Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-09-27
PROPOSED CALMLY 10 CORRUPT
CONGRESS ~ lieeRAI USE Or
GERMAN MONEY.
SOME STATESMEN NAY
FACE RIGID INVESTIGATION
Asked for Declaration on Part OF
Germany Supporting Irish conten.
tions-Hoped to Divide Nation and
Prevent Declaration Of War =
Whole Capital Shaken With Revela-
lions.

Won Bernstorff, while serving as Ger.
man ambassador to the United States,
plotted to swing congress into line
behind the kaiser. He sought an op-
portunity to buy congress influence.
In a message to the Berlin foreign
office. dated January %. 1917. ten
days before President Wilson de-
clared relations broken with the In
perial German government. Count o
Bernstorff asked authority for the
expenditure of $4,000 for the spread
of pro-German propaganda In the
United States.
Count Won Eernstorff. according to
evidence collected by the department
of justice, wanted to use the money
for the work of the American Peace
Conference, which maintained head
quarters in Detroit. Mich. The or.
ganization. at the time, had prepared
an elaborate program for the spread.
ing Of pro-German propaganda
throughout the United States, in
which the people would be asked to
bring pressure to bear on members
of the senate and house to prevent
war with Germany.
Propaganda Was Exposed.
This same organization, then bear
ing the name of the American EN-
barge Conference, with headquarters
in Chicago, conducted the propagan-
da exposed in the senate in April,
1916. by Senator Paul .. Husting Of
Wisconsin. At that time kilograms
from all sections of the country were
poured in upon the White House and
members OF the senate and house,
urging a stand for peace and for the
declaration OF an embargo on wal
supplies intended for the allied ma.
tions.
On the day that CONT Won Bern.
storfE was preparing the message,
President Wilson, in an address be.
fore a joint session of the senate and
the house, was outlining peace terms
he hoped would be acceptable to the
nations at war and was advocating a
league of nations for the preservation
of peace after the present conflict had
ended.
In addition, Count Won Bernstorff's
message is regarded by officials as
conclusive that he knew we'll in ad
vance that Germany intended, on Feb
ruary l, to resume her unrestricted
submarine warfare. which actor
caused the break in diplomatic rela
lions. He hoped, apparently, to over
come the attitude the administrator
probably would take by creating
through the organization he proposed
to finance. general public sentimen'
against any action which might ieat
to war.
The publication of the BerIstovf
dispatch, which plainly indicates tina
ON previous occasions he had sougn
to create a pro-German sentiment II
congress, caused a profound sensa
ton on Capitol Hill, which reached II
height when Representative Heflin Q
Alabama virtually charged that som
members OF congress were under SUI
picion.
Mr.. Helm declared that he coul
run,a - nj. "A ,,np,bn.- t,hrx hod nm
cd in q suspicious manner Repre-
sentative Howard Of Georgia wen
even further when he asserted in I:
interview that he believed he coul
Point to certain persons who got son.
: oi 1.-THE money to which Bernstor.
referred in his cable message to Be
J lin.
At the time of the receipt Of I'll
German note, only one day befoi
the unrestricted submarine warfai
I wa resumed, Count Won Bernstor
denied that he knew Of the intentic
OF his government. He represente
: himself as being opposed to such
= course. and ave officials reason
believe that he hoped to obtain
modification OF the Prussian order.
= This Is the first time the America
4 government has officially let 1t
known that Count Won Bernstorff pc
sonally was involved in the plottil
:, against the United States. Heret
fore the plotting had been laid at Il
feet Of Captains Boy.Ed and ',
Fapen. military and naval attaches
. the German embassy. who receiv