The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1918-02-07

Itaches In the German legation q
Berne. The American legation ha
I20. Twenty is sufficient for thu
'Iordinary purpose OF n legation II
Switzerland. What are the dutie
of the $50 surplus in the German
Legation?
In addition there are thou
sands Of German agents not
identified with the legation,
doing their furtive best to
bring Switzerland In ON the
side Of Germany.
Switzerland became rich soil fol
pro-German and anti-AmericaI
seed when the United States pu
into effect the embargo to proven
the shipment of foodstuffs to neu
trails.
The food pinch upon her, Swift
erland listened eagerly to wha
her German friends" had to say
American troops were reported
on the Alsace-Lorraine front neal
the Swiss lines. This meant, sait
the German propagandists, tha'
America contemplated an invasion
of Switzerland in an effort tC
reach Germany. The embargo they
said, was equivalent to an act oil
war.
While the Swiss were in this
mood Germany produced a treaty
made in time of peace with Switz.
erland, which 1t interpreted as Civ.
ing to Germany the right to use
Swiss tunnels and sections of the
railroad system leading thereto in
certain emergencies. Such ar
emergency, argued the Germans
was at hand.
Germany at this time was send
ing troops into Italy. The way oil
the troops was a hard one, com
PEELED as they were, to go ovel
the mountains. The use of the
Swiss tunnels would obviate much
hardship and speed up and sim
plify the getting of troops into
Italy.
Feeling against America at
this period was intense. Even
some of the newspapers print
ed in French bitterly criti-
cized us and our embargo.
america is trying to starve
us and then she will invade
u.s." one heard at every hand,
repeated, no doubt, after the
German agents.
Never had Germany been Sc
near to getting what she wanted o.
Switzerland.
At this moment President Will
son modified the embargo; food
was assured Switzerland, and the
crisis passed.
Germany did not win the use oil
the Swiss tunnels, but her propa.
gandists have not gone home.
Germany reaches the French
troops with a newspaper. 1t is
printed In French and Is full OF
pictures and stories about the war
II hints that England is saving
herself at the expense of the
French and that when peace is de-
clared, she will have most Of the
gains and the French most of the
Needless to say, the propaganda
has borne no fruit.
AS regularly as the newspapers
come showering down from the
balloons upon the French lines
they are gathered into heaps and
burned.
/, The French understand perfect
ly that save for England there
would now be no France.
/ German intrigue was RESPONSE
BILE for the Italian defeat. Not
that commanders or troops were
bribed.
! Thousands of German agents,
planted" in Italy before the war,
and passing as Italians, we're oper-
ating in Italy and among the
troops, spreading the idea that
England and France had met with
reverses in the north, that Amer
lea was concerned only about Eng
land and France, and that Italy
was to be left to her fate.
Newspapers were printed in
exact facsimile OF Rome papers,
and they contained matter that
seemed to bear out stories being
circulated by the German spies.
If the French and British are
concerned about her. why haven't
they given us cooperation" these
spies would say. And America
has not even declared war on her
enemy. She is still al peace with
Austria. She does not care what
happens to the Italians"
THE AMERICAN RED CROSS
SAVED THE DAY IN ITALY!
Major Murphy, at the head of
the American Red Cross in France,
dispatched large number of Red
Cross workers to the Italian front
at the time the fighting became
severe. They arrived while the re-
treat was in progress.
Marching under the American
flag, they gave the lie in the mos
effective manner to the prevalent
idea that America would do moth
Ss-s-ss-s-s-s.s-s-s-s-s
/