davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-05-04

institution exists at all. To my mind,
this Is the greatest triumph the Prussan
censor has achieved. lie has succeeded
in preventing the news OF his own ex-
istence from spreading among the peo-
pie. In France. and also in Austria.
newspapers are censored after the pages
have been composed, and blank spaces
are left In the paper where the censor's
blue pencil has been at work on the
proofs. At various times during the
war the Vienna papers have appeared
with their entire front pages one gIaring
white blank. But these blank spaces re-
veal the censor's activities to the reader !;
moreover, they excite his curiosity and
lead him to speculate on what this dam
gerous article or dispatch may have been
which the censor has suppressed, The
Kaiser's government does not encourage
day-dreams of this sort Consequently,
the German newspapers are censored be-
fore composition, and are strictly forbid
dent to leave even the smallest blank
space in their columns. The result is
that in spite Of occasional debates in the
Reichstag the vast majority of people In
Germany are quite ignorant Of the fact
that the papers they read are censored
from the first line to the last, or at least
they have no definite idea of the absolute
power and severity of the censor. a
state Attorney with whom talked in
Berlin on this subject was absolutely
dumfounded to hear that all the news
in the papers was censored and de-
clared he had always assumed the CEN
sor's powers were limited to preventing
the publication OF secret military intel.
ligence.
Rebellion Dangerous
From time 10 time some German news
papers attempt to rebel against the
Icensors tyranny. The Pan-German
press shows far greater courage in this
respect than the Socialist papers. The
Pan-German journalists know they can
rely on influential friends in Govern
ment and army circles to back them
against the censor. whereas the Social.
list writers are outlaws with no one ia
protect them. An acquaintance of mine
an assistant editor on the staff of the
Rheinische Westfaelsche Zeitung, the
Krupp-owned paper published at Essen
was dragged from his bed one night In
the earlN days OF the war by two police
men. and taken on 10 prison for having
published news OF secret nature. He
spent several days in a prison cell, but
was soon liberated through the great in
huence of his paper with the Govern
ment. Even the largest Liberal organs
like the Berliner Tageblatt and this
Frankfurter Zeitung, have. on the con-
trary, very little influence in Govern
ment circles.
Soon after the war broke out Captain
Persius, the naval critic OF the BerlineI
Tageblatt. wrote some rather pesslmistic
articles about the German navy and the
slight chances OF victory Il would have
IN an encounter with the British fleet
ne was arrested and kept in prison more
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-05-04

They are mistaken. In France and Ing
land the newspapers are free to publish
stenographc accounts of parliamentary
debates without interference by the CEN
sor Not so in Germany. orders are
given out in the Reichstag itself by the
Wolff Bureau to the shorthand report
ers instructing them to strike out Cer-
tain passages from some members
speech or TO suppress violent incidents
that may have occurred during the de-
bate. When Liebknecht was stiII n free
man and could interrupt the Chancellor
at will with his strident, accusatOry
voice. the Reichstag censor was kept
particularly busy.
one evening all the Berlin papers were
held up in the press for half an hour
by order of the Oberkommando because
Liebknocht had made sensational reve-
latons In the Reichstag showing that
the Government had grossly eNRgEer-
nted the results Of the last war loan.
His reasonable statements had to be
cut out of that days parliamentary re-
port at the last moment Only after the
war will the world know all the details
Of Liebknecht's plucky opposition
against the Kaiser's Government.
Kaiser Yelled in Secrecy
a NlllNN Ntll u llNbAClAa ~ thrown pN
the German censor over the Kaiser's
movements. When this pathological
monarch, who has certainly acted like a
fugitive in his own country ever since
the outbreak of the war; arrives in his
capital the Wolff Bureau. voicing the
Oberkommando's commands, issues to
the Berlin papers a statement like this (:
"The newspapers are hereby cautioned
not TO mention the presence of his Maj
esty the Emperor In Berlin. Severe
measures will be taken against any
paper that disObeys this order"
And they don't dsobey, you may be
sure, for where the Kaiser Is concerned
the Prussian censor, never a very pleas
ant person to deal with, wakes abso-
lutely ineNorable. The inhabitants of
Berlin are never allowed to know when
their beloved ruler IL dwelling in their
midst The imperial standard flies from
his city palace when he is far away,
staying with some agrarian magnate in
Silesia or Posen, and when he is really
within II is hauled down and the flag
staa remains bare. 1t Is an undoubted
fact that the Kaiser, in spite of his "yic-
tories" and his belief that he enJoys
special Divine protection. II haunted by
constant fears OF assassinatI0n, and all
these elaborate precautions are taken I'm
order TO guard him against his devoted
subjects. During ali my stay in Berlin
| never met a single German who had
set eyes on the Kaiser since the begin
ming OF the war; with the exception of
hlgh-placed officials and officers.
Public ignorant OF Censorship
Perhaps the most extraordinary thing
about the German press censorship Is
that the public In Germany - almest en-
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-05-04

