The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-09-14
CHANGED SENTIMENT IN
MEXICO.

| American Publicity. Campaign Has
Gained More Respect for Our Gov
er,lment and People.
Mexico City, Sept. Correspond
ence, of The Associated Press)-The
American publicity campaign IS
| showing results in Mexico. The
| widespread dissemination fact,
concerning the war aims and accom-
plishments of the United States are
according to foreigners long resident
here, bringing about change OF
sentiment, which, if not characteriz
able as love for Americans, may al
least be called respect !
| The effect of the Allied blacklist
becomes more noticeable daily. The.
Germans apparently have much less
money than formerly to spend OF
propaganda. German firms, forced
to deal in hidden ways to secure
even the smallest imports from the
States, are less prosperous. Ar.
rogance of German officials and bus
mess men in public places is decreas-
ing. Since it became known that
four members of the: American club
alone in the building at the time
evicted thirteen Germans who invad-
ed the club: there have been no fur
ther outbreaks.
Posters. pamphlets, reading mat
ter for newspapers, war photographs
for window display, daily Official
cabled reports, reading rooms, NOV
ing pictures and authoritative state
ments by American officials on inter-
national questions, are among the
means adopted by the United States
government ITO change the Ions
standing dislike for Americans ina
have prevailed in Mexico.
Through these various channels tins
war. aims of the United States. its
ACCOMPLISHMENTS in the raising OF {,
huge army, the sending Of a million
and a half men overseas in recorc
time, its achievements in building
merchant marine, its enormous wal
expenditures, and the unity OF II
people, are being brought to the at
tention of the, intelligent Mexican
public in way never before attempt
ed The campaign also is having lts
effect on the American. residents
who, armed with facts and en-
couraged by news Of American sue
cesses in battle, are doing vigorous
personal missionary work.
a. Another effect OF the truth cam.
paign is the disclosure Of the falslts
of the, news reports regarding Ger
man successes and aims, for Wh4cn,
Teuton propa!gandists are RESPONSE
BILE. It has been shown that the
German papers published here az
not receive the news in the way the,
advertise, that it is taken from
American papers smuggled across.
the border at Laredo, distorted IN the
rewriting and then telegraphed tc
German papers in the capital ana
other cities.
Outward signs of the increase N
pro-ally sentiment are the number
of newspapers seeking news report;
from American sources, the amount:
of space given in periodicals to alliec
war news, the increase. in the num-
Der of posters that are not mutllat-
ed, the additions to the ranks of pro-
ally publications of numerous new
periodicals and the growing popular
ity of, allied moving picture films.
When President Wilson, Genera
Pershing, the American flag and
marching American soldiers first ap-
peared some time ago on the screen
in. a down town motion picture theatre
there was "a protest. Recently, in
theatre holding more than 1000 spec
tators, in p poor district where anti
American sentiment has been high.
there was not a nnurmur when viz
tually the same characters filckered
on the screen. In fact. one ardent
pro-ally Mexican had to be forcibly
prevented from making an antl-Ger-
man speech.
According to mining and sn1elter
men, reports that German interests
are buying up huge areas Of miner
al and oil lands are quit" contrary
to the facts. They assert that Ger
man mining interests are in sore
straits and that no ore produced in
German owned mine is being smelr-
ed.
There also is noticeable lack Of
the anti-American satire that form
erly pe,.vaded certain theatrical per-
formances given in the capital. Re-
Gently a we'll known star put on 2
pro-ally sketch and achieved som.e
measure of success with it.
That the Germna ropaganda
| leaders have realized II machine
is slipping a cog is shown by the
| we'll authenticated report that the
management of Ell Democratic. a
! leader in attacks on the United States
is to be changed. The post has been
occupied by Rafael Martinez, dep
uty. known under the pen name o!
Grip Rip" who was elected TO :hH
l ri