Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-22

IN MEXICAN PRESS
o-German Propaganda Ap-
pears to Be Aimed Mainly
at United States.
is HAVING LITTLE EFFECT
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
MEXICO CITY. August 22.-Friends Of
Germany are conducting in Mexico news
paper propaganda against the United
efforts have failed of their purpose in so
far al the better educated and influential
classes OF Mexico are concerned. There Is
reason to believe that it has had no effect
on men prominent in public hfe-those
associated with the government or the
high officers Of the arny-but 1t seems
erted certain influence over the unedu-
The line followed has had for its end
the convincing Of the moro ignorant
United states are not to be trusted and
that that country Is steadfast In the aim
of overthrowing the sovereignty Of Mex
leo and seizing for It's own. either by eco
nomic means or by force. the territory
between the Rio Grande and Panama
The Germans also have made strong eff
forts to spread the belief that the allies
are n desperate straits for men, ships and
money and that the ultimate victory or
the central powers Is assured.
EHort to Win Students.
Fpacial efforts have been made to in
1uence the students of the universities
and technical schools in and around the
capital and the younger officers Of the
has mixed freely in politics and takes it
Volt very seriouEly
The German publicity attack has
been conducted along two separate
lines, The first and more important
appealing to the more conservative ele-
ment has been headed by Ell Democratic.
ono Of the four principal daily morning
papers of the capital. managed ana al.
rected by Rafael Martinez, member Of
name of RIP Rip"
The Democratic has found ammuni-
tion for its heaviest attacks In reprint
ing articles from American papers
people and It's policy, some of these
articles. taken from New York. Wash
ington and San Francisco papers Tor
the most part. are Of recent date. while
some seem to have been reprinted from
papers of former years.
Such reprints have been accompanied
by quasi-editorial comment drawing
the conclusion that the United states
government and the American people
are the enemies of Mexico. and that
pretenses of friendship and willing
ness to aid the southern republic are
shams In addition to this plan OF at
tack, the news dispatches OF Ell Demo
crata. whether from the United States
or from Europe. have been selected
and written with the obvious inten-
ton of presenting the condition and
prospects of the central powers In the
most favorable light and Of painting
especially the United States. In the
darkest colors.
"Revolt" in Oklahoma.
For example: Ell Democratic August
3 printed an extra giving news OF
revolt in Oklahoma against the con-
scription Continued stress also has
been laid on alleged widespread egres-
sion from the United States OF Mexican
citizens who feared conscription in the
Army. The news dispatches of Ell Dem
oerata come. ostensibly from an or
ganization known as The Spanish
American News Service" of New York.
headed by Luis Lara Pardo. formerly
we'll known as newspaper man IN
Mexico.
The campaign of FL Democratic has
not been particularly effective. 1t is
the highest-priced paper in Mexico,
selling for 10 cents copy, and the
people who can afford to buy it are too
well informed to be greatly Influenced
by its statements.
To overcome that difficulty a new
morning paper. FL Mundo. which sells
for cents. recently has been started.
This paper, although headed ostensi-
bly, by Fidel Soils, is reported to be
merely a branch of Ell Democratic.
The second plan of attack of the Ger
mans has been aimed directly at the
poorer classes and has colored it's news
with a more lurid brush. This line of
offense has been headed by Ia Defensa.
which appears at noon daily. This
paper is distinguished by startling and
insulting headlines, which often have
no connection whatever with the text
beneath them.