d the American mind upon the idea of a disgruntled
Germany, a starving Germany, and all such twaddle! Can't you see why
such tales are being circulated? Simply to inject into our minds the
poison of national inertia, so that when war comes--as it some day
shall--every fellow will be likely to think: 'Oh, it can't last long
now!--let the other boys get ready; I haven't time!'"

"I hadn't thought of that, Roger."

"Then think of it now; and, furthermore, remember this, Amos: that no
sooner will war be declared before their propaganda will go one step
farther. Do you know what it will be? Peace talk! Crumbling Germany
ready to make terms! Why? Simply to keep filling our systems with more
of the national inertia poison--to keep us retarded--to keep us from
dashing into the big game with every fibre quivering, and our souls
afire to finish it up! Berlin's hope is that while America grows sleek
with too much optimism, Germany will grow stronger to prolong her
insolent and murderous campaign. Open your columns, Amos, and shout
these truths broadcast--for therein will rest the salvation of our
country! Germany poor in food or munitions?--fiddle-sticks! The German
people disgruntled?--twaddle!"

"Where do you get this idea?" Mr. Strong looked at him in amazement.

"Out of my good, common horse-sense brain! You recall that story of the
German Government confiscating the people's copper utensils and taking
copper from the roofs of buildings, to keep up the manufacture of
ammunition? Any school boy should have known that they didn't
appropriate one copper pot, nor lift an inch of copper roofing, when the
vast mines of Sweden pour their enormous output--not only of copper, but
of unrivaled iron ore--in almost a continuous stream from Stockholm to
Luebeck Bay; and von Capelle's fleet is there to see it safely across,
too! The cry came forth that they were short of cotton for
explosives--and that cry was sent out on the very day a national holiday
had been proclaimed to celebrate their discovery of a method by which
all types of high explosives can be made without cotton! Why, Amos,
lying is a fine art with that government! I read in your own paper a
long and pathetic ditty, cabled from Amsterdam, about 'starving
Germany!' Don't you know that, with the millions of deported Belgians,
Serbians, and Poles--to say nothing of the war prisoners--Germany should
have this year a larger acreage under cultivation than at any time since
the