New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-08
A Nationwide New.,,..
Press of the Country Should T..
Against German Propav,,I

'oPdganda
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: Figuratively speaking, M,
should rise up In arms agsinst n, me
States Senator. Joseph Z. Frelinshu,,..
Said he In a recent statement: ~v-
ton has been called TO an artiel. e
Arst page Of The New York Tnbu..
headline Of which states that IA.
ment in the Senate bill opens III. -.
spies"-
Mr.. Frelinshuysen has the bold..,
admit, "It is true that ! am an oS,..
an insurance company that has a eo.
with q German company. As an os,..
that company, in safeguarding III. mt
Of the stockholders feel 1t my su,,
legally protect their interests
As The Tribune has pointed out. .s,,,,
German insurance companies have ace.,,s
shipyards, munition plants and in,orr.s''
Of great value to Germany When rou y
Man on -the-Street, have enlisted, whe,
are on the way to France, when suhm,,.
strikes the transport carrying you Az
thousand others aboard, will you then 49,
haps recall that United States Senate, ~
filled his duty" 10 the stoekholder, a..
company in which he was interested,
The country is infested with a well e,,,,
ICED German spy system. German spie, ~,
tected by neutral passports have been y,
mitted to land here in no small numb,,
German propaganda better organized H..
ever is poisoning a country that doe, a,
L. ,,,A. g L. t..
writer's humble opinion, German propara,s.
is concrete, definite, to the point. Ameris,,
propaganda is confusing and unorgan,.i
How long is German organization in M,
country to continue to undermine Am.rie,,
Reorganization
Public Opinion Too Late
The newspaper forms the opinion Of N,
man in the street. In turn, the man IN n,
street forms public opinion. Practically, the,
the press forms that public opinion wha
rules the nation. But in crisis the en-.
utilization of public opinion comes too IA
In a crisis the truth lie too slow in resehiss
in impressing, the public TO bring the icu,
Of public opinion to bear upon the sovsr,.
ment in time to avoid possibly criminal 90.
rifce. And We are facing a crisis 10 be us
only by an Immediately aroused public Opl,
ion.
A difference Of newspaper opinion wi
not do it, Editorials will not do il.
There can be no difference Of opinion a
to our reason for being in this war, as h
the spy menace, the submarine danger a..
the need of ships, the necessity Of starvii,
Germany out, the need Of aeroplsnes ~:
the heaviest artillery for our men abrox
There can. be no difference Of opinion Is h
bureaucratic Incompetence and political rss
tenness at Washington. To those who dig
little the truth is quite evident. But u
man in the street does not dig. He read
but one paper. He does not bother with u
editorial page.
The man in the street will be asked to %
and to shed his blood. He should not
asked TO pay or shed his blood simply
learn that possibly he has paid and shed b
blood in vain. He should know the trvt
now.
have been so bold as to suggest In yov
columns that the press Of the country mob
lie to that end, to tho end that the n,
in the street be impressed with the truth
time. May do so again!
| would have the press OF the eounti
unite upon The Tribune's form Of front pas
publicity. Such publicity can 90 even fu
Their.
As a patriotic necessity the press Of u
country should adopt the one policy Of CIV
ing front page publicity to the paramount
the most vital, national problems in the fss
of a national crisis. There should be prs'
tically one newspaper, a nationwide new
paper, hammering vital truth into the hss
of the man in the street, II public opinion
to force the government to act in time.
EDWARD G.. L0NGMAN.
Providence, r. l., Aug. s, 1917.