Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1917-08-24

publish anything they like. Ours are
thus free. Every issue Of your papers
must be submitted to your police, so
that your rulers may control what
you write and read. Not a paper in
America is submitted to any official
whatever. You cannot read anything
which your government believes it
wise TO keep from you. We can read
everything, whether the government
likes ii or not. Americans believe
there can be to no truly free press. and
no real unfettered public opinion. with
the possibility of punishment hanging
over the press of a country. Where
the police, representing the ruling
power. controls the press there is no
true liberty. Whatever else may be
said against the American press, il
must be admitted that II is free from
government control. 1t is not neces-
sary, therefor to inquire whether the
American government has employed
or instigated the public press to attack
Germany, since, even if il desired to
do so. it would not dare make the at
tempt.
There are many other statements
in your letters which can only be ex-
planned as the result of writing I'M
der happier circumstances. II is not
my desire, however, TO dwell upon this
phase of your correspondence. do
not for moment doubt your sincerity.
and believe you were yourself con.
WINGED of the truth of all you wrote.
My purpose in writing this letter is
to accept in good faith your expressed
wish for better understanding be-
tween two peoples who have long
been on friendly terms with one an.
other, and to contribute toward this
end by removing lat least so far as
we two are concerned. one serious
misunderstanding which now exists
AS you are well aware, the Ameri.
can people. with the exception ot n
certain proportion of German-born
population, are practically unanimous
in condemning Germany for bringing
on the war and for conducting it in a
barbarous manner You. together with
hosts of your Acknowledged, be-
lieve this unfavorable opinion is the
result of the truth being kept from
the American public by improper
means. 1t is, of course, comforting
thought TO you that when the whole
| truth Is known We will revise our
| opinions and realize that Germany act.
! ed righteously, and was not guilty OF
/ the crimes which have been charged
| against her. But, as scientific man
[ devoted TO the search for truth, no
matter where it leads you, you would
not want to deceive yourself with
/ such comforting assurance if ii
were founded on false premises. IT.
/ therefore, you really want 10 know
/ the conditions under which American
opinion OF Gcrmany's conduct has been
formed. | will endeavor to describe
them with the same calmness and
careful attention to accuracy which !
earnestly ondeavOr to observe in nv
scientific Investigations. In discus
sing this vitality important matter,
Will first cndeavor to picture the Am
erican opinion of Germany and the
Germans before the war. since this
was the background upon which later
opinions were formed. will then
explain tine sources of information
which were open TO Americans after
the war began; and will next describe
how this information produced an
American opinion unfavOrable to Ger
many as observed by one who has
read widely and watched the trend OF
his country's thought with keen in
i"r"st. II this analysis is successful
IN convincing you that American opin
ION does not rest on English lies. is
not the result of a venal press con
trolled by British gold but has a far
more substantial foundation, then my
letter will not have been written i'm
vain. If you are not convinced. but
prefer to retain the comforting BELIEF
that If America only knew the truth
II would applaud Germanys actions.
then | shall, at least. have the sat.
iSiaclion Of knowing that earnestly