Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1918-07-19
THEY ARE D. LIES
Cushing Hill Hears People Spreading
German Propaganda
.Middlebury, July IL, 1918
4 Z

.Middlebury, July Il, 1918
Editor Of The Register;
Dear Sir
/ While our oldest dictionaries contain
this word propaganda" and its def
nitions, it has been used but infrequent-
" until the worlds war was upon us,
Propaganda is not a high explosive, or a
deadly poisonous vapor or liquid, but in
many instances its successful employ
ment has been quite as appalling and
disastrous.
The word propaganda means an or
ganization or plan for spreading par
ticuar doctrine" and a propagandist is
"a person who devotes himself to
spreading from person to person and
from place to place story or report"
/ A few days ago a lady resident OF this
village narrated to me the following:
She was the recent recipient of the in
formation that a certain young lady up
on the completion of fine pair OF wool
en- socks, inserted in the toe of one a
short note, stating she would be glad
to learn who received them and added
her name and address. Some time
elapsed when she received a scrawl, it
was from a lumberman somewhere in
the Maine wilderness. He was wearing
the socks, had paid a dollar for them,
and was entirely satisfied with the in
vestment.
The following heard only yesterday
from a lady direct from one of the large
cities in Pennsylvania A German WON
an whom she employed from time to
time claimed she had the following per
sonal experience:
After many evenings work she COM
pleted sweater, 1T was perfect in eve
ry detail, it was made with the utmost
care, and of the most expensive yarn"
1t was for her step-son, an American
lad, on the other side,
She took same to the Red Cross
rooms and the boys complete address
That evening she wrote him, informing
him of the gift, perhaps already on its
way. In his next letter he thanked her
for thinking of him, but had not yet re-
ceived the sweater Months elapsed,
and every letter from him informed her
he had received no sweater. She went
to the Red Cross rooms and told her
story. She was told the sweater had
certainly been sent. 1t was very strange
she must be misinformed.
When about to leave young woman
associated with the work walked in
from an adjoining room, wearing the
very sweater she had made for her son.
The young woman was indignant when
accused. She had purchased the gar
ment herself at such and such a store
and stated the price paid for same.
"Where would you carry money i'll
it" inquired the German woman. "In
either one of the side pockets if l had
any" was the sharp reply. "Any other
place." was next inquired. There was
no other.
After some argument the sweater was
removed and handed the woman, who
pulled a thread at the bottom of the
back, disclosing a small secret pocket
that contained a ten-dollar bill.
l firmly believe every report of this
nature is absolutely without founda-
ton When and by whom they are or
iginated none of us are aware.
When such story is told us, we
should in every instance discredit it as
surfing the bearer of its fallacy and
strongly discourage the incident being
thought of or referred to again.
This is German propaganda with a
vengeance by the vilest of lies to dis
hearten and discourage the noble wom-
en- of this country in their brave and
treless efforts to comfort and cheer the
men that have crossed the ocean bat
Ting and dying for their native land
and homes and the loved ones they
have left behind them.
Gushing Hill.