New-York tribune., 1918-11-29
Aspersions!

A person named I rank n. heul, ulS-
tinguished by the hitherto unknown fact
that he is managing editor of TIE Balti-
more Sun, returns from Europe with
scandalous and sensational tale. England,
France and Italy are looking daggers at
one another and the only thing they
have left in common is a resolve that the
United States shall not be permitted to
talk high at the peace conference.
We do not know whether this Kent is
a propagandist or the tool Of one, or
merely disgrace to his profession. He
will probably feed his ego upon the fact
that Hearst's New York American put
an eght-column headline over his article
and printed it on the front page in dou-
ble-width display A fine contribution
between them to the Thanksgiving morn
ing spirit
We shall have more of this. 1t is now
the business of every German propa-
gandist in the world to talk of disagree
ment among the Allies, to advertise it, to
distort it and to play upon all the sordd
human prejudices that can be touched by
ipnuendo and suggestion. Many will
play into the hands of this propaganda
unwittingly. 1t behooves reputable jour
nalists, therefore, to be careful of what
they say, and especially to distinguish
between the news Of fact, which may be
unimportant, and the news of truth,
which is vital
There is disagreement among the AL
lies. There is friction between each one
and all the others. Interests diverge in
a thousand directions. In London there
are those who denounce the French and
the Americans scornfully; in Paris you
can hear anything; in Washington you
have to stop your ears.
Yet it is not true that the Allies are
about to fall apart, or that break be-
tween them and their American "associ-
ate" is imminent, or that upon the sign
ing of the armistice we all began to hate
one another.
The managing editor of The Baltimore
Sun knows the truth. He says in his in
hat +A~
Iron things out" and that wisdom and
right thinking will prevail" Then he
proceeds to set forth trivial and sensa
tional matters in a manner to infame
misjudgments, to create new misunder-
standings, to magnify every mote in the
eye OF an ally, and to make us uncon-
scious Of the beam in our own.
There is less danger that we shall be
put upon at the peace conference than
that we shall be dictatorial without
knowing it or meaning to be. We went
into the war seeking nothing for our
selves We declared beforehand
We hare no selfish ends to se,,,s
We desire no conquest or dominion
We seek no. indemmities for ourseIyes.
no material compensation for the sac
yIfces ne shau freely make"
We meant it then and we mean it now.
But TO our European allies it must seem
that, seeking nothing, we found much.
At the beginning Of the war wc were the
largest debtor among nations, without a
merchant marine
We ara now the largest creditor nation
in the world, with an unlimited capacitv
for building ships.
Control Of the worlds credit has passed
TO us; control Of the worlds carrying
trade is ours if we want it. We arc the
only country in the world that is richer
than when che war started. And we are
enormously richer.
TO our shattered and impoverish d
allies this must seem an extraordinary
state OF facts. In cur strength we arc
likely to take too much understanding
for granted. Strength inspires fear and
fear begets distrust
We wonder, for instance, how Great
SI;tain and France reconcile our roman