Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-10-18
ACTIVE FFORTS
| TO THWART SALE.
Of LIBERTY BONDS
Pro-German Agents in This
Country Directs Prop
aganda.
BEARING FRUIT FROM
MINNESOTA TO TEXAS
Some of Workers Have Temerity
to Conduct Operations in
National Capital.
FOUR CHANNELS OF EFFORT
Official Recognition That Movement
Is Result of Carefully Di-
rccted Conspiracy.
BEARING FRUIT FROM
MINNESOTA TO TEXAS
FOUR CHANNELS OF EFFORT
Official Recognition That Movement
Is Result OF Carefully Di-
rccted Conspiracy.
fBy Associated Pressl

By Associated Pressl
WASHINGTON, October 17.-Pro-
German agents in the United States.
according to reports to the Treasury
Department. have directed their en-
ergies toward defeating the Liberty
loan. Their organized propaganda has
borne fruit. from Minnesota to Texas.
1t is asserted. in scattered localities
where weak efforts have been made,
not openly. tut by indirect methods. TO
discourage subscriptions.
The work OF the pro-German agents.
officials assert. has been carried on
for more than two weeks. Some Of
the workers have had the temerity,
the reports indicate. to conduct their
opera ations here in the national capital
Official recognition OF the propaganda
against the loan was voiced to-day by
Colonel Herbert NJ. Lord. representing
the War Department. at the war risk
insurance conference, at which the de-
tails OF the new sailors and soldiers
insurance law are being explained to
officers and enlisted men from tho vari-
GUS cantonments.
There has been an organized effort"
said Colonel Lord. who was chairman
OF to-day's meeting Ito discourage and
defeat the Loan
SEEK TO MISREPREsEST
PATRIOTISM OF ARMY
This effort. he said has been made
by seeking to rnisrepresent the patriot
Ism of the new National Army" An
official count OF the proceedings OF the
conference. which was behind closed
doors. issued Tonight by the Treasury
| Department. reads as follows:
I'm convincing refutation Of the
slander. which was to the effect that
i the men OF the new National Army op-
posed the war. Colonel Lord announced
that subscriptions from the army for
the loan already aggregate s2S.OO0, 600,
| and that some of the subscriptions were
written In foreign languages.
"The announcement caused great en-
thusiasm among the delegates from the
army and navy. marine corps and coast
| guard tattending the conferencc). 500
| OF whom warmed up to the platform
following the address and signed war
insurance applications, all of which.
except forty. were for tho maximum of
! 10000"
Assembled from various sources the
efforts OF workers against the loan
appear to have been directed along four
main channels:
Attempts to discourage prospective
buyers OF Liberty bonds.
Efforts TO prevent certain banks from
handling the bonds.
EDITORIALS TEND
TO DISCOURAGE BuIi.RS
The publication. in certain news
papers and other mediums OF publicity.
of editorials and articles which. while
not directly opposing loan subscrip-
lions. tend to discourage buyers.
The prevention, far as local and
sporadic efforts can prevent of the
placing OF Liberty loan posters and
advertising literature where it will be
most beneficial.
Attempts to discourage buyers by the
| personal plea method, have been con-
i fined mostly to the East. Instances
1 have been brought to the attention of
officials where buyers have been ap-
preached. apparently in spirit OF
great friendship. and advised not to
buy the bonds.
Efforts to prevent banks from
handling the bonds have centered
chiefly In the West and Northwest.
The president of Wisconsin bank has
advised the Treasury that his deposit
tors. mostly Germans or of German
parentaEe. have withdrawn many
thousands Of dollars from his bank be-
cause Ne aided the first Liberty loan.
These depositors. he added. had taken
their accounts to two rival banks on
the understanding that those banks
would not aid the second Liberty loan.
The two banks. he reported. were not
aiding the loan in any way.
Many banks have felt the pressure of
German influence In this propaganda,
reports indicated. So pronounced was
the movement that the States of Min
nesota, North and South Dakota and
Montana recently decided that they
would withdraw State funds from any
bank which did not support the loan.
STRONG PRESSURE APPLIED
TO BANK OFFICIALS
In Missouri and Oklahoma, the pro-
German element is said to have ap-
piled strong pressure on bank directors
and officers to induce them to refrain
from participation In the hotation OF
tho second loan. This movement, how
ever, proved to be boomerang, 1t is
said The banks turned deaf ear to
the representations. and subscriptions
are now reported to be increasing
heavily in that section.
A check is kept by the Treasury on
all newspaper editorials and articles
referring to the loan, not only in pub
lications printed In English, but in the
foreign language press as we'll. A
number of such publications. 1t Is as
serted. have been industriously printing
editorials and articles of tone ap-
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