The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-08-22
German Scheme Against the
United States Fails.
Propaganda Openly Conducted
by Wealthy Retired Merchant.
U. S. WOULD CAPTURE MEXICO
That's Scare PrO-Germans In
Still Into LOwly Classes.
Leading Newspapers PrO-A1ly
and Friendly Towards q. s.


Germany are conducting in Mexico
newspaper propaganda against the
United States but up to the present
time the efforts have failed of their
purpose, in so far as the better edu-
Gated and influential classea of Mexico
are concerned. There is REQ son to be-
lieve that it had no effect on men
prominent in public life, those asso-
ciated with the government or the
high officers of the army. but it seems
certain that the German campaign
has exerted a certain influence over
the uneducated Mexicans.
The line followed has had for its
end the convincing of the more ignor-
ant classes that the friendly advances
of the United States are not to be
trusted and that that country is stead
fast in the aim of overtl owing the
sovereignty of Mexico and Selling for
its own, either by economic means or
by force the territory between the
Rio Grande and Panama The Ger
mans also have made strong efforts to
spread the belief that the allies are in
desperate straits for men, ships and
money and that ultimate victory of
the central powers is assured.
Along Two Lines.
The German publicity attack has
been conducted along two separate
lines The first and more important
appealing to the more conservative
element has been headed by Ell Dem
ccrata, one of the four principal daily
morning papers of the ca oital, man.
aged and directed by Rafael Martinez,
member of congress and better known
by his pen name of RIP Rip. The
Democratic has found ammunition for
its heaviest attacks in repTfnt1ng art1-
cles from American papers scoring
| Mexico. its government, its people and
its policy. Some of these articles
taken from New York, Washington
and San Francisco papers Tor the most
\ part are of recent date while some
seem to have been reprinted from pa
pers of former years Such reprints
| have been accompanied by quasi
| editorial comment drawing the con-
/ clusion that the United States govern
! ment and the American people are
| the enemies of Mexico anu pretenses
| of friendship and willingness to aid
| the southern republic are shams
In addition to this plan of attack,
| the news dispatches of Ell Democratic,
| whether from the United States or
| from Europe, have been selected and
| written with the obvious intention of
| presenting the condition ana prospects
| of the central powers in the most
! favorable light and of painting the
| condition and future of the allies,
especially the United States in the
| darkest colors.
Prints Wild, Fake Stories.
|
! Germans has been aimed directly AZ
| the poorer-classes and has coloreo it's
news with a more 1urid brush. This
! line of offense has been headed by
| La Defensa, which appears at noon
| daily. This paper is distinguished b.
startling and insulting headlines which
| often have no connection whatever
with the text beneath them. In gen.
eral this paper dwells on the injustice
| and ill treatment alleged to have been
! tn ri n he
| United States and calls on all patriotic
| Mexicans to be on guard to repel the
| Vaccinations of their neighbor to the
north. The paper has printed ac-
| counts of the sinking of the entire
| American and British fleets, the bonn
| bardment of American ports by hos
tile warships and other fantastic
stories.
La Defensa enjoys the peculiar ad-
| vantage of being allowed to post
copies of the paper on prominent
| buildings turnout the city. Often these
sheets are posted on government
l buildings. For example, an issue with
/ the following headline, "Wilson, Your
Hands Are Dripping With Blood was
posted on buildings under both mu
nicipal and federal control
Following the lead of La Defensa
are number of other afternoon pa
pers apparently thoroly under Ger
man influence and control Among
the are La Boletin de la Guerra, con-
Quoted by an editor of mixed German
and Mexican parentage, La Rendition
and La Cauterio. They are opposed in
the afternoon field by Ell Nacional, a
pro-ally paper, and the Courier de
MexiQue, printed in French. In the
morning field. Ell Democratic is op-
posed by Ell Universal which has con-
Quoted a strong pro-ally campaign and
by Ell Pueblo and Ell Excelsior, which
have been friendly rather than op-
posed to the United States.
Heavy Influx of Germans.
So far as is known H. ron Eckhardt
the German minister, keeps himself
and his immediate subordinates aloof
from this propaganda, the direction OF
which it is understood is in the hands
of R. Lubbock or Won Lubbock, a
wealthy, retired German merchant.
There has been a marked influx re-
Gently of Germans to Mexico City. The
greater part of the new corners seem
in prosperous circumstances and
many of them speak Spanish fluently
1t is supposed they come for the most
part from Cuba and Central and South
America.