The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1917-09-28
SECRET DISPATCHES.

gun this week showing up the fact that
Germany first gave over tine care of its
"interests" to the American consul in
Roumania, but among those interests
we're many boxes of explosives buried
in the garden of the German consulate.
1t looks as though the Secretary has
several chapters of this sort of diploma
tic material. which he will publish from
time to time, and especially at such
times as Germany complains ofits harsh
treatment by the enemy nations.
Diplomatically, as we'll as in almost
every other direction, Germany has
certainly shown that it has had no con-
science whatever in this war. Further,
it has apparently had but little diploma
tic sense. 1t has been like the ostrich,
when it hid its own head in the sand, it
has thought that no one else could see
it. Well. evidently the secret service of
the United States have had easy times
showing up the duplicity of the Ger
man authorities.
There is however. another point in
this matter that is worth the attention
of our people. This thing of publishing
without comment, such diplomatic docus
mants as the note to Mexico offering
several southern states as booty if she
would join against the United States.
while we were yet neutral nation; and
the dispatch wherein German mini
ster to Argentine, advised his govern
ment to sink the ships of the country to
which he was accredited. without leav-
ing any trace" this thing Of publication
is something new in diplomatic exper-
ence. Many times such information
has been intercepted by many nations
in past history but this is the first time
such documents have been published
during war. They have come to the
public sometimes after the wars, but
rarely have the general public known Of
them at the time.
But the governments knew of them.
Secretary Lansing has had the informa.s
tion thus disclosed for some time. Un-5
doubtedly the president and cabinet
knew of these things. No doubt the
actions Of the government and congress
have been largely influenced by this;
sort of inside information. There are
reasons why some Of this stuff could
not be disclosed at once. One reason
being that we would not want the
enemy nations to know that we knew
Another is that il disclosed too soon the
manner in which the information was
obtained would be too evident to the
transgressors.
The moral is. that we should not al
ways Judge Of the sots Of the govern
ment by the information that We have
at hand. They often have knowlege
Of things Of which We cannot know. but
are Of great Importance. s.
Just little while ago came the ques-
tion of stopping food supplies going to
Sweden. It looked rather arbitrary
snd especially to the many Swedish
citizens now in this county. But our
government knew Of the duplicity Of
officials Of the Swedish government q
Buenos Ayres. and that was having f.
effect with the government in drawing
tho lines with Sweden. But the puhltca-
tion Of the Lnxberg dsspatchss slisn
Ill feeling IS sympathy With tho eHsd-
ish goverument, 55.s gssiss III u
| But o sAid, not always can ths1 1Svpln.
mont tall - sssIetss and many ~
takes severe osItician xheee 4 isHnl
deserved thossh ths critios Ixioa(d
spoIostls 4 thsy GIsn 4 all ' II