The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1917-09-27
LANSING D|SCLOSES
BERNST0RFF'S PLOT
PUBLICITY SPOTLIGHT TURNED
ON REVEALING GERMAN
INTRIGUE.
INVESTIGATION BEING URGED

ernment for S5O,oCo to Expend in
influencing Americas Congress
Against War.
washington. The American eoy.
ernments publicity spotlight reveal.
ing German intrigue IN neutral lands
turned upon the expenditure of money
ny the Berlin foreign Office in an ef.
iort 10 hllucncc congress on the eve
or the ruthless submarine campaign
which drove the United States to war.
Secretary Lansing made public
without comment the text of a mes.
sage sent by Count Won Dernstorff to
Berlin last January asking authority
to use $4,000 to influence congress
through an organization, which the
foreign office was reminded had per.
formed similar services before. TO
supplement this move Won Bernstorfr
suggested an official declaration in
favor Of Ireland for its effect here.
"Pacifists" His Tools.
The organization to be cmploved
was not named II was freely sug-
gested among other officials, however,
that it was one Of the societies whic,,
Hooded members OF congress with
peace messages when President Viii.
son was asking that state OF war be
recognized.
This disclosure adds another chan.
ter to the amazing story begun with
publication Of the famous thinner.
man note. 1t connects the German
government and Count Won Bcrnstorff
directly and conclusivcly with machl-
nations which the American public had
assumed were a part Of the world wide
Ieutonic intrigue. but which many
people firmly believed were carried on
or financed by German. Americans
without actual authority from Berlin
Little surprise was occaSioncd either
in official circles or at the capitol al
though members of congress were
highly indignant There was some
talk at the capitol Of demanding an
investigation and Senator Overman
chairman of the senate lobby commit
/ tee, and Representative Flood, chair
| man of the house foreign affairs CON
, mittee, arranged to go to the state dc
! partment and ask for more informc
! ton.
| Acted SuspiciousIy.
| On the floor Of the house, Represen
tative Hefin of Alebama asserted tina,
he could name 13 or IA members OF
the two branches OF congress who had
acted suspiciously and expressed the
opinion that they should be investigat
ed. Generally, however. the disposi
ton was to regard as absurd any sug
gestion that any part Of the $4,000
sought by Won Bcrnstorff was intended
for members Of congress.
The Won BerGt>rff message, dated
January 90, follows:
| request authority to pay out up to
$4,000 (fifty thousand dollars). in or.
der as on former occasions to influence
congress through the organization you
know Of. which can perhaps prevent
war.
I am beginning in the meaptimc to
act accordingly.
In the above circumstances pub.
or Of Ireland is highly desirable, in
order to gain the support OF Irish in.
fiuence here.
Renewed Kaiser's Pledges.
This message was sent nine days be-
fore the German government pro
claimed it's unrestricted submarine
warfare When he wrote it Count Won
Bernstorff was assuring the American
government and press that under no
circumstances would Germany violate
her pledges of the Sussex case or dc
anything that might draw the United
States into the list Of her enemies
The American government had made
no move since the Sussex pledge anu
there was nothing on the surface tc
foreshadow impending trouble.
Evidence has been accumulated to
| prove that the ambassador not only
was cognizant Of, but actually direct
ed. the activities Of Boy-Ed and von
Papcn, the military and naval at
| taches. respectively, who were sent
home long before the United States
broke relations with Germany
More Revelations Coming.
How complete is the evidence OF
German duplicity in possession Of the
| government Is only cOnjectural, but
| that 1t is far more than has been gen
orally supposed now is certain 1t was
| intimated by officials that the series
| OF revelations Is now nearly complete
From the outside there are reachinf
the state department echoes OF the ap
prehension sounded by friends OF mer
towards whom suspicion has lone
! pointed.