“What have we achieved up till now?  The dreaded invasion of Russian cavalry was broken up by our frontier guards alone.  Indeed, in many cases only the Landwehr was needed to throw back the invaders.  What about the destruction of important buildings, railways, bridges and such like?  Nothing at all has happened."[45]

[Footnote 45:  Condensed translation of the report in the Leipziger Volkszeitung, August 11th.]

On another page of the same issue a long official army order to the Press is given in which this paragraph occurs:  “All news given out by Wolff’s Telegraph-Bureau may only be quoted literally as they stand and the source named by the initials W.T.-B.”

It is thus clear that the news-agency mentioned performs two separate functions, although the German army authorities do not draw this distinction.  First, the circulation of reports issued by the Army Headquarters in the field, for the truth of which the Berlin General Staff guarantees.  Secondly, the spreading of their own news, and information supplied to them by other German Government departments.  All news published by the agency has thus received the stamp of official authority, and the German public is too ignorant to recognize the palpable fraud.

“Metz, August 3rd.—­A French doctor, accompanied by two officers in disguise, was caught yesterday while trying to infect the water supply with cholera bacilli.  He was at once shot under military law."[46]

[Footnote 46:  Deutsche Tageszeitung, August 3rd.]

“The report of the Metz water supply being infected, which was given out by Wolff’s Bureau yesterday, proves to be a pure invention.  The agency informs us that there is no ground for uneasiness, but the state of affairs at present makes it imperative to exercise great care."[47]

[Footnote 47:  Berliner Tageblatt, August 4th.]

“Coblence, August 2nd.—­The Government-president in Duesseldorf reports that twelve motor-cars containing eighty French officers in Prussian uniforms tried this morning to cross the Prussian frontier by Walbeck, west of Geldern.  The attempt failed."[48]

[Footnote 48:  Ibid., August 3rd.]

Referring to this episode another paper wrote:  “The alleged attempt of whole caravans of French officers, masquerading as German lieutenants, to enter the Rhine province as spies is too adventurous to be believed.  Especially as it is known that the Dutch frontier is very strictly guarded.

“But Wolff’s Bureau, which at present takes every precaution, circulated the news.  Hence we have here an instance of France violating Dutch neutrality."[49]

[Footnote 49:  Koelnische Volkszeitung, August 3rd.]

As far as the author is aware, the German Government has not yet protested to the Dutch authorities for this breach of their neutrality.

The poisoned-water-supplies lie deserves further attention.  It was scattered broadcast throughout the land, and millions of credulous Germans reduced to a state of absolute panic and—­what was intended by those who spread the lie—­blind hate against Germany’s opponents.  I have before me a number of descriptions of scares in various parts of the Fatherland.  A few notices will suffice as illustrations.