The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-09-22
Message of the Ambassador
Asked Leave to "Spend
Money on Congress-"
NOTE PUBLISHED
WITHOUT COMMENT
Fifty Thousand Dollars, He
Said, Go Only Little Way
to Accomplish Purpose.
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS.

washington, sept. 21.-Secretary
Lansing today made public as an as
founding addition to the series of dis
i closures covering German intrigues in
America and elsewhere, a message
sent by Count Won Bernstorff in Jan
uary of this year to the Berlin foreign
office requesting authority to pay out
$4,000 to influence congress through
an unnamed organization, apparently
known to the Berlin authorities.
Count Won Bernstorff indicated in
his message that money had been
paid this organization on former oc-
casions to perform the same work.
The text of the message, made pub
lie without comment, follows:
II request authority to pay out up
to $4,000 (fifty thousand) dollars.
in order as on former occasions to in
fluence congress through the organi-
zatlon you know of, which can per-
haps prevent war.
81 am beginning in the meantime to
act accordingly.
"In the above circumstances a pub
lie official German declaration in
favor of Ireland is highly desirable,
in order to gain the support of Irish
slnfluence here"
The text of the message was given
out without comment in the same
manner as were the messages of
Count Luxburg, German minister to
Argentina, which have disrupted re-
lations between Argentina and Ger
many, and the letter of German Min
lister Won Eckhardt in Mexico City, re-
Gently made public.
Whether the state department is in
possession of other evidence indicat-
ing the ambassadors activities has
not been revealed, but the extra-orS
dlnary disclosures already made has
fixed the belief that agents of the
United States government have col
lected and compiled the entire story
of German duplicity and intrigue and
that additional chapters will be added.
The reference to averting war is tax
en- as an indication that Ambassador
Bernstorff had prior knowledge of his
governments intention to proclaim a
merciless widespread submarine war
fare and that he was equally conf
dent the u. S. Government could not
be easily placated by more promises.
The German announcement of its in
tcntion to expand its submarine ac-
tIvities was not made public until JAN
uary 81, when the world was startled
not only by the determination to re-
move all restrictions but by the state
ment that it would become effective
on the following d9s. Three days
later the United States government
had expressed its disapproval by sew
ering relations with Germany.
GOVERNMENT KNOWS 1T.
That the German ambassador knew
of mis- governments. intention was as
SIInopd hxy Of ,tt =
the time he denied prior knowledge
and those in close touch with the en-
passy We're given to- understand that
he did not approve the course and
worked to secure modification
1t has not been assumed that the
ambassador actually attempted to
bribe or personally influence any
I, member of congress and doubt that
such was his purpose is supported to
some extent by the comparatively
small amount of money he asked for.
Fifty thousand d9ilars. it was pointed
out, would go but a short way towards
buying the influence of any congress
man. Judiciously expended, how
ever. it might do n.uch in eompensa-
ting paid agents, such as are now
known TO have belonged to the elabor-
ate machine Bernstorff had so care
fully built up for Ire production OF
propaganda and .or purposes of es
pionage.
Today's announcement BY the State
Department is the first official utter
ance of the government with refer
ence to the German ambassadors ac-
tive personal participation in the
maze of plots and intrigues conducted
for Germany's benefit in this country
since the beginning of the European
war.
The evidence of Count Won Bern
storff's personal activities in connec-
ton with Germany propaganda here
bears the date of Presidents Wilson'S
address to congress, January %. re-
citing his appeal to the warning ma
tions to enter into peace negotiations.
At the same time the president was
addressing congress, apparently,
Count Won Bernstorff was appealing
to his government for funds with