Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-07-09

tional Alliance which recently went
out OF business while It's activities
We're under fire Of congressional iuyeS-
tigation. The Tentonic Sons of Amer
lea and other similar bodies also were
openly active just before We went into
the war.
We hear very little of these organi-
cations now, but their members are
still in the United States II is highly
improbable that they all experienced n
change Of heart the moment the Unit
ed States declared war.
Spread Red Cross Rumors.
They spread the rumors about the
Red Cross selling its supplies instead
Of giving them to the SELLERS for
whom they are intended,
They torture American motlcvs
with wild stories Of shocking immor-
allty In France--tales which ere re-
futed by the magnificent way In which
the French armies have stood up
against overwhelming odds.
They cause unrest by spreading ru-
mors Of food being eonNnandecred in
the pantries Of private homes, and they
seek, by exaggerating tales oi scarcity,
to cause excessive buying which in
creases the scarcity.
They cause the city consumer 20 be-
leye that he Is being made the victim
Of cXtOrtion, while at the soma time
they tell the farmer he is not being
paid enough for his grain ard live
stock.
Rumors Of the torpedoiug of trans
ports, with the loss Of thousands of
soldiers they find particularly c1'cc-
tive in causing anxiety in the hearts
Of those whose loved ones have gone
across the seas, or mothers whose
sons are about to BE- taken in the
draft.
All such stories. started originally
by prO-Gcrman propagandiStS, are Of
ten spread, innocently enough by 10y
al Americans. who repeat them and
talk about them. Thus they unWit-
tingly become the tools of the kaiser.
LET the German agents who in
vented these lies be the only ones TO
pass them on" Is the plea Of the nd.
minlStration and Of ordinary patriotic
horse sense.
If this is done il soon viii be pos
Sible to spot man who is In favor of
Germany Just as easily as though he
were out In the middle Of the street,
tramplng an American flag.
Peril in Foes Propaganda.
How much more menace German
propaganda is than German military
might is easily seen by the expert
cnces OF Russia and Italy. The I'M
educated Russians, FESTIVE under a
strict autocracy. and fighting, not for
( the principle Of democracy, but be-
cause they were ordered TO fight were
told that all they need DO was to lay
down their arms and they would have
peace.
The Italians were told that the
French ana English troops were shoot
Ing down their wives and children
who were starving ut home.
There are hundreds of thousands Of
Americans Of German descent who are
American 10 the core and who are do
Ing MI that they can for the cause Of
America. All honor TO them. Side by
side with these loyal citizens. however,
and sometimes hiding behind their
cloak ARE the skulking allies Of The
| kaiser
America now knows or should know
the danger from these crafty p'otters
and their insldous German propagan-
dh. And what can we each do about
it2 We can and SHOULD challenge ev-
cry story we hear which smacks Of
German propaganda. Refuse to accept
any story tending to weaken American
| morale without the proof.