New-York tribune., 1918-05-16
Committee Here Begins
Campaign to Combat Anti
American Propaganda
Appeal Is Made
For u. S. Soldiers
Demonstration of Military
Power Would Strengthen
Morale of Italians

Germany has launched another great
propaganda in Italy, this time directed
against the United States. Alarming,
reports of the scope of this second ef-
tort to undermine the morale of the
Italian armies and people have been re-
celved by Federal authorities in the
last twentyfour hours.
ne substance of these reports was
made known yesterday to the executive
committee of the Italy America So
clety, which met at the Lawyers Club
TO complete arrangements for the fes-
tivities that are to mark the celebra
ton of ltalyAmerica Day here on
May "a. Immediately the committee
dropped all other business and devoted
itself to devising means whereby the
spread of this propaganda might be
checked
Need of U. S. Troops
Following the meeting Of the COM
mlttee, it was announced that prime
antidote against German treachery
would be the immediate dispatch of
American troops to the Italian front.
These troops, the committee sug-
gests, should be, if possible, of Italian
lineage. 1t is proposed that they be
landed in Sicily and move from there
to Rome and thence to the battlefront,
following in SO far as is possible the
giorious path blazed by Garibaldi and
his "red shirts"
BY march Of this sort, the com
mittee believes, the propagando-poi-
soned population of Italy would be at
last convinced that America is in the
war to help her allies win and not for
purposes of selfish aggrandizement.
Situation Is Serious
According to reports received by the
authorities, the situation in Italy to-
day is not unlike the condition i'm
medately before the debacle of last
year. with one main difference. Last
year German agents were stirring up
hate Of Britain in Italy. BY the rush
OF British troops to the aid Of the
wavering Italian army, these state
ments were definitely refuted.
Now the Kaiser's spy system in Italy
is using its venom against the United
States.
The Italians are being told that Amer
iica will never get troops to any num-
ber to Europe because of the fear of
popular uprisings at home.
They are being told that Italian-born
citizens of the United States are on
the verge of revolt against service in
our army
They are being told that America is
in this war simply for what she can
get out of it; that it was started by the
moneyed interests, who hope thereby to
obtain mortgage on the continent of
Europe, and that President Wilson de-
clared war following visit from a
certain power in the American financial
world.
These stories are dressed up in the
most fantastic forms, and are being
circulated not alone by Germany's
agents, but also by the disloyal element
among Italians.
To Combat Propaganda
Certain Of the measures that the
committee has adopted to counteract
this propaganda cannot be revealed at
present, owing to military exgencies.
Following the meeting, it was said that
among the measures taken four could
be made public:
1. Hamilton Holt, now in London.
has been directed by cable to proceed
at once to Italy and cooperate there
with the staff of the Committee on
Public Information and with the Italy