Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-05-19
IN THE LAND OF
DEEPENING SHADOW
Graphic Pictures of the State of
Affairs in Germany as the
War Tightens About Her

II it had not been said before, the Ger
mans would have made the remark that
language was invented TO conceal the truth
This is apparently the sole use to which
they have been putting language for the
last three years. to go no further back
the only approximation to the truth about
conditions in Germany which we get comes
through Americans who have been in the
empire since the war began So persistent
and deliberate an attempt has been made
to mislead them while they were In Ger
many that even what they say must be ac-
cepted with allowance for the conditions
under which they have acquired their iufor-
nation. The press censorship is so strict
that the Germans themselves know only
what the Government wishes them to know
Tho Government controls public opinion
and manufactures it to suit its own pur-
poses. No news dispatches are sent out Of
the country which have not first been
edited by the censors.
The Americans have brought out of the
empire varying lot Of stories, but they all
agree on this ono fact of strict control Of
the kind Of information that is to he dis
scminated. They agree also on the growing
dependency OF the German people H.
Thomas Curtin. who spent ten months in the
country as representative Of Lord North
cliffes English publications has written "a
book about his experiences, to which he has
given the title THE Land of Deepening
Shadow" for the reason that while he was
there he could feel the clouds settling down
upon the country and could watch the
growing dependency of the people. His
book is the story of a great moral and po-
ltical tragedy. II is moral tragedy be-
cause all Germany is being taught to hate
the rest Of the world and that no good can
come save through hate. That such mon
strous perversion &C all the high theories
hn11 h,s, Gil, hon
of time has been attempted would be un-
believable if we had not indisputablc proof
that II is taking place among the Germans.
What the frutage of this seed will he in the
years to come must make all friends Of the
German people sad with n great grief The
political tragedy is found in the wreck Of
the German plans to conquer the world. a
wreck that has been brought about through
blind egotism that was unable to under
stand that there were ideals which other
nations held dear and for which they would
fight TO the death.
Mr.. Curtin gives specific data to prove the
extent of the tragedy in progress. He did
not depend on official sources for his in
formation. He mingled with the people,
took long walks In the country and talked
with the farmers. He went into the potato
fields and made his own Investigations into
the state of the crop. He watched the un-
loading Of the survivors Of the Prussian
Guard. which had been shot to pieces by
the british and noted the depression Of
the men, in strong contrast with tho fine
spirits of tho French and British wounded
whom he had seen Gloom was everywhere.
The working people longed for peace. The
politicians admitted that IL the mass of
the people knew how the war was going the
Government would be forced TO make peace
at once But the military autocracy Is
keeping the people ignorant and fighting