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GERMAN AGENTS IN SPAIN

THE GARDEN OF LIES

(By Fabian Vidal in the "Daily News.") Madrid. I will.begin this article by affirming that the Germans, whose propaganda in Spain has increased in activity sinco Rumania has ccased to figure in tho funds more or less secret, do not think solely of tho Spanish factor, but especially of tho South American factor; and not only for to-day, but in view of the. future, I will explain. Spain is neutral, and will remain, neutral; but by language, religion, and emigration sho exorcises an enormous influenco on Latin America. The. Germans know that after the war they will be lmnted from a large number of European markets. In regard to other markets they will havo to sustain a hard and merciless war—the war of tariffs. And they have turned their eyes to that part of America where tho Spanish language, is spoken." In South America there are two elements which exert a real and' merited preponderance. Ido not, for the moment, speak of Brazil, whoso ancestors were Lusitanians, and who is inclined towards 'the Allies. These two elements are' the Spaniard and the Italian. Wo know how the latter has escaped!! and become the enemy of the Germans. '. There remains the Spaniard. Now, the Germany know that collaboration so valuable in the commercial struggles of to-morrow can only be acquired if they can make themselves masters, by means "of the Press, of the opinion of the ancient metropolis. Let it bo said ■ that' in Spain tho book does not constitute an instrument of intellectual conquest., Only a small though brilliant minority submits to its influence. On the other hand, the periodical sheet, journal, or review, is an admirable weapon for propaganda. The Germans took note of this state of things very quickly, for within two months after the declaration of war they had organised their Press campaign. ' Old and New Spain. The results of this propaganda were soon seen. _ In August and September, 1914, thinking Spaniards—and I mean by these the Spaniards who did not remain indifferent, whether morally or intellectually, to the world conflict— were for the most part partisans of the Allies. In September, 1915j thanks to the patient and skilful campaign which incessantly lauded Germany and belittled France and Great Britain, tho bulk of public opinion became Germanophile. Well, we find ourselves to-day with a great revival, of this work of propaganda, the object of which is nothing less than tho Germanisation of Spanish consciences. But lot not the Entente Powers be duped by api pearances. It is hot for Spain that the German centres in Madrid, Barcelona. Valencia, Seville, Malaga, Bilbao, etc., fight; it is for Latin America. If one takes into .'account that the peojjle of the Argentine, Chile, Peruvia, and Colombia speak and write Spanish, and almost think in that language, one will understand! how Germany seeks _to dominate intellectually the old which remains, with ail her prestige, "the guardian of the historic traditions of all the , young American Republics. The initial movement would, therefore, he Spanish, and Latin America' would bend before tho Germanic will, or, at any rate, it would' not throw itself into the arms of England, France, and Italy. - ° Thousands of Germans are now studying Spanish, not only in Spain hut in the prisoners' camps in England and France. During my. visit to tho British front and to England in April last I spoke to numerous Germans, who told me that they were learning the language of Cervantes in order to go to South America after the war. It seemed that they were obeying ail order. Behind the German Press propaganda there is an immense commercial crusade. Do the Allies desire to accept battle on this ground, or do they disdainfully prefer to leave the field to the enemy. - . * German Spheres of Influence. As to the Germans in Spain,- lot me pass on to details. At Barcelona the Kaiser's agents, have bought' "El Dia Gratieo,'\ the manager oi which is a Turk, and the •'l'ribuna," two publications, containing numerous elective photographs, ''made in Germany." It is not necessary to ©numerate the periodical sheets which gravitate in the orbit ,of the German influence. Tho Germans attempted .to obtain possession of the great .Republican journal '•La Publicioad." ,A wealthy Catalonian manufacturer, a partisan, of tho Allies, prevented tlie sale; On the other hand, _ the evening newspaper with the largest circulation, "El Noticiero . Universal," swelled the ranks of the Kaiser's servitors.

All'thefclermanophile organs have orders to attack England, '"the cause of all the trouble," tlie attack to be tempered by a hypocritical eulogium of irance and her "valiant" army. The instructions received from Berlin aro definite—it is necessary to sow discord between tho French and English colonies in Spain. This discord will.jiot fail to produce its cffect in France . oad England.

There are other considerations. Tlio cadres of the Spanish ■ Srmy aro recruited almost exclusively among the middle class. Now it is precisely on this class that the German propaganda is directed. Tho Teutonic agents are spreading tho report that England would never possess a large army, and point to tho criticisms of military men as proof of what they assert. How can it be admitted that Great Britain, deprived of all military administration, could improvise an army " capablo o» measuring itself with the' battalions of tho Kaiser? How can such an army aspire to victory? Through Wolff's Agency! However, the impossible has become a reality. Only the chiefs and Spanish officers—with a few honourable exceptions —who are tied to the. Teutonic militarist ideology, refuse to accept tho evidence. Thoj Wolff-Agency remains their oracle in spite of its innumerable "acrogrammes," on an averago two every '24 hours,' sent to all tlio Spanish journals. These aerogrammes, like the drop of water piercing the rock, produce their effect. They propagate tho false idea. "Tho English they say. "Bluff! A body of meu without cohesion, without discipline, incapable of making veterans. . . . They are brave, it may be, but only to get themselves killed." Dhis is what the directing classes of tho Spanish army believe. It is thus that a number of officers categorically affijm that the battle of the Marno was nothing but a. manoeuvre of the German staff in order to permit of the fortification. of the Aisne lines. Returning to my theme, I say that tlio intellectual conquost of Spain by the Germans, in view of planting themselves in South America —better still •since they have planted themselves in North America—constitutes ono of the most moving secondary episodes o£ the world war, England will do well to think about it. Tlio struggle is not only taking place on the battlefields. Thero are other terrains of combat, where victorios which will cause surprise have to be won.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19161228.2.41

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2962, 28 December 1916, Page 8

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,129

GERMAN AGENTS IN SPAIN Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2962, 28 December 1916, Page 8

GERMAN AGENTS IN SPAIN Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2962, 28 December 1916, Page 8

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