New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-11
Entente Defeating
TeutonP Propaganda
In Switzerland
Outwits German Agencies
by Sending News Reports
to Swiss Papers


BERNE. Oct. 22.-Probably at no time
since the war began has German prop
aganda been more sggressively active
in Switzerland than at present.
Those who are following the German
campaign declare that uncounted mill
ions are being spent. Recently counter
efforts were begun that have accom-
plished wonders by their tact and clev-
erness.
AS the basis of its propaganda work
here, Germany acquired a number oil
newspapers in Switzerland-several IN
the German language and one pub
lished in French. the latter now under
suspension. Similarly, the swiss" pa
pers in the German language are quite
as obviously German as the berilh
"Iokalanzeiger" or the Cologne Ca
zette," except that they are immeasur-
ably less able. -.
Then the Germans acquired or start
cd a whole series of news agencies
through which TO distribute their news;
Soon. however, these agencies added
enotber and vastly more important
function, that of collecting and trans
hitting news from countries al wal
with Germany-news, however, care
fully colored if not actually distorted
American News Distorted
With Americas entry into the war
the agencies began to send, ootn 70
Switzerland and 70 Germany, distorted
news from the United States.
The general trend of this American
rers concerns the embargo and
Americas intentions toward Switzer,
land, Every story in list that would
mi a scrapbook tended TO show that the
United States had the intention OF
starving its little sister republic. NOT
80, an announcement by Swtzerlands
President that from authentic, re-
norts he knew food was under way or
Soon 10 start could Offset the effect OF
the first stories.
Vastly more effective and clever has
heen the Austrian propaganda IN Swit.
zerland Shortly after the opening VI
The war two influential and clever news
naper men-one an Austrian from ZEN
na' the other a Hungarian from buda-
pest-both Of whom operated news
bureaus in their respective cities were
commissioned by the Austro- hungarian
government to establish a seemlhBi!
neutral bureau IN Lurlch' IhdU o"Vu'u
have connections in other neutral as
we'll as enemy countries. They were
careful never to send il the ordinary
German brand Of propaganda news.
Effect Is Contradictory
The effect of the Germano-Austr
nress propaganda is q curious contra
/ diction. The German tends to ALLEVIATE,
The latter attracts. The German cam
paign for many months was, despite
Tia unwelcome features, successful for
the simple reason that there was al
most no counter propaganda.
Suddenly the Swiss papers, especially
those printed in German, began TO re-
ceivc extremely objective, we'll written
news about Entente affairs: II was
accepted gladly by all bot the papers
that had been acquired by German in
tercsts.
The effect was not instantaneous, but
today Is very marked. Careful observ-
crs. both Swiss and American, say there
has been, during recent months, grad
ual but decided shift in pubic opinion
German Switzerland, they say. IS no
longer, IL it ever was, Overwhelmingly
rro-German. To-day it is part pro-
Entente and much more pro-Swiss.