man has enemies
bitter and powerful enemies. He
has enemies who normally combat
every measure he champions.
Therefore. Berlin attempted by
heaping blame upon the individual,
20 enlist and attach TO its side all
his opponents. For these accord
ing 20 inexorable Teutonic deduc-
tion-would assail any cause he es-
pOused. They were seeking To mob
ilize for their purposes, all the
political recoils in enemy countries.
In England, they undertook TO crys-
talize in their favor all the anti
Grey Synonymous with Asquith)
sentiment, and all the anti-LlOyd
George sentiment; in France. all
the anti Ribot sentiment; in Italy.
the anti-Sonnino sentiment; in
Greece, the anti-VenizelOs; in Rus
STA, the anti-Kerensky; in America,
the anti-Wilson.
Their capture Of the disaffected
elements in this country has been
so definite that one has only 10
name them over TO be calling a roll
OF pro- German parties. One COM
mon bond has held together
pacifsts who shrink from the very
mention of bloodshed and an
archists and l. w. WIS who for
years have preached only gore and
dynamite; socialists opposing all
degrees OF militarism, and blatant
disciples OF Deutschland uber
allies" Upon what basis stronger
than their irrecOncilable differences
do such diverse factions have TO
stand? The common ground of
pro- Germanism. And this is be-
cause German propaganda has for
years been working TO assemble and
utilize virtually all the discomfort in
the world.
The story Of the propaganda's
campaign through socialism is
long-too long TO be recited here.
II dates back to 1891. In that year
the German socialists entered into
an understanding with the imperial
government whereby they were TO
be permitted to preach pacifism
and internationalism I'm foreign
countries. providing they pledsed
themselves not TO block any Ger
man military or naval appropria-
tions. The old, old German game
of undermining the strength of the
possible enemy while doubly in
creasing his ownl The German
socialists may perhaps have been
innocent and misled in this, but the
imperial government was not
In order to realize how permeat-
ing German propaganda has been in
this country, IL should also be call
ed 70 mind that even a year earlier,
in 1S90-twO years after the pres
ent emperor mounted the throne
the first hyphenated campaign
started in this country. That
was through the Roman Cath
Ollie church and had for its object
the retention Of loyalty of SEN
timent to the mother country on
the part Of immigrants. This was
stoutly fought TO a standstill by
Cardinal Gibbons. Yet with what
success it has persisted up to the
present time. the reader is LETT TO
his own observation and recollec-
tions.
Ii is an axiom that a pacifist in
an enemy country is as useful TO
Berlin as a pro- German. often
more useful because, while per
forming precisely the same service
of thwarting preparedness and null
lifying opposition TO Germany, they
are not so easily tagged. And in
this connection, il Is essential to
examine Berlin's efforts TO dominate
and preempt the minds Of public
men at strategic points in foreign
government.
It is not asserted that these men
particularly in this country
have been conscious of the manner
in which their opinions upon for
eign policies are formed. But, in
the words of a citizen of Indianap-
oils, addressing a patriotic mass
meeting in New. York some weeks
before this government declared
war, the plan followed most assid-
uOusly and effectively by pro-Ger-
mans and propaganda agents in the
middle west is undOu btedIy that
which has been employed through
out the nation. said this speaker:
They have singled out every
important man in our communities
and they have studied him for mis-
vulnerable points. If he had a
weak spot financially they brought
pressure 10 play upon that; If he
had pacifist leanings, they PLAYED
upon that: If he were prejudiced
against England. they worked up
on that: If he admired German eff
dciency, they eXtOled that: If he
We're constitutionally opposed TO
American participation in foreign
wars, they harped upon that: II his
business could be shown in any
sense 10 have been impaired by the
allied blockade, they excoriated
that" Each man was searched for
his Achilles heel" so TO speak, and
this was sprayed with specific
pro-German solution. Small Won
der. then, that the German influ-
ence-however unsupported by the
subjects ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS many
Of the men in public life whom il
went after. Even if ii did net di-
rectly sway the Office holders them
solves IL mas q hra 20 a,-sr~ r,-ass,,-.,