Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1918-04-19
GERMANS SPREAD
LIES IN SWEDEN
How Enemy Spies Work
Among Simple Folk of the
NorSeland

! spondence of the Associated PressO
German propaganda in Sweden and
other Scandinavian nations no longer
is ill-directed or inefficient. in the
| opinion of the statesmen of the coun.
tries in which it operates. On the
contray, it challenges even unwilling
admiration in Sweden for its COM
pleteness and effectiveness.
In the early days of the war the
entente powers and America extract
ed considerable amusement from Ger
man methods of propaganda for the
reason that they seemed TO be based
on an almost absolute failure to un-
derstand the psychology of the non
Germanic peoples.
Undeterred 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, ef.
fcctivc.
The organization ccnters around
three undertakings. all organized by
Germans but, in accordance with the
Swedish law, directed by Swedes.
These are the magazine Jorden Rundt
tThe World Around), the Picture
Central" and the Polar Star Bio
graph"
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 ar
mics. The newest bulletins are dis
| played. Visitors are loaded with
pamphlets and books. some OF them
of such character that they form per-
manent additions to a reference Ii.
brary. Whenever a German soldier
does some individual act of kindness
a cinema operator is there to record
it and the Swedish patrons of the Po-
lar Star have opportunity to admire
| il.
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 n
keen, wide.awake individual, fully
| alive to the value of printers ink and
alert to seize every opportunity to
make propaganda or to explain any
| thing that needs explanation. As an
! instance of this may be cited the fact
that. some weeks ago, when the morn
ing papers published Trotsky's expose
Of Germany's attitude toward the
Aland Islands, the noon papers of the
same day contained a column-long ar
ticle by Baron Lucius, full of clever
casuistry and forming. for the uncrit-
iCal reader, a complete answer to
Trotsky.
This is but one of scores Of similar
instances. Lucius' relations to the
press-and not merely to the pro,
German Dress-arc most friendly. and
he is always sure of 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 publ
cation in Sweden of important speech
cs by President Wilson and Other
leaders, and reports of important de
= cisions of different bodies, progress
r or recruiting etc. These efforts, anC
' particularly as regards speeches, ar,
= foredoomcd to failure by the fact tina
- tho speeches are cabled too late.
President Wilson's speeches hay
reached Sweden from two to fou
i days after summaries OF them ha
II been received here. No Swedish ed
? tor. after having used n 5OO.word sun
mary will. half n week later devot
much space to the text of the sam
NJ speech.
->s .