Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-02-24

Morgan muuitlon makers and other
Dig interests in influence opinion in
favor Of The allies was charged on the
Hoor Of the house on Feb. -13. by Rep
resentatfve ] Hampton Moore Of
Pennsy Ivanja.
Mr.. Moore charged that q fnauau-
tlaI papers couspired by suppression
Of news and other means" to SWAY
American sentiment an a conference Of
big interests in March OF 1918 where
II newspaper publishers OF national
replte had been detailed go enlist a
total Of l79 large newspapers for dis
seminaEon Of pro-ally propaganda
mis- list, he said, has toned down
TO - newspapers who receive monthly
enumeration for their campaign.
Mr.. Moore supported the charges
recently made by Representative Cal
laWaE- pacifist Of Texas. that q nam
moth pTo-ailg propaganda is working
10 push this country into the war
against Germany. and announced that
unless some democrat puts in a res0-
luton for an investigation of these
charges he would prepare such
resolution himself
AIr. Moore quoted from the remarks
OF Representative Galloway. as insert
Ell I'm the Congressional Record as fol-
lows
"In March. 1915. The j. p Morgan
interests. the steel sh5DbufIdfug and
powder interests. and their subsidiary
organizations got together II men
a5gh high up 10 the newsp paper world
and employed them to select from the
most influential papers in the United
states a sufficient number OF them 10
. control generally tne policy OF the
F.. daily press OF The United States
These u men worked the prob
lem out by selecting l79 newspapers
and then began Uy an elimination
process. TO retail only those necessary
for the purpose OF controlling the gem
eral policy Of The daily press through
out the country. They found ii was
only necessary 20 purchase the con-
troll of . Of the greatest newspapers.
The % papers were agreed uuOu-
emissaries were sent 10 purchase the
policy national and international. of
these papers am agreement was
reached, the policy of the papers was
. bought. to be paid for by the m0ntl
an editor was furnished for each pa
per to properly supervise aud edit in
formation regarding the questions of
I preparedness. milrar5sm, financial
policies and other things uf national
and international nature considered
vital ro the interests o. the uurCaas-
Hrs
+ THE contract is i'm existence at the
( present time and il accounts for the
news columns Of the daily press ST
the country being filed with all sorts
+ Of preparedness arguments and mis-
. representations as to the present C0n-
dition Of the United States army and
navy. and the possibility and prob
ability ot the United States being at .
tackled BIT foreign foes
Ine policy also iuclu6ei the sup
preston M everything ia opposition 70
raa wishes Of rhe interests served. The (
effectiveness gf this scheme has been
c8ucIUsfvelE demonstrated hE the
character OF the stuff carried I'm the
daily press throughout the country .
since March. 1915
"TheE have resorfed tn anything
necessary to c0muerCIaIize public
sentiment and sa1dbag the national /.
congress into making eXtraFagant and /.
wastefuI appropriations for the army
and navy. under the false pretense
that Is was necessary. Their stock .
argument is patriotism. They are .
playing ou every prejudice and pas
sion OF the American people
Mr. Moore then read the headlines 4
from a London dispatch printed i'm the
New York sun, which he character
lied or described as an editorial The
purD0rt Of the article was that Amer
patient over the failure Of the presj-
dent to take the drastic steps which .
thew believe have been warranted by
the submarine activities Of Germany
subsequent to the declaration or the
new war zone
The headline to which l[T. Moore /.
took exception read:
Britain Chafes Under T.. s. Delay
What Constitutes an Overt ActE Lon
A--a F-
Americans are Cheered. Bands Play
Hail Columbia. but Iiatj0n is
Changing TO Impotence.
LONDON said MIR. Moore Offering
his deductions from the sC-called edl-
toriaI. lis impatient because the Jnl-
ted States IS not going to war.
Mr. Moore then read q three col
umu advertisement which has neen
signed BIZ the American Rights league
and which he offered as substantiat1on
OF his charge that big interests are
seeking to- saudbag congress into war.
Mr. Moore among others. emphasized
these quotations from the advertise
mant.
ITO The American people. Germany
is at war with the United States The
Reputation Of past pledges and the!
threat t0 destroy our ships and cit
liens constitute a virtual declaration
Of war At Is uH IohSet d
question OF whether there shah be war
with GERMANY There is war WITH
Germany.
Telegraph the president and your
congressman. pIedgiug to them your
loyal support in immediate and Wig
orous action for the defense OF Amer
lean rights and American honor and
urfnc formal recognition OF the state
of war already existing between Ger
many and the United States
The advertisement was printed n
nevspapers on Feb. - and was signed
bv the American Rights league,
George Haven Putnam, New York.
president;
Douglas W Johnson. Columbia uni
versirv. New York. chairman executive
committee.