than a month. only being released afte
having promised TO be more OptipistiI
In future.
The censOr's blue pencil successfuIII
keeps the truth about the war fror|
reaching the readers OF German new \
papers, but to the newspaper man him
self its vicious slashes sometimes revea
carefully hidden state secrets BY th
alterations a censor makes in an articl
or a dispatch. the sentences he crosse
out or the words he adds here AMI
there the editor can guess many thing
he Is supposed not to know.
Mackensen Under Suspicion
The most extraordinary case Of thI
kind that came to my knowledge whi
was in Germany concerned Field Mar
shal Won Mackensen. At the outbreaI
of the war Mackensen, who had alwaY
been n great favorite with the KaiseI
was in command of the German ARM
opposed the Russians in Eastern Prud
sia. He suffered reverse after reversI
and the Russians advanced steadil
into Germany. Soon rumors began d
circulate in Berlin that Mackensen wa
traitor: that his wife was EnglisI
and that he had been bribed by the E1
tente to betray Germany. OF coursl
the Berlin papers paid no attention d
these improbable stories. One papeI
which had been publishing a series
biographical articles in praise of IN
various German army commanders. ais
unhestitatingly sent story tellin
about Mackensen's brilliant militar
career TO the censor at the Oberkon
mando. To the utter bewilderment q
he entire office. 1t came back stampe
in familiar and forbidding red "Nc
passed for publication I" All the othe
military biographies had been passe
by the censor without question.
There was but one conclusion to b
veto, namely. that Mackensen was reall
a traitor and that the rumors about hiI
were true. As matter of fact. the
were false, but the Secretary for Wa
General Won Falkenhayn, had hlmsel
believed them and instructed the mill
tary censor accordingly to keep AIacker
sens name out of the papersi Macker
sen and Falkenhayn were rivals in th
Kaiser's good graces, which probabl
accounts for the War Minister'S williu
credulity. Long after this many Goa
mans firmly believed that Fiold Marshi
Won Mackenaen had betrayed the GeI
man cause In East Prussia. and Il wa
only after his Rumanian campaign tha
he once more became a popular leade
| In Germany
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-05-04

to have this torpedo ready TO launch
al the flagship"
That sentence was enough. Dixie hur-
rted from her position on the ladder,
started down-then WINGED as she
struck the ground. one foot had stuck
in a chuck hole. twisting the ankle Sc
Nerely, and slowly and painfully she
limped to her car, where il WIS con-
Cealed in the shadow Of a gr .at, dis
mantled boiler. The driver hurried for
ward to her aid. assisting her within.
At the door of the taxi Dixie half
turning with the pain of her ankle,
failed to notice that her reticule slipped
from her wrist and fell TO the ground.
Nor did the driver. He leaped to his
place at the wheel ard turned expect
antly.
Where TO now?' he asked.
"A telephone-just as quick as you
can make it," Dixie answered. Her
voice was faint from the pain Of her
Sprained ankle.
How about n doctor for that footY'
the driver was staring at the express
sion of agony on the girls features.
Never mind that. where's tele-
phone"
I'm a roadhouse, down the line about
three miles"
Get to it--hurry"
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-05-04

the great Atlantic Fleet will be forced
to remain IN New York harbor and the
United states of America viii be taught
just how foolish 1t would appear in a
war with real country like Germany
Albert bobbed his head.
"I simply wanted to be sure that |
understood. Personally. shall watch
the feet sail with great deal of in
tCrcst."
NO doubt" Won Papen turned with
a growing laugh Il will watch it stop
with more interest Now Boy-Ed, where
Is Won Lertz to report?"
AT the Hohenzollern Club"
Then we'd better be strolling over.
It's after midnight now. Good night,
Albert"
Good night Good luck-for Imperial
Germany"
Meanwhile. Dixie Mason was looking
into the eyes Of Heinrich Won Lertz as
they hesltated in front OF the Midnight
FTolic
IF YOU don't mind, I'd rather take a
trip out in the country somewhere--to
the october Farm or something like
that"
Heinrich Won Lertz rubbed chin in
thought.
IN tell you a better place" was his
announcement There's the Ten-Afile
House, Quite racy, it's true. but very
entertaining. What do you say?'
Dixie Mason smiled most enEagingly.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-05-04

