Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-03-11
GENERAL MOVEMENT IN STATE
70 PURGE SHELVES OF POISON
LITERATURE.
REQUEST OF COUNCIL OF
DEFENSE COMPLIED WITH
Letters Pouring In Telling Of Efforts
20 Prevent Pro.6srman Literature
From Reaching PubIie-ons Librarian
Suggests Preparation Of Blacklist Of
Publications.
Special Is Times. Republican.


Special to Timss.Republiean.
Des Moines. Marcn ii.-serman pro-
pasanda, innocent looking but poison-
Gus. and innocently placed on library
shelves before the true nature Of Ger
many's weird numbering crusade was
understood. are now being thrown from
library shelves. Tue movement to rid
all public Libraries Of this insidious in.
fiuencs was started recently by the
state council Of defense. Letters are
now being received telling Of the rid
ding Of library shelves Of all such
material.
Forrest B. Spaulding, Des Moines city
librarian, has Just forwarded the follow
ing letter with reference to the disuse
of such books.
Referring to the circular letter
dated Feb. % and signed by Lafayette
Young, chairman Of the Iowa council
Of national defense, would say that
some time ago the Des Moines public
library removed from it's shelves about
number Of pamphlets which it was
thought might spread information an
tagonistic to the aims Of our govern
ment during the present war. This was
done quietly, az in my opinion and that
OF several members of the library
board it seemed best not to call the at
tention OF the general public to this
action.
Unless you specifically request same
will not send you a complete list OF
the books and pamphlets removed from
our shelves. They range from such
books as-"The Book of Truth and
Facts by Friedrich Won Frantizus;
"Germany's Point Of View" by Won
Mach; What Germany Wants" by
the same author and Inviting War to
America" by Benson to such compare
lively harmless works as -Four Weeks
In the Trenches by Fritz Kreisler.
Believing that their circulation at
this time could do no possible good and
might do little harm, we have even
gone 50 far as to remove from circuia-
ton all books by such German philo-
sophical writer's as Frederick Metz
eche and Max Stfrner, together with q
number Of critical works by others
dealing with these two authors. An
other writer, who, aHho not German,
has written books exalting everything
connected with the Prussian state. Is
George Brandes. His books have like
wise been removed.
c. A. Naeseth. librarian Of Luther
College at DEBORAH. has written as fol-
lows:
I'm reference to the circular recently
received from the chairman Of the Iowa
council of national defense suggesting
that books misrepresenting the war in
favor Of the German empire be elimin-
ated from our library, ETC. I wish to
state that early last year some such
books were sent to our library from
private sources but by the order Of the
president 81 Luther College I happily
have authority to eliminate all books OF
that character from circulation. They
are stored away where no one has ac-
cess to them. We thought proper
loyalty to our government justified
this limitation. This information
hope will be satisfactory to the Iowa
council
Wants Blacklist.
The following letter was written by
Grace D. Rose, Of Davenport.
II I'VE find that we have three books
that we know are decidedly pro-Ger-
man in their teaching. They are
Frank Harris England or Germany"
J. w. BURGESS European War Of
1914" and Fullerton's "Germany's
Fighting Machine is the third.
TT would help us and other libraries
il you could send a list Of known books
Of this character as we can not possibly
read or review all the war books we
have in a short time. We are with
drawing these from circulation"
Mrs. E. L. Kinney, librarian Of the
public library at Waverly writes: Il
have gone thru the Waverly public
library very carefully and to my posi-
tive knowledge we have not one war
book which favors the Germans or in
any way defends Germany's course in
the war;
Carl p. Hojbjerg. president Of Grand
View College, Des Monies. says:
Replying to your communication re-
ceived this morning want to state
that every scrap Of pro- German writ
ing that has come. within my reach has
been instantly and constantly destroyed
by me. do not remember names and
numbers but I think we have received
about dosen pro- German publica-
tons, destined Tor our library. since
the outbreak Of the wa"