New-York tribune., 1921-01-02

tive agencies In modern warfare,
but the chief element in such propa-
rsnda must be truth. Such may be
taken az the theme Of Sir Campbell
.,tusrt's book, The Secrets Of Crewe
House, in which the story Of British
propagands is told in detail.
The suthor, who was deputy direc-
tor of the propaganda department, says
Germsny's very energetic propaganda
effort miscarried because, on the mis-
.aken assumption that the war would
be over before they could be checked
up in anything they might say, the
Germans made use Of misstatements
and overstatemcnts. These eventually
wrought harm to the Central Empires.
Under Way in 1918
British propaganda did not become
effectively organized until February
1918, when Viscount Lord Northcliffe
accepted the Prime Minister'S invita-
tion to become Director of Propaganda
IN Enemy Countries.
Sir Campbell Stuart makes no men
ion Of the brilliant, though unor-
ganized, work that had been carried
on before the organization of the COM
nittee-work in which the efforts of
such writer's as Arnold Bennett, H. G.
Wells, Sir Gilbert Parker and others
had been enlisted. That propaganda,
however, had been carried on mostly
in neutral countries, especially the
United States. Lord Northcliffe's COM
mittee was organized chiefly for the
purpose of carrying propaganda into
enemy countries.
One can imagine the satisfaction Of
Lord Northcliffe at securing the con-
sent of II. G. Wells to act as chief Of
the campaign against the Germans on
the Western front. Among the other
members OF the committee were Rob-
ert Donald, then editor of The Daily
Chronicle; Sir Roderick Jones, manag-
lng director of Reuters Agency, and H.
Wickham Steed, foreign editor and
later editor in chief of The London
Times.
Mr.. Wells's association with the COM
mit.ee was brief, but it was sufficient
TO enable him to draw up a character
istic memorandum on the position Of
Germany at that time, from the point
4 view Of propaganda. Mr.. Wells de-
Jared, in his memorandum, which is re-
printed in Sir Campbell Stuart's book,
hof hot be III IT,
s, What is to happen after the war !?
The real war aim Of belligerent, it is
more and more understood, is not mere
y victory, bat a peace OF certain
character which that belgerent de-
Sizes shall arise out OF that victory.
What, therefore, is the peace sought by
he Allies?'
Mr.. Wells, in his memorandum, goes
IN TO say that the war aims Of the anti
German countries take more and more
ietnitely the form Of world of states
eagued together to maintain 8 common
aw, TO submit their differences to a
conclusive tribunal, to protect weak
communities, to restrain and suppre SIS
war threats and war preparations
throughout the earth" Mr.. Wells's
outline, after discussion and modfica-
ton in some points, was made the
OASIS Of actual propagandist operations
against Germany. The movement for
a League of Nations was kept promi-
nent, for, according to Sir Campbell,
1t was Z threat of future isolation,
Nth it's resultant economic dsabilf-
les, yet it was an invitation to ma
lonal repentance"
Appealed to Workers
Another line of action was an An.
peal TO German workers, Mr.. Wells
arranging for the preparation of q
snort and compact summary Of Brit
ish labor war aims. The economic
note was stressed, no opportunity be-
ng lost to bring home to the Germans
The conviction that the longer they
persisted in continuing the war, 20 would
heir loss and sufferings increase. Amer
can strength on the war front was con-
itantly emphasized
Priority" leaflets, containing ma.
ser.ai Of news character, such as {
recital If German defeats, and "stock'
'eaaets, which contained matter Of les.
Urgent character, were prepared anc
distributed behind enemy lines. 1r
lime and July, 1918, nearly 1000, ,00t
ieaaets were dropped behind the Ger.
nan lines, and during August an av
erage OF 100000 day was maintained d
German writer picturesque1y de.
scr!bed the food Of leaflets az eng
Afh poison raining down from Cod.
risar SKY" Marshal von Hindenburt
IN his Autobiography declares this t.
oe new weapon, cor, rather, on.
Which had never been employed o,
s1ch scale and 20 ruthlessly in tn,
past" The Marshal admits tha
Propaganda intensified the process O.
Serman demorshza.ion.
The most striking actual success O
TIE propaganda had been obtaine,
Sgalnst Austria-Hungary before tn
ccrman campaign was launched. Lor,
@orthelifc, with the assistance c,
H1eknan Steed and Or. Seton Watson
2uf into effect propaganda whici
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