particularly
offensive in carrying on such a propaganda among our citizens. German
gold, not English gold, has been lavishly used to influence American
opinion. Our Government has had to employ a special detective force to
discover and destroy the many plots in which German and Austrian gold
has been lavishly used to influence opinion and action in America; and
from other neutral countries comes abundant evidence that the same
stupendous propaganda, to turn opinion and action in favour of Germany,
has been carried on everywhere, with an audacity and utter disregard of
cost which has astonished the world. In the face of such facts as these
the German outcry against "English gold" has seemed wholly insincere,
and little less than ridiculous.

Finally, American opinion has been based more than all else on Germany's
official communications, directly addressed to our Government, on
certain acts which Germany has admitted, and on the nature of the
defence and excuses offered by the German Government in palliation of
those acts. You must not forget that the many lengthy notes addressed by
your Government to Americans have been published in full in American
papers. The outcry against English gold, against cable dispatches
altered by the English, and against corrupt newspaper publishers cannot
be raised in connection with diplomatic correspondence transmitted
direct to your Ambassador here. This authentic, official correspondence
has given us an excellent measure of the standards of morality and
humanity which actuate the present German Government. Our opinion of
Germany has been profoundly influenced by these official documents.

Germany has committed certain acts which are freely admitted by your
Government. A nation, like a man, is judged by its deeds. After all
excuses and explanations are made, the deeds remain. Americans have read
the excuses and the explanations fully and repeatedly; and with these
excuses and explanations in mind have formed an opinion of the power
responsible for the deeds. No English gold, no manipulated cable
dispatches can have had anything to do with that opinion. The deeds
themselves have been the supreme force in shaping American opinion of
Germany. Germany has defended the many acts which have brought down upon
her the contempt and opprobrium of the entire civilised world. As you
well know, one of the best tests of a man's morals is the kind of a
defence he offers for his acts. Americans have re