HOW GERMAN MORAL WAS BROKEN

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 42, 13 November 1920, Page 10

HOW GERMAN MORAL WAS BROKEN

—J BOMBARDING THE ENEMY WITH PAPER. "If the Kutento knew what poison these leaflets were "working in tho niinds of the German soldiers they would give lip lead and bombard with paper only ill future." —A Gorman Officer. • Hindenburg, Ludendorff, nml other Germnn leaders have borne testimony 'writes the "Daily' Chronicle") to tho immense moral effect produced on soldiers and civilians aliko bv British propaganda in the closing months of tho war. How tho campaign, was organised and carried out is told by Sir Campbell! Stuart, K.8.E., in "Secrets of Crewe House." In February, 1918, Viscount Northcliffe accepted tho Prime Minister's invitation to become Director of Propaganda in Enemy Countries. He obtained the enthusiastic co-operation of a committee of well-known men of affairs, and with Sir Campbell iStuart as deputy officer a groat offonslvo was launched from tho headquarters of Crewo House. Austria-Hungary was' tackled first, with excellont results. Tho total number of leaflets and other productions distributed by aeroplanes, rockets, grenades, and patrols composed of deserters, rail into many millions. "Gramophone records of Czeclio-Slovak and Southern Slav songs were secured by the .British Commission, and-effectively used for the awakening of the nationalist sentiment among tho troops of these ivice.s in the Austrian armies. The instruments wero placed iii 'No Man's Land,' and so close to each other wero tho front trenches of tho opposite,armies that the words and music could easily be heard."

Owing to tho military decision that leaflets must not bo dropped from aeroplanes over the German lines work in this direction was handicapped. Ballcons wore used instead, and after many experiments a satisfactory vehiolc was evolved which placed runs of 150 miles well within its capncitv. "In June and July tho number of leaflets dropped over the Gorman lines and behind them totalled 1,681,157 and 2,172,791 respectively. During August an average of over 100,000 a day w attained. The actual number of leaflets issued by- the Department in that month was 3,958,110, in September 3,715,000, and in October 5.1)00,000; while in Iho first ten days of November, before the armistice put an ei"i such activities, 1,400,000 wore sent out." ' t . . , . Many other agencies for introducing propagandas material into enemy countries were organised by Mr. S. H. Guest. i"Somo of the methods can never be ivvoailed," writes the author, "but it is permissible to hint that, for instance, among foreign workmen of a certain nationality who wont into Germany each morning and returned each' ovening there might lie eomo to whom propagandist work was not uncongenial. "Easiest of all were ccrtam obvious channels loft wholly or partially open in most incredible fashion, as, lor instance, tho book trade. None were more amazed at tho facility with which such valuable propaganda material as Prince Lichuowsky's pamphlet achieved clandestine circulation in Germany and Austria • than were British propagandists, lerhaps as a hint to tho curious it may be added that the outside covers with titles of works by reverend German authors <lnl not always correspond to the contents of the books." Tho best testimony to the work c! Crewo TTouso is tho letter which Mr. Lloyd George wrote to Lord Northcnno on 'the day folldwing the signing of the armistice. ''I have had dir*'<evidences of tho success of your invaluable work and of tho extent, to which il has contributed to tho dramatic collapse of tho enemy strength in Austraia and Germany."