WE CAN hardly be surprised that our cherished contemporary, Punch, has given particular offence in Germany, and has been plainly told by German newspapers what horrors of frightfulness await it on the arrival of the Huns in London. Needless to say, Mr Punch is quite unperturbed and imperturbable. Germany’s first attempted counterblow is dealt at Punch in the United States, but with very ill success. As a retort to the issue in New York some three months ago of 150 Punch cartoons, showing the Americans the arrogant bearing of the Germans towards the European Powers from 1800 to 1915, the “American Truth Society” two or three weeks ago put on the bookstalls a periodical, with Doyle’s design on the cover and the appearance of being a real Punch issue. On opening it, one found that it showed cartoons illustrating the attitude of Punch and Great Britain towards the United States in relation to the Civil War, and generally their feelings of fifty years ago, when the friendly relations now subsisting between the two nations were not established. It so happened that the secretary of Punch was in New York, and, without a moment’s delay he visited the office of the “American Truth Society”, only to find that it was a German organization conducted by Germans. A threat of legal proceedings resulted in the transfer of all the copies of the anti-Punch to the true Punch authorities. So that all that the Germans in America have achieved is to give a further proof of the mischievousness of their propaganda.

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