Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-04-21
PRAISE METH0DSOF
Berlin PROPAGANDA
Swedish Statesmen Forced to
Admire Its Completeness
and Effectiveness.
GERMANY USING MUCH INK

By the Associated Press.
STOCKHOLM. March 15.-German
propaganda in Sweden and other Scan
dinavian nations no longer is ill-direct-
ed or inefficient, in the opinion of the
statesmen of the countries in which 1t
operates. On the contrary. it chal-
lenges even unwilling admiration in
Sweden for it's completeness and eff
fectiveness
In the early days Of the war the en-
tente powers and America extracted
considerable amusement from German
methods of propaganda for the reason
that they seemed to be based On an al
most absolute failure to understand
the psychology of the non-Germanic
peoples.
Undeterred by earlier failures. the
Germans have kept at work here and
have organized system of propa-
ganda which is regarded as tireless,
Intelligent and. without doubt. eff
fective.
The organization centers around
three undertakings, all organized by
Germans but, in accordance with Swed-
ish law. directed by Swedes. These are
the magazine Jorden Rundt, (The
World Around). The Picture Central"
and the Polar Star Biograph."
Agencies Housed in Same Quarters.
All three undertakings are housed in
the same quarters. The exploits of the
German army are graphically illustrat-
ed by word. by picture and cinema
films Gigantic maps. with events kept
up almost to the hour. show the prog
ress of the German armies. The new
est 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 a German
soldier does some individual act of
kindness. cinema operator Is there to
record it and the Swedish patrons of
the Polar Star have opportunity to ad-
mire 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 Lu-
cius, the minister, is himself keen.
wide-awake Individual. fully alive to
the value of printers ink and alert to
seize every opportunity to make propa-
ganda or to explain anything that
needs explanation. As an instance OF
weeks ago, when the morning papers
published Trotzky's expose of Ger
manys attitude toward the Aland Is
lands, 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,
complete answer to Trotzky.
Speeches Received Too Late.
This is but one of scores of similar
instances. Lucius relations to the
press-and not merely to the pro-Ger-
man press-are most friendly. and he is
always sure of a sympathetic hearing,
whether the other party is IN agree
ment with him or not.
To dam this flood of propagaEJa the
allied powers offer comparatively little.
Since America entered the war an Of
fort has been made from Washington
to secure adequate publication in Swe-
den of important speeches by President
Wilson and other leaders. and reports
of important decisions of different
bodies, progress or recruiting, etc.
These efforts, anG particularly as re-
CARDS speeches, are foredoomed to fail
ure by the fact that the speeches are
cabled too late.
President Wilson's speeches have
reached Sweden from two to four days
after summaries of them had been re-
ceived here. No Swedish editor. after
having used a 500-word summary, will,
half week later, devote much space
to the text of the same speech