The Nenana daily news. (Nenana, Alaska) 1918-1921, 1919-06-24
ANII-AMER|CAN
ARTICLES APPEAR
IN GERMAN PRESS

American propaganda is being pub
lished in German newspapers by
German newspapermen who have
visited the Rhine zone occupied by
the American army. Some of their
writings set forth what purports to
be their own opinions of the con-
duct of the Americans or the feel
ings OF the Germans in the occu-
pied territory.
The writings of one German in
Leipzig newspapers have afforded
amusement to the American intelfi-
gence officers, though he wrote
with the evident intention to put
Americans in a bad light before the
German civilians.
"On accouM of the sundry an
noying acts of the authorities" he
writes, "the population is not at all
satisfied with the American occu-
patton and is loud in its abuse of
these molestations, though, to be
sure, this is all kept within closed
walls. Nobody dares to make any
criticism in public since recen:
heavy sentences were imposed on
those guilty of careless rumors :"
Civilian visitors from unoccupied
Germany expect to find great stocks
of food in all stores, many coming
to the occupied area with the hope
of securing supplies for themselves
and taking some back with them.
This is not allowed Regarding food
the writer in the Leipzig news
paper says:
There have been all kinds of
stories in Leipzig recently about
the marvellous things one can pur-
chase in the American occupied ter
ritory. 1t was related that Ameri-
can stores had been established
where all kinds of food was sold
at unbelievably low prices That
is all very true-but the German
inhabitants are permitted only to
look at all these beautiful articles.
They can buy nothing. Everything
is for the troops only. And only
to be gazed at by the Germans are
the doughnuts, the savory odors Of
which fill the city of Coblenz, and
which are baked from early morn
ing until late at night by the Amer
lean soldiers in no less than twenty
great bakeries"
% The writer also touches on the
work Of the military police. saying:
- very unpleasant institution in
Coblenz is the spy system. Posses
sion Of American property is for
hidden. Whoever buys from Ameri-
can soldiers cigarettes, food, shoes
and clothing and is caught with
the goods is punished with drastic
fine or prison sentence"
Summarizing, after writing sew
eral columns, the writer says in
conclusion:
"Disregarding the arrogant be-
havior Of the conqueror, the Amer
cans in Coblenz and the bridgehead
on the right of the Rhine conduct
themselves in very proper man
ner. Of course, there are cases of
disturbances by soldiers now and
then, but if an American soldier
tries to assault a German and q
military policeman is near enough
to arrest the soldier, one may rest
assured that the military court viii
punish the American accordingly.
'.All in all, judgment of the Amer
leans may be summed up thus:
They do not in reality behave worse
than would any other army Of oc-
cupation, although the soldiers an
noy it in many respects. And that
is desirable state of affairs.
Thereby the idea of separation.
which has already made considerable
progress here and there in the
Rhineland, will lose more and more
OF its supporters, and it will be
easier for the people of the Rhine
lands to remain a part of the en-
pire."
h.