The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-10-20
SECRET ENEMIES ACTIVE.
GERMAN AGENTS WORKING To
DEFEAT LIBERTY LOAN.
Pressure Brought to Bear on Banks.
Efforts to Discourage Individual
Subscriptions and Anti-LOan Pub
liCity.

man agents in the United States, nc
cording to reports to the treasury dc
partment, have directed their energic.
toward defeating the Liberty loan
Their organized propaganda has borne
fruit. from Minnesota to Texas. 1t Il
asserted, in scattered localities. wher,
weak efforts have been made, no
openly. but by indirect methods, I,
discourage subscriptions.
The work Of the pro-Gcrman agents
officials asert. has been carried OF
for more than two weeks. Some OF
the workers have had the temerity
reports to the treasury indicate, t.
conduct their operations here in tht
national capital.
Official recognition Of the propagan-
da against the loan was voiced today
by Col. Herbert M. Lord represent
ing the war department at the wal
risk insurance conference. at which
the details of the new sailors and
soldiers insurance law are being eX-
planned to officers and enlisted men
from the various cantonments.
| There has been an organized ef-
fort" said Colonel Lord WHO was
chairman of today's meeting. ito dis
courage and defeat the plah."
| off Ort he oI1
made by seeking to m.srepresent the
patriotism of the new National
Army" An official account Of the
proceedings Of the conference, which
was behind closed doors, issued to-
night by treasury department, reads:
In convincing refutation Of the
slander, which was to the effect that
the men of the new National Army
opposed the war, Colonel Lord an
nounced that subscriptions from the
army to the loan already aggregate
sac. 100000 and that some of the sub
scriptions were written in foreig,.
languages.
THE announcement caused grea,
enthusiasm among the delegates
from the army and navy, marine
corps and coast guard. attending the
conference. many of whom swarmed
up to the platform. following the ad-
dress. and signed war insurance ap-
plications, all of which except 10
we're for the maximum Of $4,000"
Assembled from various sources,
the efforts Of workers against th,
loan appear to have been directe
along four channels:
Attempts to discourage prospective.
buyers OF Liberty bonds.
Efforts to prevent certain banks
from handling the bonds.
The publication in certain newsoa
pers and other mediums of publicit"
OF editorials and articles. which Will,
not directly opposing loan subscriD
tions, tend to discourage buyers.
The prevention so far as local ana
sporadic efforts can prevent Of plan-
ing Liberty loan posters and advertis-
ing literature where It will be mos.
beneficial.
Attempts to discourage buyers D.,
the personal plea method have bee
confined mostly to the East.
Ecorts to prevent banks from han
ding the bonds have centcred chiely
In Wisconsin. Minnesota, North AMI
South Dakota. Montana, Missouri AMI
oklahoma. The president OF a Wis
consin bank has advised the treasury
that his depositors. mostly Germans
or OF German parentage. have with
drawn many thousands of dollar
from his bank because he aided tn,
iirst Liberty loan. These depositors
he added, had taken their account,
to two rival banks on the understand
| ing that those banks would not oio
the second Liberty loan.
! Many banks have felt the press,,r,
OF German influence i'm this propa.
ganda, reports indicated. So pro
nounced was the movement that TIL.
States of Minnesota. North and Soutl
Dakota and Montana recently decide,
that they would withdraw Stat,
FUNDS from any bank which did no
support the loan.
In Missouri and Oklahoma the pro
herman element is said to have ap
piled strong pressure on bank direc
tors and officers to induce them Il
refrain from participating in tn,
hotation of the second loan. Th,
banks. however. turned n deaf ca
TO these representatives and subscrip
uoNs are now reported to be increas