With German newspapers subject to rigorous censorship, foreign newspapers read
by only a handful of the population and the import of foreign books reduced to almost nothing through exchange restrictions, what possibility is there of Germans seeing the world as it really is ? Here is a sentence written to an English friend by a German boy of, I think, seventeen, obviously intelligent, obviously friendly and well- intentioned. He says : "Today I met some very kind English and I must say all English who are in Germany are very friendly and kind to us, and you can believe that we in Germany would like to have a great friendship with England, for we have the same blood. But there cannot be any friendship with both nations as long as Mr. Eden and Mr. MacDonald are one of the greatest freemasons. This organisation is to be fought very much by Germany, for it is the most dangerous organisation and brings the greatest misfortune into the world (Great War ?). What unforttme was the Great War for the whole world ? Freemasons planned to destroy Germany but they made it without the German soldier and so they were failed."
No doubt he and tens of thousands like him quite genuinely believe this nonsense. And if this, how much else ? And how is the truth to penetrate ? It is only with the greatest difficulty that Germans today can travel outside their country and see things as they are. Magna est veritas et praevalebit. But not veritas shut outside the door. ,
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