On the face of it this looks like the absurd and impossible dream of an insane person, rather than a diplomatic program. And yet, if it be examined more closely, the plan will be seen to have a psychological basis that, however far-fetched, is essentially sound. Given a people already bewildered by the almost universal condemnation of a country which they have sincerely revered; add to that serious difference in sympathies an attitude of distrust of all German-Americans by the other inhabitants of this country; and you have sown the seed of a race-antagonism that if properly nurtured may easily grow into a violent hatred. In a word, Germany had decided that if the German-Americans could not be coaxed back into the fold they might be beaten back. She set about her part of the task with an industry that would have commanded admiration had it been better employed. Glance back over the history of the past three years and consider how, almost over night, the “hyphen” situation developed. America, shaken by a war which had been declared to be impossible, become suddenly conscious of the presence within her borders of a portion of her population—a nation in numbers—largely unassimilated, retaining its own language, and possessing characteristics which suddenly became conspicuously distasteful. Inevitably, as I say, the cleavage in sympathies produced distrust. But it was not until stories of plots in which German-Americans were implicated became current that this distrust developed into an acute suspicion. Germanophobia was rampant in those days, and to hysterical persons it was unthinkable that any German could be exempt from the suspicion of treason. It was upon this foundation that the German agents erected their structure of lies and defamation. Not content with the efforts which the jingo press and jingo individuals were unconsciously making in their behalf, they deliberately set on foot rumors which were intended to increase the distrust of German-Americans. I happen to know that during the first two years of the war, many of the stories about German attempts upon Canada, about German-American complicity in various plots, _emanated from the offices of Captain von Papen and his associates_. I know also that many plots in which German-Americans were concerned had been deliberately encouraged by von Papen and afterward as deliberately betrayed! Time after time, enterprises with no chance of success were set on foot with the sole purpose of having them fail—for thus Germany could furnish to the world evidence that America was honey-combed with sedition and treachery—evidence which Americans themselves would be the first to accept.