The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-04-18
HUN PROP ACANDA
EFFECTIVE AMONG
SCANDINAvANS
Swedish Laws Govern Or
ganization by the Ger
man Agents.
THREE DEPARTMENTS
HOUSED IN ONE SPOT
Exploits Of Army Graphical
~ Illustrated By Word
and Picture.

Stockholm, April 1S-German pro- |
paganda in Sweden and other Scan
dinavian nations no longer is ILL |
directed or inefficient, in the opinion
of the statesmen of the countries in
which it operates. On the contrary,
it challenges even unwilling admira-
ton in Sweden for its completeness
and effectiveness.
In the early days of the war the
Entente powers and America, extract
ed considerable amusement from
German methods of propaganda for
the reason that they seemed to be
based on an almost absolute failure
to understand the psychology of the
non-Germanic peoples.
Underterred by earlier failures the
Germans have kept at work here and
have organized a system of propa-
ganda which is regarded as tireless,
intelligent and, without a doubt, eff
fective.
The organization centres around
three undertakings, all organized by
Germans but, in accordance with
ONOOASI law, OlIeCIcu NY OWSOSS'
These are the magazine Jorden
Rundt, (The World Around), The
| Picture Central and the Polar
Star Biograph.''
| All three undertakings are housed
in the same quarters. The exploits
of the German army are graphically
illustrated by word, by picture and
cinema films. Gigantic maps, with
events kept up almost to the hour,
show the progress of the German
! armies. The newest bulletins are
! displayed. Visitors are loaded with
pamphlets and books, some of them
| of such character that they form
permanent additions to a reference
library. Whenever German SOL
der does some individual act of
kindness a cinema operator is there to
record it and the Swedish patrons of
the Polar Star have opportunity 70
admire it.
Two large printing firms turn out
vast quantities of pamphlets with
which the Swedes are inundated.
The German legation has trained
| Journalists on its staff, and Baron
| Lucius, the minister, is himself a
! keen, wide-awa.ke individual, fully
alive to the value of printers ink
and alert to seize every opportunity
to make propaganda or to explain
anything that needs explanation. As
an instance of this may be cited the
fact that, some weeks ago, when the
morning papers published Trotzky' S
expose Of Germany's attitude toward
the Aland Islands, the noon papers
| of the same day contained a column
long article by Baron Lucius, full of
clever casuistry and forming, for the
uncritical reader, a complete answer
to Trotzy.
This is but one of scores of sim
liar instances. Lucius' relations to the
press-and not merely to the pro-
German press-are most friendly, and
he Is always sure of a sympathetic
hearing, whether the other party is
in agreement with him or not
To dam this flood of propaganda
the allied powers offer comparatively
little. Since America entered the
war an effort has been made from
: Washington to secure adequate pub
; LEGATION in Sweden of important
l speeches by President Wilson and
other leaders, and reports of impor-
> tant decisions of different bodies pro-
gress or recruiting, etc. These eff
: forts, and particularly as regards
: speeches, are fore-doomed to failure
r by the fact that the speeches are ca
! bled too late.
/ President Wilson's speeches have
S reached Sweden from two to -four
= days after summaries of them have
been received here. No Swedish
: editor, after having used a 500-wor6
j summary will, half week later, de.
g vote much space to the text of the
t same speech.