New-York tribune., 1918-01-28
Youths Here to Aid in Sup
pressing Propaganda i'm
Juvenile Volumes
Stories Attempt
To Condone War
Federal Agents Seize
Copies as Far West as
Cleveland

New York Boy Scouts have been
asked to help suppress two juvenile
Books which are said to be a part Of
country-wide German propaganda
scheme to poison the minds of Ameri-
can Youths. The titles Of the two al
legged books are "The Boy Scouts in
Germany and "On Board the Nine
Laying Cruiser"
Reports indicate that the books have
been widely circulated throughout the
country. Boy Scout officials here
charge that the books are an attempt to
convince American boys that the Kaiser
was justified in starting the great war.
The books have been circulated as
boy Scout books" although the term
Boy Scout" had been used in their
connection without authority, it was
stated at Scout headquarters yesterday.
L. S. Aiding Suppression
Federal secret service agents are aid
ing Boy Scout officials in the suppress
sion OF the volumes. Federal officers
as far vest as Cleveland have seized
copies of the books.
James E. West, chief Boy Scout ex-
ecutive, yesterday branded the books as
the crassest kind Of German propa-
sanda. He said the local Boy Scout Of
t,cials had first heard Of the books
three weeks ago. S;Uce then, he stated.
every effort had been made to suppress
them. He depends on Boy Scouts to
aid in their suppression by reporting
stores in which the books are on sale
Mr.. West had "On Board the Nine
Laying Cruiser" in his possession yes
rerday. 1t appears under the name
OF Colonel James Fiske." said to be
the pseudonyme for a Mr. Wolfe liv-
ing in New York, and is published by
the Saalfed Publishing Company, of
Akron. Ohio.
The heroes Of the book are Carl
and Heinrich, two German boys of
about fifteen and sixteen years Of age
A. the beginning OF the book Carl and
Heinrich are on walking trip through
Alsace Lorraine. The boys journey
over the battlefelds of 1870, the loss
ofwhich battles cost France the Alsace-
Lorraine provinces.
Calls Loss Frances Fault
Speaking Of the war of 1870, Helm
rich. with all the wisdom Of ffteer
years, opines on Page IA: at was theil
own (the Frenchmen's) fault They
forced US to go to war in 1870. Ane
they will force the Kaiser to so to wal
again some day. They want to get
Alsace-Lorraine back again"
Two pages further on the German
boys find themselves in the midst Of
the invasion Of Belgium. The literary
parent of Carl and Heinrich here states
that both boys were eager to be in the
thick Of things, explaining that: every
German boy expects to serve his term
with the colors, and most Of them look
forward eagerly to the years Of sol.
diering."
Carl and Heinrich after adventures
on The minelaying cruiser left the
cruiser and accompanied Zeppelin on
bomb raid on London. On the return
from this trip the Zeppelin captain ex-
planned Con Page 22S) "why England
entered the war"
The English arc now punished (by
our bombs) for making war on u.s.
said the captain. "And all because We
would not wait to let France strike al
US through Belgium, but struck til,
hrst blow ourselves!
rs that why we arc at war with Eng
iand?" asked Carl.
~ is the excuse they give replied
the captain "Pah, We knew tina
France was ready to attack us-tha
she had her armies massed on the Bel
sian border. We had guaranteed th'
neutrality of Belgium But coul'
we keep our word when we knew tina
France was ready to break hers? An'
yet. because we defended ourselves b.
striking first, England makes war OF
U.s.
Berlin Next World Capital"
England has cut the cables and a.
the world, we hear, denounces US 10
What we had to do in Belgium. Blu
England. at least, has begun to pay!
London! The heart of an empire
After this war, who knows? Shall Der
I'm succeed London rs the capital o
the world?"
The book which Mr.. West had las
night was entitled on the cover an'
front piece "The Boy Scouts in Ger
many" by Captain John Blaine" Yc
the story itself was "On Board tn
Nine MIN, Laying Cruiser" by "Colone
james Fiske."
THE fact that the cover and from
piece we're bound together with tn
wrong story indicates that the bool
was published rather hurriedly," sai'
Mr. West.
Mr.. West said complaints about th
books had been received from various
Towns in New York State, and as IA
south as Virginia. He asserted thou
sands OF the books had been circulated
IN New York City.
Az the Akron office of the publish
ing. company it was stated that tn
books were published three years age
and had been called in last fall whel
their nature had been drawn to the at
tention of the publishing company.
The book Mr.. West had bore 1911
copyright.
No statement could be obtained yes
,,erday from the publishing company
NeV Y0rt, ofyS~o Q72 Eourfb Auopun