Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-05-24
MAYBE SO; MAYsE NOT

Had truth been the basis of all the
stories Of famine and hunger which
have come out of Germany since
Great Britain established the blockade
early in the war, the kaisers empire
would have been community Of
death long ago. And so it is with a
generous portion of salt that we ac-
cept even the Washington assurances
that the situation really is critical.
Germany has established several
records since the war began, among
them being record for telling and
living lies which in their number and
knavishness entitle her to claim a
worlds championship. Most of the
large newspapers in the empire are
owned by junker syndicate and
strict censorship controls those which
might be independent If given an OPP
portunity. These conditions have en-
abled the wAr party, which controls or
is controlled by the government, to
spread among the people sort of
propaganda that seemed best calcu.
lated to serve the kaiser's ends.
From the beginning, the Germans
have been told that the war was
forced upon them and they have been
coerced into echoing that patent lie
even when they knew of Germany's
elaborate preparations for the conflict.
They have been urged to endure the
hardships Of war and to hate England
for their existence on the ground that
England, with her allies, had con-
spired to circle Germany with wall
of enmity which would have ruined
her commercially and left her the
prey to the jealousies and machine
tions of her rivals.
Cunningly the ground work for this
lie was laid in the minds of the Ger.
mans during the long years OF prelim-
mary propaganda, when they were
taught that kultur made of Germany
nation Of supermen, destined to rule
the world by sheer right and might
of intellect. Military preparedness
was necessary through all these years,
of course, to provide means of pro-
tecting this superior race and Its in
And when, in 1914, the blow fell. Ger
many's masses were ready to accept
and believe the excuses which the
kaiser and his government attempted
to offer to the world but which that
world rejected.
Such has been the condition Of the
Germans. Every hardship has added
to the score of grievances against
England and her allies, and there is
reason to believe that at first some
difficulties were invented merely to
fan to proper fever heat the preju-
dice and hatred for the enemy coun-
tries which had been dinned into the
hearts and minds of former genera
tons of German people.
Now, according to reports which
would be considered highly authentic
if they came from any other land than
Germany, there isNa real food short
age and genuine threat OF serious
famine. To the utmost we hope these
reports are true. But it would be
far more confident hope If such stories
had not filtered out of Germany so
often in the past.
To avoid disappointment and to pre-
vent the least slackening of the tardy
but growing American industry in the
direction of waging war, it is well to
await confirmation of these starva-
ton stories. If they are true. so much
the better, but on the chance that
they are lies, let's build some more
ships and save, some more food, grow
some bigger. crops and hasten the out
Iput-of munitions. We can esuExtEs q