Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-12
SHEARER'S SECRET
PAPER ONLY A Joke
"Amazing Document" Is
Barred as Satire on
British Propaganda.
ny the Associated Press.

menJ OF Wullam b. SneaTer, naVa
propaganda, which was disclosed yes
terday to Senate investigators by DR.
w. j. Maloney of New York to be 9
"satirical skit on British propaganda
written by him was entitled in its origi-
nal form The Re-conquest of America.
1t was distributed at cents copy
In 1919 during the League Of Nations
controversy, DR.. Maloney said, and was
intended to offset propaganda for the
League" in this country. More than
100000 copies were distributed and 1t
was printed in serial form in the Ca
madam press. Former Postmaster Cen
eral Burleson barred it from the mails.
Purporting to be a note to Prime
Minicter David Lloyd George from the
British consulate in New York City, the
2a-page pamphlet began with an
analysis of the American mentality on
which hostility to England depended
and concluded with the suggestion that
the day prophesied by Mr.. Carnegie is
near at hand, the day when the Ameri-
can Colonies will be in all things one
with the motherland one and invisible. y
Document Was Unsigned.
The document was unsigned and DR..
Maloney explained that the inference
was left that it was written by Sir Will
liam Wiseman, chief of the British
secret service in America" in order to
give it an air of authenticity"
L analysed the American mentality
on which hostility to England depend
ed" the pamphlet said, and found it
composed chiefly of covetousness, pride,
fear and traditional ignorance. l then
suggested the formation here under Sir
Gilbert Parker of propaganda bureaus
to modify the prevailing ignorance, and
requested power to apply adequate So
cial and financial pressure in order to
satisfy native American ambition and
TO cater to the weaknesses which fed it"
After many references and suggestions
for fattering the President of the
United States, Woodrow Wilson, the
document proposed:
"A further suggestion, namely, that
playing card should be called the Presi-
cent, and should carry his picture,
ranking In play above the ace, king
/ mention but do not advocate"
The document also proposed that
the first session of the League of Ma
tons be held in Washington.
pride Should Be Exalted"
This will convince these simple
people" the report continued. that
they are the League and that its power
resides in them. Their pride in this
power should be exalted"
There was another suggestion that
"the approaching July 4 be robbed both
of its insult to us and its power to OBJ
struct our purpose, by q pompus cele-
bration in England"
1T might be called Americas day,
and its keynote might be get together
The President might be given credit
for the idea. The London dailieS might
be instructed as to their editorial and
news policy on that, day. There could
be q special American day issue of the
London Times, to which her majesty
the Queen and Mrs. Wilson, Sir James
Gerard, Sir John Pershing, Sir William
Sims and other American knights might
contribute. Mr., Taft nigh. write an
article TO show that the Carnegie
League to Enforce Peace-which is
looked upon here as o domestic 0rgani-
zation-is the parent body OF the
League of Nations. Mr.. Wickersham
and our other lawyers could show what
American liberty owes to the. English
legal system. Senator King and other
legislators could cite from President
wilson's work on government 70 snow
that the parliamentary system Is SUI
American legislative independence
based on our revolution OF 1888.
Senator Allen Comments.
Commenting later on the revelations,
Senator Allen, Republican, Kansas,
member of the investigating committee,
issued a statement asserting in part:
The disclosures touching the 'amaz-
ing secret document merely constitute
another revelation Of the gullibillty OF
those who employ professional lobbyists
at Washington. Shearer, glib and pre-
tentious as he was, had no dimculty In
selling his services to men OF great
business standing and OF unoounteo
ability. Altogether they have paid
him for various alleged services over
$4,000.
.He told them he could help them.
He knew more about Washington and
her official intrigue than they did. He
spoke a language with which they were
not acquainted; added to the gullibility
and ignorance upon which he preyeo,
was their greed for special privilege.
"Shearer was outstanding because he
fooled the elect. They were eager to
be fooled; they wanted the Geneva Con-
ference to fail; they wanted large
shipbuilding program launched, and
thew had certain friends in the admi-
rallies of both the United States and
Great Britain whose natural sympathies
were along the same line. 1t gave a
man OF Shearer's capacity fortunate
background.
whole Episode Is UnsavOry."
"The whole episode, of course, is un-
sayory. American big business men
have established q recognized standard
of honesty. Their employment OF the
Shearers of life indicates their willing
ness to depart from that standard on
certain occasions.
To-day most Senators decline to re-
ceive any man representing an indus.
trial interest. because they have learned
from bitter experience that the loppylSt
himself is very likely to write TO MS
employer a false account OF any meet
ing with a member OF Congress-.
The Senate committee laughed with
the crowd in the room as DR.. Maloney
unfolded his story and as he described
as stupid" all this fuss about It," The
so-called document was addressed to
Prime Minister David Lloyd George ana
was dated from the British consuIs
ONCE, New York City.
Gives Note to Readers.
A note to readers on the nyleat OF
the Maloney "skit" read:
"A carbon copy of this unsigned
document was sent TO us with an anony-
nous note stating that 1t had been
found near 500 Madison avenue. Az
that address there Is an apartment
house. Inquiry revealed that Sir VIII
liam Wiseman, chief of the British
secret service, had recently resided
there. The document showed internal
evidences Of authenticity, and 1t. more
over. revealed remarkable picture Of
the all-pervading system OF British IN
trigue in this country: so, after verify
ing such of the disclosures as the
sources at our command enabled US 70
investigate, we considered 1t TO be a