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Show SCARES. In every part of the country rumor-! rumor-! mongers have been busy circulating re-j re-j ports of disasters to American ships or j men. It is quite possible that rumors j of this kind would arise, even if there were none eager to circulate thorn. : But unfortunately there are pro-German pro-German sympathizers who delight to foment fear and worry among the mQthers who have given their sons to the cause of the country. They hope to discourage enlistments in the array and navy. Some weeks ago a story spread over the whole, land that there had been a great sea fight between the British and American navies on the one side and the German navy on the other. The rumor wrent into dot ail, listing fifty-six fifty-six British, four American and only nine German vessels as sunk. The report re-port was circulated with, the utmost assiduity, although there was not even a thread of a shred of truth to it. A few days ago a rumor floated into Salt Lake that an American troop transport had been sunk. Once again the rumor-makers went into detail. They said that a certain regiment of United States infantry had gone down with the ship. It was a falsehood made out of whole cloth and yet it probably is being circulated throughout the land. This is one method of making war upon tho United States. It is designed de-signed to create a " psychological panic," pan-ic," if we may be permitted to apply one of President Wilson 's phrases to our own purposes. But, like so many other German plans, it is apt to go awry. In tho end it will stir up fury against those who so abuse the liberty we give them. The rumor-mongers are toying with dynamite. |