forces affecting public opinion. The only way in which newspaper
editors, reporters, lecturers, professors, teachers, theatre
managers, and pulpit preachers could hope to accomplish, anything
in the world was to do something to please the Government. To
displease the Government meant to be silenced or to experience
something worse.




CHAPTER III

THE CRIME AGAINST THE CHILDREN

The boys and girls of Germany play an important part in _die grosse
Zeit_ (this great wartime). Every atom of energy that can be
dragged out of the children has been put to practical purpose.

Their little souls, cursed by "incubated hate," have been so worked
upon by the State schoolmasters that they have redoubled their
energies in the tasks imposed upon them of collecting gold, copper,
nickel, brass, paper, acorns, blackberries, blueberries, rubber,
woollen and war loan money.

All this summer on release from school, which commences at seven
and closes at three in most parts of Germany, the hours varying in
some districts, the children, in organised squads, have been put to
these important purposes of State. They had much to do with the
getting in of the harvest.