The Daily News. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1915. WHERE THE GERMAN SCORES.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 October 1915, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1915. WHERE THE GERMAN SCORES.

One of tin' surprises of tlic present war situation is the attitude of the small neutral nations, especially those in the .Balkans. One would think that they could on obvious facts discriminate as to what side lie their interests. A victory for Germany, they should know, means the crushing of the small nations anil the ultimate absorption of their territories; a victory for the Allies, on the other hand, means the death-blow to the wicked doctrine that might is right and the preservation of the integrity of the small nations. The ruthless treatment of Belgium should have sii/lieedliut judging from recent events it has not. Why? * Because the Germans have all along been conducting a vigorous, untiring propaganda in every neutral country. They have subsidised the Press, and where they could not subsidise they have bought newspapers; they have used the cinematograph to show how humane and successful are their methods; they have paid agents all busily employed in pushing the interests of their cause. When, they Have tailed to coax they have bullied,

and no means have been too unscrupulous for them to employ in carrying out their object. A neutral correspondent who lias been contributing some interesting articles to the London Times gives an insight into the work of tiie Hermans in neutral countries. He allege-; that not only have they entrenched themselves in the Press of every neutral country, but that they have also greatly inlluenccd the British Press. He mentions that with two exceptions, all the little neutral States of Kurope loathe Germany. But they all 4>ar her and in increasing degree. Jn many of these countries the average citizen is so afraid of expressing his opinion about Germany that it is not until you have won his confidence that he will tell you what he thinks. Mixed up with this fear is a certain kind of sneaking admiration for Germany's war progress. The correspondent further says that early in the war Great Britain was greatly feared in Kurope. There was a hazy notion In some neutral countries that the British fleet would immediately demolish that of Germany. A certain rash speech of one of the British Oa'binet Ministers about "digging out the German fleet' 1 carried conviction. These neutrals have not realised, and do not realise, that

fca warfare to-Uny is likely to be as long ua in the days of Nelson and Villeneuve. Tile whole world, indeed, is not yet awake to the fact that modern changes have not reduced the duration of war. Within a few weeks of the war, German-inspired newspapers and individual Germans began preaching the doctrine of the "bottled-up British fleet."; The exploits of the Emden and Goebcn were "boomed'' by German agents in the neutral's particular country. All this was accompanied by very line naval cinematograph lilms—obviously taken ~';t<ire tile war began—and articles by ffiacman naval authorities. Since then there has been an incessant campaign of advertisement of German naval prowess* Long before anything was really known about the. sinking the Lusitania, neutrals were informed that her having passengers on board was a cunning scheme

of Great Britain to enable her to import those shells which her refractory workpeople declined to, make, Thus it is that in most neutral countries to-day the whole Lusiiania tragedy lias been minimised and befogged. The writer claims that Turkey was lost to the Allies' cause owing to German pressure and propaganda. That propaganda was, to his own knowledge, conducted by an extremely astute newspaper manipulator—formerly in London—Baron von Kuhlmann. The arrival 0 f the Goebcn and Ureslau, no doubt, assisted, but for weeks disgraceful lies were disseminated through Turkey about the Allies, accompanied by bribes and threats. The Turks, who had hitherto been admirers of the English, were told that the British Meet were interned, that London was in a state of terror from Zeppelins, and even more fantastic lies—such as the statement that King George was begging for peace from the Emperor William. It is idle to pretend that such propaganda is beneath notice, remarks the neutral correspondent. Tl.i- propaganda tolls—especially when it is backed up by liberal linaneial bribes and promises of other peoples' territory. To him it was sometimes really remarkable that the little neutral countries have held out against, such bullying, cajolery, bribery and. lying. The writer continues:—"There is an old snyint; t'nt. if you give a lie a start, you can never catch it up. The quickness of the German Government, tiie corrupt fisrman news service and the Wolff Agency—with its countless ramifications throughout Knrope—should be checked hi such countries as still maintain their neutrality. At one time the speedy circulation

of the Brycc Koport in the lawguag* of the country to which it *\\rM Save been sent might have produced effect. It is too late now. For lite Germans forestalled you by instantly circulating the statement that Belgian women had mutilated Herman wounded. That was published far and wide long before the accusations against Germany were made by the Allies. T have been present at the curious spectacle of a German faintly admitting that excesses may have been committed by the army, while a GermanSwiss flatly contradicted him." The modern German Ambassador, Minister or Consul is a propagandist. He it is who buys and influences newspapers. He secures German advertisements for publications that cannot be bought en bloc, lie assists needy journalists, lie sees to the distribution of cinematograph films extolling the German army and navy. He anticipates the very feeble propaganda of the Allies by contradicting it before it is widely circulated. An American journalist told the writer that all the work of the American writers who have been living with the German armies, or making the kind of Cook's tours that are arranged for others of them, is carefully collated and watched. .No favors are again granted to those who venture to criticise. Hotelkeepers in neutral countries are used for propaganda purposes. The whole sordid business is as foreign to the ideas of most neutrals as is the use of poisonous gas. but it must be met. The lies so ceaselessly distributed .should he combatted. There seems to be no limit to Teuton villainy, which the Allies should endeavor to expose in every neutral country.