The German authorities understand all this perfectly well.  That explains their unceasing attentions to von Wiegand and Hale, and to other valuable correspondents.  One of these recently undertook to compile a book on Belgium in war-time for the purpose of white-washing Germans in American estimation.  Accompanied by his wife, he was motored and wined and dined through the conquered country under the watchful chaperonage of German officers.  He has returned to Berlin to write his book, although it is common knowledge there that during his entire stay in Belgium he was not permitted to talk to a single Belgian.

Although nominally catered to and fawned upon by the German authorities, the American correspondents cut on the whole a humiliating figure, although not all of them realise it.  It is notorious they are spied upon day and night.  They are even at times ruthlessly scorned by their benefactors in the Wilhelmstrasse.  One of the Americans who essays to be independent, was some time ago a member of a journalistic party conducted to Lille.  He left the party long enough to stroll into a jeweller’s shop to purchase a new glass for his watch.  While making the purchase he asked the Frenchman who waited on him how he liked the Germans.  “They are very harsh, but just,” was the reply.  A couple of weeks later, when the correspondents were back in Berlin, Major Nicolai, of the War Press Bureau, sent for the correspondent, said to him that he knew of the occasion on which the American journalist had “left the party” in Lille, and demanded to know what had occurred in the watchmaker’s shop.  The correspondent repeated precisely what the Frenchman had said.  “Well,” snarled Major Nicolai, “why didn’t you send that to your papers?” I may mention here that these parties of neutral correspondents are herded rather than conducted when on tour.

The American correspondents had a sample of the actual contempt in which the German authorities hold them on the day when the commercial submarine Deutschland returned to Bremen, August 23.  For purposes of glorifying the Deutschland’s achievement in the United States, the American correspondents in Berlin were dispatched to Bremen, where they were told that elaborate special arrangements for their reception and entertainment had been completed.  Count Zeppelin, two airship commanders, who had just raided England, and a number of other national heroes would be present, together with the Grand Duke of Oldenburg at the head of a galaxy of civil, military, and naval dignitaries.  The grand climax of the Deutschland joy carnival was to be a magnificent banquet with plenty of that rare luxury, bread and butter, at the famous Bremen Rathaus accompanied by both oratorical and pyrotechnical fireworks.  The correspondents were given an opportunity to watch the triumphal progess of the Deutschland through the Weser into Bremen harbour, but at night, when