Evening journal., 1918-02-01
Huns DEFENDED
IN SCOUT BOOK
Organization s Librarian Un-
earthS More Propa-
ganda Here
N. Y. MAN IS AUTHOR;
SUPPRESSION SOUGHT

NEW YORK. Feb. i.-Frsnklin X.
Mathews, chief Boy Scout librarian.
who has been lighting the attempt to
feed American boys pro-German propa-
ganda through so-called Boy Scout
books. unearthed additional evidence
yesterday where he least expected 10
ind It.
II was in a book which had two Bel
gian Boy Scouts as Il heroes. Its title
IS THE Belgians to the Front" When
Mr.. Mathews started reading the book
he supposed Il would be written from
the viewpoint Of Belgian boys.
Instead he found the volume nlled
with thoughts which he feels sure no
Belgian boy would have entertained.
Many pages OF the book were devoted
70 an sttempt TO Justify the Prussian
pastine OF lining up a group Of Bel
gian citizens before q stone wall and
shooting them on the excuse that Bel
gian citizens had fired upon German
soldiers.
The book was published by the Sasl-
deld Publishing Company. with a pub
fishing plant at Akron, Ohio. A. G.
Eaalfield. a member Of the frm, who
yesterday was at the company's New
York ofilce, at No 373 Fourth avenue
admitted that the Belgian book" was
written by the same author. a New
Yorker named Wolf. who wrote ION
Board the Mine-Layins Cruiser" so
pro-German that the company tried to
suppress it Immediately after this
eountry declared war.
Listen 10 the conversation OF two
belgian" Boy Scouts, as on Page i56
Of the Belgian" book they discuss the
question Of Belgian citizens not in army
Uniform. defending their homes against
She German invaders.
"Of course. II you were IN your home
and you saw German soldiers coming,
wouldnt you shoot as many as you
could7" one boy asked.
And a Belgian" Boy Scout replied
Perhaps; but I'd expect them (the
Germansl to take me out ana shoot me
when they caught me and burn my
house. wouldn't call them brutes
and barbarians for doing IT,"
but isn't lt war to attack the
enemyf" the other boy asked.
YES" replied the other Boy Scout.
If soldiers do Il. Soldiers ought TO
fglt soldiers II men and women who
aren't IN uniform lght they must ex-
pect to be attacked themselves. Listen
Arthur. II our (the Belglan) soldiers
were in Germany they'd have to do
lust what the Germans are doing to
protect themselves"
On page 1872 a German offlcer, speak
ing to one Of the Boy Scouts, said
We (the Germansl have a great work
70 do. and whoever stands In our way
must suffer. We must make
.an example OF those who fire at us
treacherously. II we are severe (mean-
ing lining UP leading citizens before
the nring squad with a few, IL Is so
that the Others viii pay more attention
r. Is better 20 destroy a few villages
than the beautiful city Of Brussels.
The lives OF our soldiers must be
guarded against the skulking murderers
meaning the Belgians). Our men take
their lives in their hands when they
20 70 war. and, II they die on the
neld OF battle they die willingly
because they know It is for the Father
land. So we must preserve them for
that glorious DEATH
on PAGE i72 the author apparently
seeks to make American boys believe,
through the words OF Belgian" Boy
scout IIltL lIt DIuhd 1DiAiuh ntANANt
Is a rarity an exception 10 the general
rule.
Commenting on the behavior OF a
prussian lieutenant who was especially
brutal IN demanding that a small town
produce an almost impossible amount
Of provisions for the German army, one
Of the Belgian" boys say: THAT Of
6cer Is a bully Arthur, I suppose
there are officers like that In every
army. But all Germans arc not like
him"
Mr.. Mathews asked the ssaineld com
many 20 suppress the Belgian" book
as well as the book which was frankly
German. d.
sThe presumably Belgian book ap-
meals 10 me as merely made-in-Ger
many goods disguised as a Belsisn
product" said Mr. Mathews yesterday.
at Is more dangerous than the book
which was frankly German.
"In the book about German Boy
scouts the author wrote openly and
above board-frankly presenting Ger
many's defence Of her crime against
humanity. But in the Belgian book
the author uses more insidious tactics.
'sSome unsophisticated American
boys, reading the Belgian book. might
be ConNluCe0 lnat lut Nuoicodic mas
eacre Of Belgian citizens was Justified.
1T seems strange that the book
while purporting TO present Belgium's
side OF the case, says nothing at all
about the violation OF thousands Of Bel
rian girls or the enslaving Of hun
dreds OF thousands Of Belgians for war
work behind the German lines"
Wolf a Versatile Writer.
A. G. Saslfleld said yesterday that al
the beginning OF the war his company