The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1917-03-09
BERNsTORF AS A SPY.

DSAAANSA VIM ~ - ~
Practically, almost every country
government has its "secret service"
systems. To very large extent the
government avoids being compromised
with its own agents. The spy, the dyna.
miter, the plotter must do his work as
an Individual. II caught be must not
plead that he is in government employ.
We nave not space here to discuss the
''ethics" OF this sort of service. On the
one hand it seems necessary that govern
ments employ such means of obtaining
information, spreading ''stories' and
otherwise making trouble among their
neighbors. On the other hand the
punishment Of spies when caught is an
ignominious death.
The readers of our newspapers during
the last two years have seen accounts of
many forms of German Vaccinations in
this country. Some of the accused have
been found guilty and sentenced to
prison, some have escaped because of
insufficient evidence and two at least
who we're directly connected with the
German diplomatic corps were invited to
leave this country. But all these cases
we're disavowed by the German govern.
ment as such. They were the acts of
the individuals only through mistaken
patriotism.
Hence, last week the country was
astonished by the news that the German
ambassador Count Bernstein, had been
engaged in secret plot to unite Mexico
and japan as allies with Germany to
make war on this country At first few
thinking people could believe that the
German government would acknowledge
its responsibility, but would as in other
cases deny official authority or the
authenticity of the papers discovered.
On the contrary, advices from Ger
many are to the effect that the papers
are authentic and further that it WIS
perfectly proper proceeding in view of
the fact that the United States was
about to declare war on Germany.
That is, Germany appears to think
that it is perfectly proper to employ her
ambassador to this country as secret
agent to foment war against US.
An ambassador is privileged person
in all civilized countries He is exempt
from many pains and penalties to which
the people of the country are subject.
He has a dignity and honor beftting the
country which he represents.
He is treated as an Eonored guest
AS such he is supposed to be man of
honor as BELTS gentleman, in his posi-
ton.
But Germany argues that such an
ambassador has right to secretly TO-
ment a quarrel between his hosts and
the nelghbors and to take advantage of
his position as an honored official to
do any dirty work desired by his govern
ment,
If Count Bernstorf had been an agent
of the German government at the City
of Mexico he would have had the right
to talk to that government as he chose,
though if he had argued for war with
United States 1t would have been of
course'a unfriendly act' to US, but
when he uses his privileged position at
Washington to lido US dirt" it is not
only unfriendIy but dastardly and is the
work of common spy.
No wonder that our Ambassador Ger
ard was detained at Berlin. Perhaps
Germany had already discovered that
some very valuable papers incrimina,
ting Count Bernstorf had been lost were
in the hands of the U. S. government,
and perhaps the U. s. might want the
Count to show why he should not be
tried for inclting war against this coun-
try while occupying privileged official
position here.-just as would happen to
any other foreigner guilty of the same
infracture of our laws.