New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19
Sc0tChed, but
Not Killed

SO the dangers pictured IN this biography
are not the dangers that menace America
TO day from this Reptie-these are dangers
nthat are past. But the reptile itself, with
its purposes and its methods and its powers
and it's host Of servants-it remains; and
from new quarters, and in new forms, but
with the same deadly poison it is at
lacking us and will continue to attack. The
governments secret services can do much
against it, our laws can do a little, but the
chief protection must be found in such
wide knowledge and understanding of the
reptile that its workings may be recognized
and thus be defeated by being revealed
whenever and wherever and in whatever
guse they may appear.
Fortunately for us, the Reptile has the
weaknesses of his breed, love of orderl-
ness in his crimes, passion for recorded
detail Of conspiracy and for filed documents
to mark his trail. Thousands of these rec
o.ds and documents have fallen into the
hands OF our government, and these, to-
gether with the confession of the Reptiles
agents, tell the greater part of what we
know about his life. SO this history is
really an autobiography-th autobiography
OF the German Reptile in America
This Reptiles work has been, and is and
VII be, the corrupting, trucking and de-
ceiying Of American public opinion, of our
morals, conscience, patriotism-the ruin and
killing Of our national soul. There have
been other German beasts at work among
the beast of frghtfulness, which sank
ships and bombed our factories, and the
beast of commercialism, which is only now
reaching its full strength. These all worked
nand III hand with the beasts Of mlitarism
and conquest which have devastated the
world
The purpose of them all is the same-th the
cxalting Of Germany at all cost. They have
been controlled by the Kaiser, but they did
not die when he abdicated. Nor has the
fall Of the German army and the destruc-
tlon Of her feet killed them They are OF
The breed Of Kultur, which is more than
government or an army
And the beasts are all alike; nowhere
Go they admit any recognition Ct the rights
Of others Of international law, Of common
decency They work through trickery and
deceit they depend on lying and crcum-
Ycution to gain their ends They consider
no damage too great TO nnict, no crime too
awful nor too vile 10 be glorious in their
eyes, i Il helps even a little toward those
ends. Not all Of their agents whose names
appear in the records have sunk 20 low, but
apch are the souls Of the beasts
with the new revelations Of the Ovcrrnan
inteetigation it ID possible to trace accu-
Iateiy the forms through which these pur-
poses nave been put into effect by the Rep
tic 81 the propaganda in America. az those
forms have changed 10 meet the changing
conditions There came first lies about the
cause Of the war, Qlorhcation Of German
virtues and purposes, more lcs about Bel
gum. and a. soon al the German armies
met check, lies about it and It's invinci-
bDlly. soon appeared attacks upon the Al
Ice, truthful where the truth would servc
miro ilcs wheu thefe was nothing else at
hand. heae centred on Britain and Rus-
tias Then came the effort ~ prevent the
Shipment If munitions and food to the Al
lics. Dacked ~ dishonest arguments about
German salcs Of rnuf( ions TO others, and
ai"ass fbe appeal - hmcrica's hatred Of