New-York tribune., 1918-07-22
His Editorials After u. S.
Entered War Used by Ger
many as Propaganda
Assurances Given
Allies Couldn't Win
Reprinted Extracts From
"American" Found on
Dead Prussian


tanned in a copy of a German paper
taken from a dead Prussan soldier at
Hill 304, Verdun, on July IT, 1917. and
brought to this city by New Haven
boy, an ambulance driver, who re-
turned recently from the front.
"Liller Kriegszetung" is the name
of the newspaper which the German
soldier carried into battle with him.
Published at the German front-at
Lille-it is publication got out pri-
marily for the benefit of soldiers, but
also is circulated in parts of Germany
and France. The issue found on the
dead Boche was printed July 10, 1917.
When the German editor put this issue
to press he filled it with news of Ger
man victories all along the line jokes,
accounts of U-boat triumphs, cheerful
news from home-and in the centre
of one page extracts from an editorial
published by William Randolph
Hearst's "New York American" on May
8. 1917, nearly month after the United
States entered the war.
Viewed U. S. With Contempt.
1t will be remembered that at the
time this editorial was being utilized
by the German paper, Prussian lead
ers were affecting to view with con-
tempt the aid which their new enemy,
the United States, might be able to
give its allies before "decisive Ger
man victory"
hot Nf nj. 81
published by "The New York Ameri-
can" on May 8, 1917, which the "Liller
Krieg gszeitung" published, follows:
"The New York American in the
following words addressed to the citi-
zens of the United States, opposes
English and American efforts to con-
ceal the actual military situation by
means of censorship and lies.
"The general impression that has
cannot win. but will be gradually
beaten and starved into defeat. Very
we'll; but the facts are as follows:
The offensives of the Entente in France
were frghtfully bloody failures; the
French people are in a rage and in
censed at Nivellc's dangerous biunders.
The chief offensive of the British has
come to a halt with the most horrible
butchery of the entire war. Hinden-
OQlS tTSuCuSS fUQ machine gun nests
are proving to be complete protection
against the British preparatory ar
tlllery fire and the stormng attacks
of the infantry.
'In Hindenburg's Favor"
The French government knows, the
British government knows, and our
government should know. that the mil
itary situation has developed in Hin
denburg's favor; and the Entente pow
ers have not one chance in ten to win
a victory, and not one in three to
ward off their complete defeat unless
America works the double miracle of
saving England from the U-boat war
fare and sending to France enough
troops to repulse the German attacks.
we tell you frankly that. unless we
had interfered. Germany would have
dictated victorious peace before the
end of this year.
"You did not want to hear the truth
and why not? Because you were
deceived and lied to by the censor
ship; because you believed the mon
strously perverted lies of the clumsy
stupid and wretched censorship.
We went unprepared into war
with lncomparably the most powerful
nation in the world. which was com.
pletely equipped with all the neces-
saries of war down TO a shoestring
which fills the seas with its U-boat
fleets, which covers hemisphere with
Its mighty armies of veterans every.
where victorious with blood and iror
against their foes. And are we to arm
ourselves well against such war ma
chine by initiating England's clumsy
and foolish attempts to keep the peo
pie in ignorance ?"
Full Text of Editorial
The Hearst editorial in it's entlrity
from which the German papers tool
its extracts, follows:
What the Censorship Has Alread,
Done to injure England and
America"
"Now, listen to plain statement oi
facts. We have told you the same
things before, but it will do you nc
hurt to hear them again And we want
them fresh in your mind while we
proceed to show you what censorship
does
We are pretty sure that in gen
eral way your impression is that Ger
many is struggling against defeat thai
may be delayed, but cannot be avoided
that the Allies have been pounding ant
demoralzing the German forces il
France-not entirely crushing them a.
yet, but still Furnishing them and driv
ing them out Of their defenses in
series of daily victories.
"That is the general impression, ism
it--that Germany cannot win and il
slowly being beaten and starved int
defeat?
"Well, the facts are these: The AL
lied offensives in France have beer
horribly bloody failures; the Frenct
people are in q fury of indignation ovel
the fatal blunders of Nivelle, and ar,
loudly demanding that the officers re
sponsible for the frightful slaughter o
these past three weeks and more be
condignly punished; the British often
sive has been stopped dead in its tracks
with the most dreadful slaughter of the
war; Won Hindenburg switchtrenches s
and machine gun nests have proved
perfect defence against the British ar
tillery preparation and infantry mass
assaults; huge masses of reserve:
being hurried from the East, whers
Russia is no longer a menace, have
given the Germans a preponderance OF
numbers and of material, and the
French government knows and the Brit
lsh government knows and our govern.
ment ought to know that the military
situation mas developed wholly in favor
of Won Hlndcnburg, and that the Allies
have not one chance in ten of victory
and hardly one chance in three of STAY
ing off complete defeat-unless Amer
lca can perform the twin miracles O.
rescuing England from the submarine.
and Of putting enough troops in France