The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1917-10-20
UNCLE SAM AFTER
LYING TRAITORS
TRYING TO CATCH AND PUNISH
THOSE WHO SPREAD FALSE
STORIES ABOUT WAR.
THEY ARE ALL PRO- GERMANS
Extravaoant Rumors Are Circulated
Constantly for the Purpose Of Injur-
ing the United States and Of Aiding
jts Enemies.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

'hohihStoh'|hp puichtiy thN b''
srnment knows that large part of
the press of the United States Is doing
what Ii can to Offset the work of the
DrO-Germans In America and of those
who, seemingly loving II lie for the Hes
sake, circulate through the commune
lies stories Invented apparently for the
sole purpose of inJuring the cause OF
Ihis country.
Ii Is said, however, that the gov
ernmcnt also knows that certain
part of the press lends itself appar-
emily willingly to the spreading of mis-
information of the kind which for
amer president of the United States
once described by what he called the
~sh0rt-and-ugly-wOr
1t is certain that If the newspaper
men In the city of Washington cared
10 build stories out Of rumors touch
ing this war, they could keep busy
writing all day long. Most of them do
not care 10. If correspondent here
wanted to believe all that he heard he
would be sure that peace Is coming
with Germany within twenty-four
hours on this basis or that basis. IL
hears he could be quite positive that
Russia intends quickly to line itself
mp with Germany, to supply that coun-
try with arms, ammunition and food,
and to help IL I'm It's war against the
United States and the countries allied
wit 1 Al
Ep0ndent wanted to believe what he
hears he would feel confident that Italy
rs going to quit the fight and finally,
If he wanted to believe what lie hears
one-half Of the soldiers who have been
sent from this city already are either
In France, the victims Of disease.
8 Trying to Find the Traitors.
The correspondent does not want to
believe these things and he does not
have to believe them because they are
all lies put out by pro-Germans for the
purpose of aiding the cause of the enc
Snies Of freedom and democracy.
81 The government is hard at work to-
men and women who are spreading
lies through the country, the traitors
who work in darkness. Uncle Sans
Searchlight may be able to find them,
out then the puzzle will come as to
how TO secure their punishment. Free
speech is fetch with the American
people and thus far there does not
seem to be any way for the authorities
20 draw clean line between free
speech and free falsehOod.
! Nevertheless the government today
is giving attention to the work of run
plain liars, the hinters Of happenings
that never happened and others of the
sinister pro-German propaganda groups
that today are doing what they can to
thurtr this country and to help Its
enemy.
1t Is said to be possible to Stay
woman with word and It seems that
the alien enemies and the worse than
allen enemies In the United States
think that what Is possible in the one
case Is possible I'm another. The gov
eminent knows they are sowing seeds
Of suspicion in every field in the land
believing that they will produce the
desired crop of poison.
Intention Hard to Prove.
What Is the government going to do
about It? 1t is handicapped In thou
sand ways. 1t traces story which
kas brought damage to the cause of
democracy and finds that the man OF
the woman responsible for 1t pleads
that IL came In tea-table talk and that
It was repeated innocently. Premedi
tated intention to hurt America ant
help the kaiser Is one of the hardes
things to prove, and this Is known b.
men and women who invent tales o
disaster and schemes to obstruct wa
preparation.
Recently attention '7as called In tn
press to the fact that in parts of tn
South farmers were refusing to sel
eggs even at the highest market pric
because they had been told definitely
that the government within n fey
weeks intended to buy all the eggs 1
the United States and to pay $1.50
dozen for them. How many egg
spoiled while they were being hel
from day to day to secure the advar
tage of this impossible plan and impo.
sible price nobody knows.
Want Commands In National Army.
officers of the regular army Of feel
hnnk are showing strong desire I
he detailed to command battalion
of regiments of the new Nationa
army. 1t may be surprise to
good many people to learn that thes
officers Of the regular service feel tina
an assignment to command absolutel
green troops Is one to be preferred.
Why is thisf It Is not necessary I
go far to find the reason. Report
which have come to Washington fror
all parts Of the country go to show tina
the new men, even though they b
drafted men, are evincfng a spirit an
m interest in their new work to'a IA
more Intense degree than It Wa