Continued from PAGE One
whether the copy has been censored or
not. and make sure personally that
the proofreaders and typesetters have
obeyed the censor's orders. For II an
oversight occurs. II is no excuse that
a printer has been careless or PROOF
reader absent minded-the censor
rstrafes" the paper. and its infuriated
owner holds the editor alone response
Bile for the serious financial loss in
Cured by three or four days suppress
sion. The editor dares not rely on any
OF his subordinates and his last
anxious words when he leaves the
printing house and the paper goes to
press are: "T hope TO heaven every
thing Is censored"
Suppression the Chief Duty
Issuing a newspaper in Germany
during the war has become a business
Of battling with the censor and evad-
ing his penalties. II Is no longer an
editors chief worry TO get news. The
GoVernment supplies him with that
through Wolffs agency and the Press
conference and the less news of his
oWu getting he attempts to publish In
hia paper the better chance he stands
Of escaping suppression and the wrath
81 his employers.
It Is difficult TO make people I'm
America realize the extraordinary con.
ditions under which German news
papers have been appearing since the
heEinning of the war. And yet II is
needful they should know. for most Of
lhe news the world gets about Ger.
many comes through the medium Of
fho German press, This news, having
The Il
safily warped. knowledge OF the Ger
man censor's methods is needed In
order 10 gauge its worth and prob
0uIlIty- You must be able TO tell in
roadIng a German paper. or dis
patch copied from German paper,
What the censor is trying TO hide. or
what he wishes TO max eyou believe,
N| In many cases. what the German
&.|lor would have liked TO have writ
II1 ~ the censor had let him. II you
can divine all this. you have hone OF
|||I|uK. certainly not all the truth.
but az least something approaching
|At truth about what Is going on in
|4InAny.
German Censorship a Gag
14ppcse the censorship Ia not very
|I4|1F Institution among newspaper
men anywhere. although every sensible
0II1on must see that military news OF
..Irtf nature has 70 be kept out OF
oI AtHspapers II n Is not 70 reach and
|||0 ne enemy. Press censorship tx-
isl. ~ Hrrland and France and IN both
.|IU|1s II Is an object Of frequent
+||||| Ia Parliament and Ia the news
| |0<mtflVes wonder what these
.|'| n PfF|H aud London would say
.|| 1|1|1 N1tnd a week IN 4 Berlin
R|'>| enf aEp.r|snce the A.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-05-04
Road D..
House Trip


bit Of unSophstiCatiOn to creep into her
voice, I'm afraid my education in road
houses has been too much neglected.
lts--its all right for me to go, isn't
"Oh, Of course" Heinrich Won Lertz
drew himself up pompously "Ill look
after you"
a moment later Dixie settled back
in a corner of Heinrich Won Lertz's ma
chine and smiled in the darkness She
was to have her chance after all--the
chance to learn what had been on
Heinrich Won Lertzs mind all evening,
nervous. so agitated. Dixie could not
see the picture in the camera OF Helm
rich Won Lertz's brain she could not see
mirrored there
a rambling shack on Staten Island
near Fort Wadsworth The figures OF
men as they hurried about the tool
strewn room, one OF them working on
an intricate wireless controller, the other
polishing and fitting the last necessities
Of great, shining torpedo, which rested
In place to be swung TO manhole con-
Meeting with tunnel below, which In
turn ran to wharf facing almost the
Narrows of New York harbor.
No, Dixie could not see-all she could
know was that something was on
Heinrich Won Lertz's mind, that he acted
tonight like he had acted the night OF
the naval ball and that she was sure
that before morning she would have
some clue-Some means of knowing wha [
was engaging his attention. And while
they rode to the Ten-Mile House. the
rendezvous of fast society, the sport
ing element and habtues of the
lavender life, two members Of the
Criminology club suddenly Strengthened
and listened harder than ever at the
dictograph connecting them with the
Hohenzollern Club. Dick Stewart
turned
1T sounds like Boy-Ed and Won
Papen," he announced, But they're not
talking about anything in particular
They've settled down to a game OF
cards-and they're acting like they're
waiting for some one. Maybe Wen get
a tip on who IL is"
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-05-04
Two Men
Making u
Torpedo

