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Show THE CITIZEN 6 SCOPE OF PROPAGANDA everyone, the business and the lawyer as well as the iron worker and the carpenter. There is no class consciousness, therefore When most people think of foreign propaganda at all they no agitation. Everybody has a good time together. There is no visualize it as merely the effort of certain foreign newspapers need or call for class demonstration. and foreign newspaper correspondents to bring about in Amerj ica a state of mind favorable to the particular country which they NEW WORRIES SOUGHT represent. Those of us who think that foreign propaganda goes no The metropolitan newspapers recently carried dispatches from Geneva to the effect that the League of Nations might feel farther than this would do well to read the series of articles called upon to interfere or use its good offices as the diplo- written by Arthur Searles Henning, the well known corresponddisent of the Chicago Tribune, who has made an exhaustive survey mats put it, in trouble in South America. The Tacna-Aric- a pute of recent note between Chile and Peru was cited as an ex- of the subject and who shows that the grand scheme is not a senample, and it was said that league diplomats would evince great timental one but a well organized movement to internationalize interest in the reception such an idea would have in the United the United States and to bring it under European influence for States. European and not American benefit. Up to this time the feeler sent out from Geneva has caused Speaking of only one of these international agencies, one no ripple in the placid surface of American politics. It is gen- which is endowed for millions of dollars and headed by a weH) erally known here just as it is known in Europe that the League known American educator, Mr. Henning declares that its real of Nations has now reached a new low point in its prestige and purpose is to get the United States into the League of Nations. influence in world affairs. The recent action of Lord Robert To promote internationalism it has established international Cecil is but another indication of this. mind alcoves in ninety public libraries and is beginning to de;The League has failed to meet requirements in one crisis velop such alcoves for children. The books in these alcoves after another. It has failed to bring about any disarmament in are of course of the kind arguing for internationalism as against Europe and there is no prospect in the immediate future for dis- Americanism and there is no way to estimate the influence they armament. It has been able to do nothing to help China, to help have in this direction. in the. many other disputes in Europe, as witness the Russo-Britis- h The same institution of course also advocates the cancellacrisis, the trouble between Italy and Serbia and the tion or reduction of the foreign debts, thus, as Mr. Henning puts numerous difficulties in the Balkans and along the Russian it, entailing a further burdening of American taxpayers, all for frontier. the purpose of allaying irritation of European countries at the It is evident therefore that the league has reached a low necessity of paying their debts. The reduction would involve a point in its history. With so many unsolved problems in Europe sacrifice by American taxpayers such as the British government the time hardly looks ripe for it to venture into fresh fields of has declared it would not impose upon British taxpayers, howtrouble like The latest gesture seems to be a ges- ever much its debtors might be irritated. Britain being sunk apture of diversion, designed to take the minds of the world off parently beyond.redemption in that national mindedness which what the league has failed to do in Europe. the endowment is striving to transmute in America into an enWe are all sorry that the League is unable to promote peace lightened international mindedness. and disarmament in Europe, but until it does, we will doubt the This is only one of many agencies which are conducting internationalist activities in America. These activities should all advisability of taking on new burdens across .the sea. come under the classification of foreign propaganda. Their purTHE CITY d American policies and pose is the breaking down of placing the United States in a position economically subservient Is the American city falling dowTn? Has it passed the limit to Europe. Of course they do not admit this and cloak their real where efficiency is possible I Other units, especially in the com- intention under platitudes about Tvorld peace and mercial world, have, collapsed beause of their very size. There international brotherhood. But. the serpent is there just the comes a point where expansion turns from contribution into same and the American people will do well to look out for it. drain; what was formerly an. assistance becomes a burden. In municipal service this is the general rule. Telephone companies FAILURE begin by advertising service and end by demanding curtailment ; the load becomes too heavy. Recently one of our largest cities The Federation News 'of Detroit, records that the unaniwas incapacitated because it rained for one day. In most large mous report of a committee of three North Dakota citizens, cities the people are drinking doctored water. Police protection composed of two .League members and one Indehas broken down everywhere. Municipal politics, while more pendent, appointed to investigate the affairs of the state mill respectable outwardly, lias scarcely changed from the old days, and elevator located at Grand Forks, North Dakota, was that as municipal scandals everywhere testify. And yet there is a after more than four years of continuous operation under on the part of all great cities to stretch their bound- state management, the state mill and elevator has been a comtendency ' aries. plete and disastrous failure in every important respect. City conditions have already driven millions beyond the The committee pointed out that no direct or indirect benefit limits into suburban communities. City governments seek resulted to the wheat producers of the state from the city d to reclaim these emigrants by including them in greater metromill and elevator; the market price of flour in North politan districts. It is possible for one with a sunny philosophy Dakota was not reduced ; large quantities of the flour were sold to believe that this too may be an excellent step, since it may at very heavy losses; cost to the state of maintaining the mill to tend drive millions still farther, into the country beyond the and elevator has already been approximately $1,250,000 withutmost reach of municipal inclusion acts. out allowance for taxes and substantially $4,500,000 of the orThe American city has passed the point where it can teach iginal cost is carried as bonded debt of the state. As to the anything further about community living. All its benefits may future: There are no indications that this state industry will now be established in the country districts, where most of its be able to make any better financial showing under state man- disadvantages can be prohibited. Dearborn Independent. agement in the future. The province of the state is government and not business, It is reported that France is coming to the United States and when it seeks to enter into business in competition with its to get another $100,000,000, which is in addition to what the private citizens, results have been almost uniformly disastrous American tourists are leaving there this year. with the taxpayers left to make up deficits. Latin-Americ- a. 9 time-honore- . high-soundi- ng . . . Non-Partis- . an . state-owne- 9 . . ; '1 |