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Press, Volume LII, Issue 15658, 2 August 1916, Page 6

The present war situation is one which makes a more than usually severe demand upon the German ljcfactories, but it can hardly be expected that the enemy will not be equal to the task of circulating falsehoods. For more than a generation before the war the Germans had realised the usefulness of lying in the newspapers. They no longer make any secrot of their policy. A few weeks ago a Press Congress was hold at Chemnitz, and Dr. one of the leading journal, ists in Germany, waxed enthusiastic over the power and value of journalism. Ranging alongside tho weapons used by land, sea, and sky, ho said, and fighting battles behind the front on behalf of the Fatherland, the Press had become "the Fourth Arm."

Lying, however, has its disadvan- ■ tage3. After the Jutland battle the Germans published a ridiculously small list of their losses, and subsequently declared, more than onco, with the utmost emphasis and solemnity, that no German vessel had been lost expect those already named. Subsequently, it will be remembered, the German Admiralty admitted that tho Lutzow and Rostock had bcerj lost, and explained that tho loss had been concealed "for military reasons." There may or may not have been "military reasons" for reticencc, but what impressed the neutrals was the frank admission by the Admiralty that it had lied with solemn emphasis. The comment of the "Nieuws van den Dag" was typical of the criticisms of tho Dutch Press. "The very poople," it said, "who believed in tho reliability of the German reports will now bo startled to note that tho first Gorman communique contained conscious lies." It adds that Dutchmen can no longer trust a German official statement. In -Denmark, the unreliability of German communiques was also regarded as wellestablished. Tho American papers were frankly amused. They had nearly all believed the first German report, and had based some very silly comments upon it. They made up for this, however, by declaring that in future Germany could not be believed, and they pointed out that as Germany could lio "so glibly about tho Lutzow she could li© just as easily about anything else.

Mr Hughes, the Republican candidate for the Presidential office, has said that if tho Wilson Administration had really meant what it said about holding Germany to a "strict accountability" for any violation of American rights, the Lusitania would not have been sunk. This is probably quite true; at any rate it has long been manifest to the world that the Wilson Administration never had the slightest intention to go bevond tho writing of Notes. But this is ancient history now. What makes Mr Hughes's statement important, however, is its hint that as tho Republican nominee he is not in favour of anything less than a strong and oven brusciue attitude -towards Germany. This will mean not only that the Hughes Administration, if the Democrats are beaten, will see to it that Germany ceases to offend, but also that the many cases which are still unsettled will be taken up and vigorously pressed to a conclusion. In his message accepting nomination, Mr Hughes was j so splendidly vague and general in his language that nobodj could see in his words the smallest allusion to anything in the nature of a definite European policy. His latest statement, however, certainly appears to dispel any idea that he had no very strong views on the German issue. 4 We shall shortly begin to hear a good deal about the Presidential campaign, for the election itself is only three months' distant. As yet there are no very clear indications as to the lines upon which the American people are making up their minds. The Democrats, who are more skilful and ! unscrupulous, and more alert in their cunning way, than the Republicans aro already much busier than their opponents. In attending to petty details. and in omitting no opportunity, however ridiculous, to score a point, they are quite Teutonic. For instance, capital is being made out of tho fact that Mr Hughes, and Mr Fairbanks, the candidate for the Vice-President-ship, are men with luxuriant whiskers, ■while Dr. Wilson and Mr Marshall are clean-shaven. In America there is for some reason a strong prejudice against whiskers, and the Democrats do not intend to miss any of even the few voters to whom whiskers are more important things than ideas.