The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1918-07-26
German Propagal la Like a
Knife Thrust in the Back
written chcaso)
BY CLARENCE L. SPEED

tional Alliance which recently went
out OF business while its activities
were under fire of congressional inves-
lea and other similar bodies also were
openly active just before we went into
the war.
We hear very little Of these organi-
cations now. but their members are
still in the United States. II is highly
improbable that they all experienced a
change of heart the moment the Unit
ed States declared war;
Spread Red Cross Rumors.
They spread the rumors about the
Red Cross selling its supplies instead
OF giving them to the soldiers for
whom they are intended.
They torture American mothers
with wild stories Of shocking immor-
atty In France-tales which are re-
futed by the magnificent way in which
the French armies have stood up
against overwhelming odds.
They cause unrest by spreading ru-
mors Of food being Communicated In
the pantries of private homes. and they
seek, by exaggerating tales Of scarcity,
to cause excessive buying which in
creases the scarcity.
They cause the city consumer to be-
lleve that he is being made the victim
of extortion, while at the same time
they tell the farmer he is not being
paid enough for his grain and live
stock.
Rumors OF the torpedOing of trans
ports, with the loss of thousands of
soldiers. they find particularly effec-
tive In causing anxiety In the hearts
of those whose loved ones have gone
across the seas, or mothers whose
sons are about to be taken In the
draft.
All such stories. started originally
by pro-German propagandists. are Of
ten spread, innocently enough. by 10y
al Americans, who repeat them and
talk about them. Thus they unwit-
tingly become the tools of the kaiser.
"Let the German agents who in
vented these lies be the only ones to
pass them on" is the plea of the adj
mnistration and of ordinary patriotic
horse sense.
II this is done II soon will be pos
slble to spot man who Is In favor of
Germany just as easily as though he
We're out in the middle Of the street
trampllng an American flag.
Peril In Foes Propaganda.
How much more a menace German
propaganda is than German military
might is easily seen by the expert
ences Of Russia and Italy. The I'M
educated Russians, FESTIVE under a
strict autocracy, and fighting, not for
the principle of democracy. but be-
cause they were ordered to fight. were
told that all they need do was to lay
down their arms and they would have
reace.
The Italians were told that the
French and English troops were shoot
Ing down their wives and children,
who were starving at home.
There are hundreds of thousands of
Americans of German descent who are
American TO the core and who are do
ing all that they can for the cause of
America. All honor to them. Side by
side with these loyal citizens, however,
and sometimes hiding behind their
cloak are the skulking allies of the
kaiser.
America now knows or should know
the danger from these crafty plotters
and their insldi0us German prOpagan-
da. And what can we each do about
Ii? We can and should challenge ey-
German propaganda. Refuse to accept
any story tending to weaken American
morale without the proof CIR