The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-08-04
An Insidious Propaeanda

dissemination OF IalSenOOQ, care
fully disguised, intended to breed
doubt, Encouragement, alarm, and
eventually panic, as these have been
so successfully bred in Russia by Ger
man secret agencies, Is well under
way IN the United States. Written
into skillfully worded articles on the
progress of war are statements in
tended to impress the American read
er with the practically impregnable
uselessness of efforts by the Allies to
position Of the Central Empires, the
break the lines on the western or
eastern fronts, the tremendous re-
serves OF Germany and Austria in
men, munitions and money, the i'm
possibility of checking the submarine
campaign the certainty that the sol
/ diers of the United Estates dispatched
i to the war zones will be slaughtered"
! by the tens of thousands, the ut
ter hoplessness of the attempt to
/ bring the Teutonic powers 70 terms
! by other than diplomatic processes.
| Says one of the most recent and most
/ daring servants of this propaganda IN
/ the columns CT New York newspa-
per:
But it is not through invasion that
think the United States viii suffer
the most if this war is indefinitely
protracted. 1t is through sending
million men year, million of our
| splendid young Americans every year
of war which may last from seven
/ to ten years to be offered up IN bloody
sacrifice to the ambition of con-
tending nations on foreign battle
| fields. Is it not better to make peace
now than to look forward to year af-
ter years of such national and indi-
vidual sorrow and sacrifice, to such
wastage and woe, to such destruction
OF the best specimens of the human
race, to such irretrievable demolition
of the sustaining structure of our oc-
cidental civilization ?"
Here, virtually, we have high trea-
son to the Republic sugar-coated for
popular consumption, well-calculated
to deceive the casual reader into be-
lief that the writer is striving to serve
the United States. We have, else
where, the announcement that Ger
many, IN the spring, VIII be ready to
confront the little American eXpedi-
tionary force" with four million men.
In another, assurance Is given the
Amerncan reader, and particularly
the American parent, that all the
chances are against our brave AmeH-
can boys There is always a phrase
intended to convey the impression
that American interests only are being
considered.
Recently American newspapers
!; that should have known better have
been made vehicles for descriptive
matter intended to present to their
readers every possible "horrifying'
, phase and aspect of the war Espec-
ial care has been taken to show that
the Canadians, always pressed to the
> van, have suffered astounding" los
ses. There is poison In every letter
l
erSea troops are chosen to meet dan
gers from which the British and
French troops are preserved, yet II
does not seem to be detected by US
ually careful editors.
{ Perhaps the most insidious of al
: the work carried on along this line /.
that conducted through the medium
2 whispered campaign. intended u
cause distrust of the Government
5 with regard to the management of ar
D my camps and naval stations. Al
i most every possible form of rumor i
: ahoat IN this connection The re
e cruits are not properly fed, are no
4 properly clothed, are not properl.
: housed, are neglected when they nees
: aid, are falling victims to disease b.
: the score This rumor-mongering i
must be understood, is practised sys
tematically> and skilfully. 1t is tn
; part OF the plan to undermine pub
lie confidence IN the Government, Z
e interfere with enlistment, to hampe
s the draft, to force upon the nation
$ peace that would everlastingly dis
s grace It.
e Steps should and must be takel
; propmtly and decisively TO overcom
I the effects Of false propaganda tha
5 IS daily assuming a more dangerou
5 form The United States Is not Rus
1 sia, nor likely to be deceived as Rus
e sia has been; bEt with the example O
5 Russia before them, the authoritie
q should lose not time IN striking at tn
roots of conspiracy aad treaehery. 1
these times, with such vital interest
at stake, 1t Is the duty ef EhsNG NGoveT1
q ment 10 suspect upon reasonabI
o cause and to act for the general goo
upon reasonable oz1.-Sciene
Monitor.