The Washington times., 1915-05-24
PEACE MEN BRIBE
SEEN BY GARDNER
congressman, in Letter to
Walsh, Charges Carnegie
Society With Trying to infIu.
ence Press.

intlmation verging on direct assertion
'hat Carnegie peace society is warp
ing public opinion by reprehensible meth.
ods' Is made by Congressman A. p
Gardner of Massachusetts in q note tc
chairman Frank p Walsh calling the
attention of the Commission on Industrial
Relations to letter sent by the Niagara
reace Society to the editors of several
newspapers throughout the country.
Gardner's letter is intended as in
FORMATION for the commission in its in
Vestigation OF the effect and propriety
or various foundations"
RAD this peace society letter been sc mt
out by a political or business oreanizn-
ton' suggests Gardner, 1t probably
would have been described and accepted
MS AN attempt to bribe and polute the
sources OF public information"
Gardner's letter to Walsh reads as
follows:
You are CARRYING on an investiga-
uon OF the effect and propriety OF
various foundations. such as the Rookie
1eiler Foundation and the Carnegie
ieace FUND. Herewith inclose you a
letter which Is being sent out by the
Niagara Peace Society to newspaper
EDITORS throughout the country. The
Niagara Peace Society is section Of
the New York Peace Society. of which
Andrew Carnegie is the president.
coll your attention to the following pas
sages in this letter:
Between now and the termination
or the European war an enormous sum
Of money will be expended for publicity
work generous proportion will go
for newspaper advertising to bring home
to Congress the attitude Of the Ameri-
can people on the question OF inter-
dependence Of nations.
Eve ask that you request your ad-
vertsing manager to forward immedi-
ately copy Of advertising schedule,
tions The committee has requested me
to make inquiry on three important
points
First-Is your editorial policy in
favor Of the American proposal for
League of Nations (Which has just been
Endorsed by Lord Earl Grey, British
minister of foreign affairs)?
'Second-Have YOU given publicity
to the "Declaration of America" or to
the toint resolution for q Niagara con-
ington, or are you favorable to giving
publicity to this movement at the pres
ent time?
TO solicit through your columns sub
scriptions to the campaign fund in the
Lea Of Nations movement?
Permit me to urge YOU to send me
your reply promptly. Kindly forward
marked copy of your paper II you have
not already done So
Attempt To Bribe.
You will observe that If this letter
had emanated from a political or busi-
ness organization It would have been
heralded from one end of the country
to the other as an attempt to bribe and
pollute the sources Of public informa-
tion.
Observe the sequences Of the senten-
ces:
"First-The attention Of newspaper
men Is called to the enormous
amount of money available for pub
licity work.
Second-The newspapers and peri
odicals are asked to submit rates for
insertions.
''Third-They are requested to show
% whether their editorial policy favors
the peace propaganda; (2) whether they
have published or will publish the paci-
fist resolution known as the 'Declara-
tion of America. and go whether they
will solicit money for the cause
Correspondents are hidden to fur
nish marked copies of their publica-
tions.
II think that the Industrial Com
mission should consider whether it is
right to permit the warping Of pub
lie opinion by such reprehensible meth
DDS"
Gardner entertains strong hope that
the commission will go deeply into the
line of investigation he suggests.