New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-29
Buchanan. of Illinois,
Held as Arms Strike
COnSpiratOr.
LAMAR BILKED
RINTELEN, is TALE
$475,000 of Kaiser'S Cash
Went Before German Pro-
pagandiSt Walked Up.

Frank Buchanan, Representative
from Illinois; II. Robert Fowler, for
mer member of Congress from the same
state, and Frank S. Monnett. ex-Attor-
ney General of Ohio, were indicted yes
terday along with Franz Rintelen, Ger
man plot fiscal agent, and David Lamar,
"the Wolf of Wall Street" on a charge
OF conspiring TO break up the muni-
tion industries of this country. The
list of indicted men was swelled to
eight by the naming in the same bill
Of Jacob c. Taylor, OF East Orange,
president of Labor's National Peace
Council, and Henry B. Martin and Her
man Schulteis, members Of the coun-
Gil
So far il sounds like a ponderously
serious story. But back of these in
dictments is a comic tale of how these
apparently serious minded men, some
Of them American citizens who have
been chosen to high Office, were led TO
engage in fantastically quixotic
schemes that came from the fertile
brain of Lamar. They were put forth
by him as a practical way of helping
Germany beat the Allies by shutting of
their powder and shot supplies from
the United States.
The biggest laugh in the comedy
seems to be on Rintelen, trusted con-
fdent Of the Kaiser, who hopefully
brought S5O0,0O0 Of his sovereign's
money to this country and trustingly
disbursed it through Lamar in the be-
lief that it was doing wonders for the
Fatherland. His faith continued un-
shaken until Lamar had spent all but
s25.OOO of the Kaiser's half million.
Then Rinteleu awoke to two ideas at
once. One was that the munition busi-
ness was singing along as merrily as
before Lamar got dollar from him.
Lamar Gets $4,000.
The second idea that struck Rintelen
was that it was getting past time for
him to make a getaway from the United
States. His flight was not lucky one,
for he fell into the hands of the Brit
ish, and is now held by them in the
Tower Of London, as a prisoner of war
He would much rather be in the United
States as a prisoner in the Tombs wait
ing trial for conspiracy that could at
most cost him year in Jail and $4,000
fine.
Labor's National Peace Council is the
name under which the funny part of the
story was done. Rintelen reached this
country April 3, 1915, with the avowed
object of landing a knockout OH the
munition business. He fell in with
David Lamar, whose Imagination began
to work at once.
Lamar had his Antitrust League all
handmade and nothing was easier
than 10 form, with the facilities at
hand, Labor's National Peace Council.
Through propaganda nothing would be
simpler than to have ell labor engaged
in making munitions for the Allies
walk out and refuse % do it any long
or. Steel mills would flag IN their
work. shipping would be tied up by
longshoreman strikes labor union
leaders could be bribed TO call strikes,
and, in short according to the rosy
plans Lamar drew-it would not be
many weeks before not another shell
was being turned out in this country
for the Allies.
about $4,000 would do as a start
er," was Lamar's suggestion. 4 little
while after that Lama" met Rlntelen,
with a bunch Of newspaper clippings
in his hands, and jubilation IN his
voice The clippings told about the
Bridgeport ammunition factory strikes.
Then sl5O,OOO. and More.
Results" Lamar cried, and suggest
ed that to get a lot more similar re-
/ suits Sl5O.0O9 would be Just the thing
He got the money. A while afterward
he came with more clippings, more ju-
bilation and more results" The clip
pings this time told about strikes at
Schenectady; and Rintelen wrote an
other fat check.
This is part of the story as told yes
tcrday by representative of United
States Attorney II. Snowden Marshsll's
office. 1--WE have only begun our in
lvestigation OF Labor's National Peace
| Council.p he said. although there
were a lot Of other wild-eyed peace and
German enthusiasts connected with IL,
we have confined the indictments to the
men who know about the genesis, rise
and death Of the council.
"As a matter Of fact, hardly anything
was actually accomplished by the plot
ters, although Lamar convinced Rim
/ telen that wonders were done. A few
small strikes were called By understrap-
pcrs in labor organizations, but when
/ ihe big leaders heard Of them they in
/ yestigated, fou..d there was funny bust
ness somewhere, and ordered the men
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