the outbreak of the war. They came direct from your country and were as
fully informed of the German points of view right up to the declaration
of war as were any of your citizens. Many Americans who have spent
months and even years on German soil, and who know the country and the
people intimately, have made us well acquainted with German standards
and German methods of thinking.

It is true that since the war began much of our news has come through
cables controlled by the Allies; but Americans have too much common
sense to accept such reports as final. News from biassed sources is
always accepted with reservation, and not fully believed unless
confirmed from independent sources. Furthermore, Americans have never
lacked for first-hand information from Germany. Direct wireless reports
from your country to several stations in America have given us a
valuable check on cable reports. German papers come to us regularly, and
are continually and extensively quoted. Germany has sent special agents
to this country to represent her side of every issue. The speeches and
writings of these agents have been published repeatedly and at length in
almost every paper in our country from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
American correspondents in Germany and in the war-zone have told as much
as your censors would permit concerning what they saw of Germany and
Germany's army. Many Americans have returned from Germany during the
war, and have published their experiences and impressions. Some of them
have seen your army at work, suffered from its inhumanity, and been
subjected to outrages and indignities by the civil officials of your
Government. Others were dined and honoured as notable guests and given
unusual opportunities for seeing as much as your officials wanted them
to see. Both have offered valuable first-hand testimony as to the
behaviour of the German nation at war. Your university professors and
other prominent citizens of your country have written us circular and