sewer one Of them was talking:
Won Lertz looked like he'd been out
all night"
yes. That's the way he Is most Of
the time. But that's the way with
the ones higher up They can go out
and play, while we do the work But
when the Iron Crosses are distributed,
they get them. not us"
A Erowl from the third.
shut up. You're better Off here
than you would be in the trenches This
is easy work for you. | get tired hear
ing you reserv.sts kicking on a little
easy campaign work over in this Coun-
try when you might be handling the
minnenwerfers over in Flanders But
let's stop this talking. The fleet will
sail in a few hours now. We've got
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-05-04

were hurrying by motor to Staten Island
to pick up Stewart on the way and rush
to the shack that had housed the tor
pedo. But would they reach there in
time? Grant would have given much to
know.
out in the bay. here. there, every
where, the boats Of the harbor police
were scattering up toward the great
monstrous forms Ct the battleships,
where flags futtcring, the preparations
We're being made for the start of the
Presidents review, searching under
wharves, around lighters. hurryng to
the protection of the Mayflower, whence
the President would review the fleet
honeycombinE the harDor in their search
for suspicious characters seeking every
where for the torpedo that was planned
to send n flagship to its DOOM block
the great Atlantic fleet in New York
harbor and cripple the defense of the
greatest nation In the world.
But 80 far the TORPEDO was safe from
their search. In the dark confines of the
sewer It had been lowered and shunted
to its mouth. where it lay concealed
from view under the piling Of an old
dock. Back in the shack Schmidt, the
electrician, labored furiously on the last
connection that would make the torpedo
available for its deadly use-the wire
less controller
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-05-04

through their editorials. and thus mad2
them subject TO military censorship.
The Foreign Ofiice protested against
this trick and threatened to refuse TO
censor news Of any kind in future II
the articles about America were not
submitted to II. But the military and
naval censors nevertheless continued TO
pass articles hostile to America without
altering q word, taking evident pleasure
In thus thwarting the diplomats in the
Wilhelm Strasse. for whose weakness
and "cowardice" they entertained n
most hearty contempt This battle be-
tween the "enSOrs accounts for the fact
that insulting attacks against America
never ceased In the German press. not
even at times when Chancellor Won Beth
mann-Hollweg seemed most anxious to
preserve friendly relations between the
two countries The Imperial Chancellor
was powerless against the young lieu
tenants Of the Berlin Oberkommando.
Surely. there can be no better illustra-
tion Of the OmnipOtence Of Prussian mill
tarism.
The German censor's methods are. as
I have said, infinitely more rigorous
than those in vogue in the Entente
countries. Here in Switzerland l not
only study the German press carefully
every day. but I also make a point OF
glancing through most of the French
and English papers, and am constantly
finding I'm them articles and dispatches
that the German censor would have in
stantly suppressed and that 1t would
have been high treason for a German
paper to publish. Virtually everything
the Berlin papers print is censored Ar
ticIes written by members of the Reichs-
tag on political or ecOnOE.ic subjects are
cut and altered by the Oberkommando
officers as ruthIessly as an editor cuts
the copy of his youngest cub reporter.
Even local and police news is regarded
by the Prussian censor as bearing on the
war and must be submitted to him first
for approval
No Criticism Of Military
II the censor finds anything rejecting
discredit on an officer or even a non
commissioned officer in the police news.
he at once strikes II out To maintain
the prestige Of militar.sm is his greatest
care. Suicides. which are frightfu'Iy fire.
auent through Germany since the war. lie
studies with especial attention. and II
they are caused. as they usually are. by
the death OF relatives or friends at the
| front. or by the effects of slow stArva-
| ton, he forbids the papers TO report
them. Even the daily list Of persons
whom the Kaiser has decorated with
the iron cross is censored.
Editors Luckless Error
remember case where Berlin
paper was suppressed for several days
| for not having complied with this order
The editor in question ran his eve casu.
Il
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-05-04
The Safety Of the
Fleet

