Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-09-16
(COntinued.)

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My officers always laughed at
the little .22 high-power American
1 Savage rifle / carried as a side arm"
he added. They thought it was
only a toy. Their opinion of the
piece changed, however, when 1 set
out with it to get some of those
sharpshooters, and got three of
them. OF course, 1 used the soft
nosed, or dunn dunn, bullets; but
those Russians deserved anything we
could give them"
The jubilation with which the
news of the sinking of the Lusitania
was received by the German people
was general. 1t was so significant
that 1 believe America would have
declared war Immediately had it
been known. have failed to find
n single German who did not exult
over the dastardly crime, and the
activity of the Zeppelins in their
raids on open towns evoked similar
demonstrations.
That the views which the people
held regarding the conduct of the
war were strongly influenced by the
puohc press, which was absolutely
controlleo oy the government, was
only to be expected. The fact that
in peace-time the press of Germany
was perhaps the most reliable in
the world, made of it a particularly
valuable tool in the hands of the
government in time of war.
The German newspaper is gospel
to the people. The last word in any
argument was always furnished by
proof supplied by some newspaper
article: "Es steht in der zeitung," 4"
I literally translated, THE paper says
So" was always final and conclu-
siVe. Nothing the papers declared
was too preposterous to be believed.
| Ihe press was used to excellent
advantage to conceal reverses and
10 make the utmost capital out of
successes. Right from the start the
newspapers declared that Germany
was hhghting a defensive war; that
the nations of the world jumped
on Germany's neck because they
We're Jealous of her growing power.
1t Is true that some of the more
thoughtful were led to inquire why
1t was that the Germans were con-
stantly advancing into their enc
mics territory if the war were being
Waged merely to defend the Ger
man borders, while others insisted
that if the Kaiser didn't actually
start the war, he might very easily
nave aVerted it. But such sugges-
tions were usually advanced in muf-
fled tones and where one was safe
IN speaking, and they received little
consideration.
How the press managed to satisfy
the people that everything was
going well, even when the outlook
was most dismal, can be explained
only by the deep faith which the
people had in everything they read.
With the capture of Servia and
Rumania, for instance, the people
had been promised that most Sof
their food and raw material troubles
would be effectually disposed of.
Rumania, they had been told, had
the largest oil fields in the world, as
we'll as vast food resources; while
Servia was the most productive agri-
cultural section and had the largest
copper mines in the world The
realization that no such relief as
had been promised was Forthcoming
came to the people very gradually,
the press breaking the news most
skillfully, little each day.
So, too, when food conditions me-
cessitated a cut in the rations, the
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public for it by stating that in Dres-
den such move was contemplated.
A day or two later it would be de-
MED that Dresden had any such
plan in contemplation, but that Ba-
varia had already shortened the ra-
ton, and that it was hoped no such
measure would be necessary in
Brandenburg. Then, a day or ,two
later, it would be calmly announced
NI.aN H.
adopted the shortened ration, Bran
denburg could hardly do less than
follow suit.
The slogan, "Gott Strafe Eng
land" was not officially used. but
when the internal discomfort be-
came too serious and strikes were
too menacing to be ignored, the
government caused large posters of
John Bull" to be posted all over
the country. Underneath a hideous
representation of John Bull was
the line. This man is responsible
for your hunger"
The importance which the Kaiser
and his leaders placed in public
opinion among the German people
is clearly illustrated by the an
nouncements they made and the
measures they resorted to from time
to time, for home consumption
When in December. 1915, for in
stance the Kaiser realized that the
resumption of unrestricted subma-
rine warfare, which he had deter
mined upon. might bring neutral
nations, including the United States,
into the war, he felt that it was
necessary to do something to up
hold the spirit of his people. It
took the form of proposal of peace
to the Allies.