The Columbus commercial. (Columbus, Miss.) 1893-1922, 1917-09-23
CABLECRAM SENT TO KAI-
SER BY BERNSTORFF
PUBLISHED.
ASKED FOR $4,000
Wanted Money to Create SEN
timent Against Declaration
Of War.

Declaring that Count Won Bern
storff, former German Ambassa-
dor to the United States, on January
81, 1917, requested the Kaiser to
give him authority to expend an
amount not exceeding $4,000 in an
effort to prevent a declaration Of
war against the nation which he at
that time represented, and backing
up his statement with documentary
evidense, Secretary of State lansing
on Friday made public the following
cablegram, which was sent by Won
Bernstorff to the Kaiser on the above
mentioned dates
" request authority to pay out
up TO $4,000 (fifty thousand dol
lars) in order as on former occasions
to influence congress through the
organization you know of which can
perhaps prevent war,
" i am beginning in the meantime
to act accordingly
i" In the above circumstances a
public official German declaration in
favor of Ireland is highly desirable
in order to gain the support of Irish
influence here
Commenting upon the action Of
Secretary of State Lansing in max
ing the cablegram public at this
time, press dispatch sent out from
Washington Friday says
"Today's revelation was the first
to be made by Secretary or State
Lansing which directly affects Count
Won Bernstorff's efforts along brib-
cry lines 1t is admitted that there
is a wealth of information dealing
With all his operations in the posses
sion of tht department.
"For many months before he left
the United States, the count, now
German ambassador to Turkey, was
under watch by secret service oper-
atives detailed to the task by the
state departement. These men kept
4 faithful record of the ambassador s
movement and of the money which he
received in unlimited quantities
through two well known New York
banking firms. 1t is likely that be-
fore the department closes its chapter
on Count Won Bernstorff it will show
Just who received some of this gold.
Congress leaders conferred at the
capitol following the announcement
by the state department. They ad-
mitted that the declaration by former
ambassador presented the widest
possibilities and there was a general
feeling that the entire matter should
be gone into in some way. 1t was
pointed out that the language used
by the ambassador indicated that he
had not worked directly on senator's
and representatives., but that he had
operated through other shannels
which were in a position to influence
individual members.
"The higher officials of the state
department declined to say whether
the text of the Bernstorff cablegram
was in their hands when diplomatic
relations with Germany finally were
broken In this connection thi:
statement was made;
The text of Count Won Bern
storff's cablegram in itself was suf
| ficient TO have warranted break il
audaeity in endeavoring to influenc,
the highest legislative body in tn,
! United States the action of the am
bassador was unparalleled in history
But this was only one thing in con
nection with his operations at thi
particular time. For instance, tn
state department has good reaso'
to feel certain that Count Won Bern
storff had knowledge for at leas
two weeks before the German sub
marine note was issued posltiv
knowledge that it was coming an
that it would openly break the pre-
vious promises that internationa
law was to be observed in the con
I duct of its submarine campaign
During that two weeks the ambassa
) dor did everything possible to mol
: public opinion toward the contention
/ of his government and to try to in
fluence officials to viewpoint tina
only answer Germany could make t
Great Britain's blockade methods an
her policy of arming all of her mel
chantmen with guns fore and aft. ;"
"In connection with the cablegrar
(Cantinred on nave six