The Washington herald., 1918-02-24

and weave their webs Of deceit
should be able 20 use with eject
the same arguments among the So
cialistic and discontented masses
that they dangie before the reac-
tionary Tories. But 90 they do,
only with the difference that what
is presented TO the Tories as q
frightful catastrophe. TO be avoidsd
only by peace with Germany. II
shown TO the workers as a Utopia
that can be obtained-only by peace
with Germany.
On the Clyde and the Tyne, in the
great shell factories Of the Md
lands. IN the arsenals where tens Of
thousands toll before roaring fur
naces. the infection is spread.
See what our brothers in Rus
sia have donei" the whisperer Kisses
in the ear OF the oveTwrought toll
er. who has been working seven
days q week, twelve hours a day.
since the beginning OF the war.
I'VE are being exploited by swollen
capitalists, who want to continue
the war TO conquer new countries
that they can make millions out OF:
IL we go on, with the war they will
fasten the tentacles OF their bureau
cracy on US and we can never
shake them on. We will md our
selves at the end OF the war under
an autocracy OF capital, backed by
mschine-guns."
But Germany" the worker replies.
'Belgiumi Our rulers may be corrupt.
but theirs are worse. II we stop the
war. we shall be ruled by Germans:
We prefer our own people, bad as they
may be-"
Spreading Poison.
You cont understand" comes the
cunning answer. The German people
are planning a revolution. They are
only restrained by the fear that the
allies will conquer and Cypress them
IL their army is weakened by internal
trouble We must have peace now. at
once. We must set up here councils
Of workmcn's and soldiers delegates
that shall take all power from Parlia-
ment and put IL into the hands OF the
workers. Germany will do the same.
All countries will follow"
And the parting shot is this: You
have the choice. Down tools and you
can stop the war and bring about the
social revolution. In Russia common
laborers like you make E3 a day. But
II you don't stop the war your chance
is gone forever. What II our war
lords do beat Germany? The chains
Of oppression will be riveted on you
forever"
In the remarks quoted above have
dramatized. for effect, the nature OF
the insidious propaganda in this coun-
try. / have spoken as though the dis
ease was spread by real Germans IN
disguise, who crept about and hissed
into peoples ears as the serpent in the
Garden OF Eden did into Ewes.
OF course the matter is not really So
simple. There are probably few Teu-
tons engaged on such work, and most
OF the people who do il think them
selves patriotic Britons. Also much OF
! the most dangerous propaganda is
done by anonymous leaflets. printed
by the million and distributed by pac-
inst organizations which are not in
their own opinion pro-German.
What happens is that clever peo-
ple like the German foreign secretary,
Won Kuehlmann, who prides himself
on being able TO create an atmos-
phere," as he once said, lay down
lines OF policy in Berlin which they
think will influence various classes in
allied countries towards a German
peace.
Then devious and intricate schemes
are laid 10 get these views props-
gated by Englishmen. Frcnchnen ana
| Italians who really believe they ara
! acting in the interests OF their coun-
| tries. German money in very large
amounts is undoubtedly supplied.
Where traitors are concerned. as in
some Of the French intrigues that
| centered around Bolo. the problem 10
! simple. The money can be paid from
! Berlin through a neutral intermediary.
| But British intelligence authorities
who have made a careful study OF tho
| problem are convinced that most OF
the German money that finances peace
| propaganda in this country is paid
| in such a way that the organizations
which receive It do not know where it
comes from.
Causes Of DIseontent.
All this poison had very little ef>
/ feet in the early days OF the war:
! but q germ introduced into a social
organism enfeebled by four years
of privation cannot be treated as
a negligible danger. There are four
] main causes OF discomfort in Great
Britain at present Criticism OF the
| navy and army control, labor dif-
! Hculties with the government, and
| the food shortage represent four
| trouble-maling factors that the pact-
{ fist and 'defeatist'' movements ex-
4 plot TO the limit.
I OF these the most serious IS food
CONTINUED on PAGE FIVE.