ing-and the man who Is in it must not
know we're following :"
Don't worry. lady" came the quiet
answer Of the chauffeur I'm keep him
in sight"
Dixie Mason leaned back in The ma
chine again. once more she brought
forth the note book Again she looked
a the line which had burned itself into
her brain a line that read:
Examine torpedo before fleet sails.
A half hour later Won Lertz's machine
was on the ferry. crossing to staten
Island, while Won Lcrt2 himself dozed i'm
the tonneau. little knowing that just be-
hind him on the same ferry was another
machine containing person very muCh
awake, Dixie Mason, determined to learn
just exactly where he was going and who
he intended to see there.
So much for the ally who was working
for the said Harrison Grant And in the
meantime. the person upon whom he had
really counted was having his difficulties.
Far over on Staten Island. the spy
whom Dick Stewart had trailed from the
Criminology Club had turned into thick
underbrush, circled, seen the man behind
him, lain in wait, and then with one
powerful blow, felled him, hurrying on
toward the shack and workers on the
torpedo.
But that delay, while it had placed
Dick Stewart i'm a position where he
could no longer follow the spy from the
HuhCnzollern Club, had saved Dixie
Mason from an embarrassing position.
For that delay had been just long enough
for Dixie Mason to see Heinrich Won
L,rtZ enter the shack to watch him
leave again. then to allow the little dare
devil of the Secret Service to creep to the
shack. ascend an old ladder which she
found leaning against the building, and
peep through the old trap IN the roof.
And there she saw
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-05-04

In this. the third episode Of "Thc
Ed0ie'S Eye'.' William j. Flynn makes
public for the first time the details Of
the German attempt to sink admiral
MdVo's flagship, the u. S. S. PcnnSW.
UdHid In the "Ndrrolrs" Of Neto York
lsarbor. thus bottling up the entire
Atlantic Fleet HotC nearly this
breach Of American neutrality sue
ceeded is told bU Courtney RUlcU
Cooper, IN story for, on the facts
0fVcn him by Mr.. Flynn. The tlCo pre-.
cedinO episodes exposed the mdchind.
Hons of Won BernstorG IN connection
fcfth the LuSttdnid sinking and the
attempt TO bloiO up the Hotel AHSonid
ichile the 500 navigating officers Of the
Atlantic Fleet pere attending the
Ndpdl Ball
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-05-04
Won LertE in
His Cups


love you, how I adore you. how you
faShinate."
"Fascinate, you mean, don't you?"
Gesh-yes-of course. What did [
"Oh. nothing-oh, Mr.. Won Lcrtz,
please :"
For Won LertZ had striven to take her
in his arms and was pressing his lips
toward hers As she half struggled W IN
him the German smiled in apology and
dropped his arms.
II just wanted one teeny.weeny little
kiss he announced. 81 thOught-well /
just thought"
I'm not in the habit Of being kissed. "
answered Dixie Mason. pouting. Won
Lertz Strengthened
Goo little girl :" he praised her.
Goo little girl / am now more fash
mated than ever! Good night :"
Good day" echoed Dixie Mason,
Elancing at the light Of dawn without.
Then as Heinrich Won Lertz strobe forth.
she turned quickly to one side. Hun
llcdly she opened a little memorandum
Look that she had extracted from the
pocket of the German plotter while she
hai struggled with him to prevent the
kiss that he had sought TO impllnt on
her lips. Quickly she scanned the pags s.
finally to start forward, an involuntary
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-05-04
VAN SPIES ATTEMPT TO CRIPPLE u. S. FLEET
IN NEW YORK HAI2BOR UPSET BY 'THE EAGLES EYE

Failing in Their Plot to BIoU Up the Hotel Ansona
While 800 Navigating Officers We're Attending the
Naval Ball, the TeutOn HreLingS Under VOn Bern
StOTff'S Direction Pushed Alternative Plan
Ln Little Shack at Deserted Spot of Staten Island
Mechanics Worked Day and Night to Complete a
Wireless Controlled Torpedo Destined to Sink the
U. S. S. Pennsylvania
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-05-04
All in
Flynn's Hands

department. their machine guns rea"y
for instant action, shot forth into the
bay. Another call and the chief gained
a clear wire to the Grim noloEy Club. \
few crisp orders and Grant and his men