The Washington herald., 1918-02-06
GERMAN TROOPS REST
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in Switzerland. What are the duties
of the $50 surplus in the German
legation?
In addition there are thousands
of German agents not identified
with the legation, doing their fur
tive best to bring Switzerland in
on the side of Germany.
Switzerland became rich soil for
pro-German and anti-American seed
when the United States put into
effect the embargo to prevent the
shipment Of foodstuffs to neutrals.
The food pinch upon her. Switz-
erland listened eagerly to what her
German friends" had to say.
American troops were reported
m the Alsace-Lorraine front, near
the Swiss line. This meant, said
the German propagandists, that
America contemplated an invasion
of Switzerland in an effort to reach
Germany. The embargo, they said,
was equivalent to an act of war.
While the Swiss were in this mood
Germany produced a treaty made in
time Of peace with Switzerland.
which 1t interpreted as giving the
right to Germany to use Swiss tun-
nels and sections Of the railroad sys-
TEN leading thereto in certain emer-
Gencies. Such an emergency, argued
the Germans, was at hand.
Germany at this time was sending
troops into Italy. The way of the
troops was a hard one, compelled, as
they were. to go over the mountains;
The use Of the Swiss tunnels would
10 and EDanh IN
snd simplify the getting Of troops into
Italy.
America Quite Hated
Feeling against America at this Pc
rod was intense. Even some Of the
newspapers printed I'm French bitterly
criticized US and our embargo.
America is trying 10 starve US and
then she will invade u.s." one heard
at every hand. repeated, no doubt,
after the German agents.
Never had Germany been so near
to getting what she wanted of Switz-
erland.
At this moment President Wilson
modified the embargo; food was as
sured Switzerland, and the crisis pass
ed.
Germany did not win the use of the
swiss tunnels, but her propagandists
have not gone home. They never
despair. A time will yet come. they
believe
Germany reaches the French troops
with a newspaper. 1t is printed In
French and is full of pictures and
stories about the war.
1t hints that England is saving her
self at the expense Of the French,
and that when peace Is declared she
will have most OF the gain and the
French most Of the losses.
Needless Sto say. the propaganda
has borne no fruit. As regularly as
the newspapers come showering down
from the balloons upon the French
lines they are gathered into heaps
and burned. The French understand
perfectly that save for England there
would now be no France.
Racial Barriers InsuferabIe.
!, The Germans believe that the diff
ferences in blood and ~-tiOnality
among the allies cannot be overcome.
Briton. Latin and Slav they regard as
an impossible combination A British
officer who had been a prisoner in
Germany three years, and whom L
met in the internment camp In
switzerland. told me how tests were
made in an attempt to establish this
fact among the prisoners
They put English, Irish. Belgian
Russian. French and Serbians all in
the same prisop," he said.
When they assigned us to our
places to sleep each prisoner was
surrounded with men Of other ma
tiOnaIities whose language he could
not speak.
They believed that this contact
would develop the racial differences
and would be an Illustration of the
insurrnountable difficulties in the way
Of unity among the allies.
Fortunately all OF us saw through
this scheme from the beginning.
think We should have gotten along
very well together anyhow. but know
ing that We were under the bell
glass. we all put forth special efrort
at living in harmony.
Il learned afterwards that our jail
ers were psychologists from the var
ious universities. They hoped to be
able to say to their Kaiser that racial
differences among the allies could not
be overcome and to offer proof the
uuarrels among the prisoners.
German intrigue was responsible for
the Italian defeat. Not that command
ers or troops were bribed. Thousands