The Washington herald., 1918-02-05

rate America was going and wanted
to land his blow before American
troops could be made ready for ac-
tion- Further. he feared the
strengthening effect the presence OF
American soldiers would have on
the French morale. All Germany
believed France nearly beaten
The German militarists have not
permitted the facts concerning
American war preparations to get
to the people. The newspapers.
with one voice. continue to belittle
America, and to assure the German
public that there is no possibility
of America becoming factor in the
war.
One day ali the Germans papers
printed the same statement. 1t said
that there were 10000 American
troops In France. that they were
unframed and undiscipiined. that
they had no equipment. and that
they were only in the way of the
French. They said that It would
be many months before they could
be brought to a condition where
they would be of the slightest use
as soldiers.
At the same time they all uncork-
ed the same vial of abuse and con-
tempt for the individual American
soldier. This quotation from the
stuttssrt Neues Tagebiatt is typi-
cal Of what all German newspapers
were printing in December concern.
ing the American soldier:
Our field grays hold him in con-
tempt and refuse to recognize him
as q worthy opponent"
| Papers say that German U-boats
have made impossible the transpor-
tation Of troops from America to
France.
The Antilles. an. American trans
port. was sunkIast year on its re-
turn trip to America. The loss OF
life was small. The Germans news
papers. however. pointed the ship
toward Europe. described II rs full
of soldiers. and said that all had
been lost.
They said that this illustrated the
activity and effectiveness of the sub
marines, and at the same time the
cravenness of America.
THEY SAID THAT THE INCL
DENT HAD so r r I @ II e N e D
AMERICA THAT SHE HAD SToP-
PED SENDING TROOPS. and would
content herself with supplying the al
| lies with food and munitions. This
they said. America had done before she
/, entered the war. so that doing II
now could not in any way change
the situation.
The German public knows nothing
about the sixteen cantonments In
America that are training soldiers for
the war. Nor do the German people
know anything about this nations ex-
tensive shipbuilding program.
Some Of the German newspapers
did print a little about the proposal
to manufacture airplanes on a large
scale in America and use them "'to put
out the eyes Of the enemy" The news
papers. in commenting on this, said
that by the time America had hel
airplanes in Europe the war would be
over.
In every conceivable way the mer
running things in Germany have un'
dertaken to keep from the German
public the real truth concerning
America, allowing only enough truth
to seep through to cover their distor'
tions and deceit.
There is one kind of American news
however. that the German newspaper
print in full. and usually with fidelity
to fact. That is news that has to d.
with CHARGES AGAINST THE AID
MINISTRATION. INVESTIGATIONS
or other items that would indicate thai
America is not unitedly in the war.
Shortly after America entered tn,
war a crack-brained American ofiicer
after visit to Europe. gave out an in.