The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-11-01
GERMANS TAUGHT BY THE KAISER
TO HATE The AMERICAN PEOPLE
VICE CONSUL ROTH WRITES

he said in the course of the CONVEX
sation, if it had not been for the
American ammunition. But America
will have to pay dear, mighty dear,
for her blood money. Some day we
will collect from the United States
government an Indemnity covering in
full the injuries Of Germans wounded
by American shrapnel and Shells"
: I shrugged my shoulders,
''Oh, we have proof" he said.
Every time piece of shell or sharp
mel of American manufacture is taken
from the wound of German soldier
a card is made out noting this. The
name of the soldier, the day wounded
and the nature of the wound. The
archive is being carefully kept in Ber-
lin. It will be the basis for the collec.
ton OF a huge indemnity from the
United States some day. America
will pay dear for the blood money
that she has made out of our suffer-
ing"
Mr.. Roth tells Of the tnsidious cir
culation of rumors among the Ger
man people, emanating from the gov
eminent. Vague opinions reach army
commanders in the field, through
all grades Of subordinate officers, to
the non-commissioned officers and
men," This news" is passed to the
people, conhdentially, by men on fur
1oughs
The German common soldier, pro-
fitting by this underground route"
believed that before the official de-
claratton of war America, bound by
a secret treaty with Britain, sought
the destruction of the fatherland, the
while processing a hypocritical amity.
Mr.. Roth writes of the formation
Of national German committee,
with a Prussian excellency junker as
its f1gurehead, a membership of
prominent educators. publicists and
commercial leaders. The committee
evidently proposed to develop a true
understanding among the German
people of all that must enter into a
German peace Through the me-
dunn of a propaganda of "a greater
and Unidentified Germany" commit
tee agents canvassed the country,
stiffening the will of the people,
working hand in glove with the i'm
perial government. Anti-American ex-
pressions were encouraged in the
provinces, although suppressed at the
capital and in the press of the larger
cities, President Wilson, toward the
end of 1915, was repeatedly charac-
terized in magazines as President
Bluff and the British viceroy."
There is room in the foreign
office whose files are filled to bursting
with clippings of hostile American
press comment These files have
been indexed and cross-indexed. 1t
was my opportunity to inspect this
room one time, l called at the for
eign Office after business hours and
the regular ushers being absent. I
sent one of the clerks from this room
with my card to Count Montgelas.
During his absence I idly glanced
over the clippings and found them,
without exception, to be composed of
condemnatory American writings.
When the clerk returned he noticed
that T had been glancing over his
work and he repeated the nlonoton-
Gus; You Americans have a lot to
answer for; but the day of reckoning
will surely come He then said that
of material, all properly indexed and
ready to use."
And despite these apparently hos
tile indications, Count Montgelas,
writes Mr.. Roth, is extremely .affable
He expressed regret at the inability
of America to understand the Ger
man people, 1.-THE friendship, of
Germany is of vital Importance to the
United States" said the count, you
need as us much. if not more, than
we need you.'
Mr.. Roth adds that the United
States has always been popular with
the people of the German working
class. America has long stood among
them as ''the land Of splendid oppor-