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Show A CAMPAIGN OF HATEINBERLIN German Mind Was Systematically Systema-tically Prepared for Break With United States. (By Carl W. Ackerman.) While piofesslng. officially, her friendship for the United States, the Genua government has been secretly preparing the German mind for war since the sinking of the Lusitania. German officials realized that unless the people were encouraged to hate and to suspect President Wilson and the United States it would be impossible impossi-ble for them to have the public support sup-port when the break came. The German people must always have a reason A war or a break in diplomatic relations had to be "justified." "justi-fied." So whllo Germany maintained a propaganda bureau in America to "explain" "ex-plain" Germany and to maintain good relations, she started, also, in Germany Ger-many an extensive propaganda system sys-tem against Wilson Lnited Slates ambassador and Ameri-Cans Ameri-Cans in general. It was a propaganda of bate and very effective. Among! army officers the bitterness and hatred ha-tred of the United States are doeper and more extensive than the hatred of any other belligerent. It waB often said in Berlin: Germany hates Eng. land, fights France, suspects Russia J but loathe America," No one, not even American officials, questioned it. Light and Truth. In .T.MUKiry. U,, ,,, , Berlin a publication called Llghl and '"J"'- It was a 12-page circular in Luihhh and German, attacking President Pres-ident Wilson and the United State j opi a were sent by mall to all Amer-u Amer-u ftns and to hundreds of thousand-; oi Germans. It was edited and distributed distrib-uted by "The League of Truth " I. was the most sensational document printed in Germany since the begin-n'gKf begin-n'gKf the war againsl a power with which Germany was supposed to be at ' I peace. Page 6 contained two illustrations illustra-tions under the legend" WILSON AND HIS PRESS IS NOT AMERICA. Underneath was this paragraph: - "An American Demonstration On the 27th of January, the birthdav of the German emperor, an immense laurel lau-rel wreath, decorated with the German and American flags, was placed bv Americans Am-ericans al the foot of the monument to-Fredcriek the Great (In Berlin). The American flag was shrouded in black crepe Frederick the Great was the first to recognize the independence of the young republic after it had won Its freedom from the yoke of England, at the price of its very heart's blood through years of struggle His successor, suc-cessor, Wilhelni II, receives the gratitude grat-itude of America in tho form of hypocritical hypo-critical phrases and war supplies to his mortal enemy." One photograph was of the wreath itself. The other showed a group oi thirty-six people, mostly bovs. .standing .stand-ing In front of the statue after the wreath had been plated. Gerard on the Job When Ambassador Gerard learned about the "demonstration" he went to the statue and from there immediately immedi-ately to the foreign office, when h,. saw Secretary of State von JagOW. Gerard demanded instantaneous removal re-moval of tbe wreath. Von Jagow promised an "investigation." Gerard ; meanwhile, began a personal investigation investiga-tion of the "League of Truth." which had purchased and placed Uie insult there. Days, weeks, even months passed Von Jagow still refused to have ihe wreath removed. Finally Gerard wenl to the foreign office and told Von Jagow that unless it was taken away that day he would get if himself and send it by courier to Washington. That evening Gerard walked to the statue. The wreath had disappeared. Week by week the league continued Its propaganda. Gerard continued his investigation. Bloody Hand Desecration. July 4, 1916, another circular was scattered broadcast. On page 1 was a large black cross. Pages 2 and 3. the inside, contained a reprint of tho "Declaration of Independence," with the imprint across the face of a bloody hand. Inclosed in a heavy black border bor-der on page 4 were nine versos by John L. Stoddard, the lecturer, entitled en-titled "lilood-Traffickers." Three verses: Cowards, who kill three thousand miles away. See the long line of shrouded forms increase ! Yours is this work, disguise it as yoi may; But for your greed the world wen now at peace. You. who prolong this hideous hell oi earth, Making a by-word of your native land Stripped of your wealth, how paltry ii your worth ! See how men shrink from contact with your hand! There is pollution in your blood smeared gold There is corruption in your pact with death. Then, la dishonor in the lie, oft-told. Of your "Humanity!" 'Tis empty breath. Inciting German-American. The league made an especial appeal to the "German-Americans " Germany. US WA B nnln t nH mil Ir, n ! v''vui cuticle, cu-ticle, counts upon some German-Americans as her allies. One day Ambassador Ambas-sador Gerard received a circular entitled enti-tled "An Appeal to All Friends of Truth." The same was sent in German Ger-man and English to a mailing list of many hundred thousands. Exposing the Propaganda. Gerard's investigation showed that a group of German-Americans in Berlin were financing the "League of Truth"; that a man named William P, Marten, who posed as an American, was the head, nnd that the editors and writers of the publication "Light and Truth, " v.. re beiiu: assisted by the Foreign Office Press Bureau and protected bv the general staff. An American dentist den-tist in Berlin. Dr. Charles Mueller, was chairman of the league. Mrs. Annie Neumann-IIofer. the Amerlean-born wife of Neumunn-Hofer of the reich-stag, reich-stag, was secretary. Gerard reported other names to the state department, and asked authority to take away the passports of Americans who were assisting as-sisting the German government in this propaganda. The "league" heard about the ambassador's am-bassador's efforts and announced that a "Big Bertha" issue would be published pub-lished exposing Gerard. For several iiiuiuiis me propagandists worked to collect data. One day Gerard decided to go to the league's offices and look at the people who were directing It. In the course of his remarks the ambassador ambas-sador said that if the foreign oft ice didn't do something to suppress the league immediately he would burn down the plaee The next day Marten and his co-workers went to the royal administration ol the superior court, No. 1. In Berlin, and through his attorney, at-torney, lodged a criminal chnrge of "threat .of arson" against the ambassador. ambas-sador. The next day Germany was flooded with letters from the League of Truth saying: "The undersigned committee of the League of Truth to their deepest regret re-gret felt compelled to inform the members mem-bers (hat Ambassador Gerard had become be-come involved In a criminal charge involving threat of arson. All American citizens are now asked whether an ambassador who acts so undignified at the moment of a formal threat of a wholly unnecessary war is to be considered worthy further ' tu represent a country like the Fnited States?" Wore H not for the fact that at this time President Wilson was trying to impress upon Germany the seriousuess of her continued disregard of American Ameri-can nnd neutral lives on the high seas |