New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-29
Coached Boyd
On Department

Mr.. Hale never entertained in his
Offices. But now and then, when some
German agent or attache found him
self in distress. Mr.. Hale considerably
made an exception. When the uncouth
Captain Boyd, late in February, 1913,
was charged with sending German
reservists to England on faxed pass
ports to act as spies, Mr.. Hale received
the master spy and coached him in the
department proper under such trying
circumstances. "Boy-Ed was up in the
air" said Mr.. Hale, pityingly. These
Germans are like children-they don't
know how TO handle themselves. Now,
! told Boyd not to take the charges
seriously, that the best way TO handle
1t is to treat the matter facetiously.'
Acting on this Bayard-like advice IN
manners, Captain Boyd laughed that
night when reporters came to question
him at the German Club.
Twice a week a conference was held
at 1923 Broadway. This was attended
by DR.. Bernhard Dernburg until he left
/ America; by DR.. Heinrich Albert, DR..
| X. A. Fuehr. DR.. Karl Mecklenburg, for
merly attache of the German Embassy
at Toxic, then in charge of the trans
I lation bureau of the German lnforma-
ton Service; NJ. B. Claussen, ostensi-
I bly, the manager of the German lnfor-
I nation Service; George Sylvester Vie
/ reck, editor of the "Fatherland," and by
William Bayard Hale. At the most Sc
( cret conclaves the presence Of Mr..
/ Claussen was dispensed with Some
/ times the late Professor Hugo Nun
sterberg came from Harvard to attend
/ the conference.
I Mr.. Hale was secretly the editorial
| director of the press sheet issued daily
to the newspapers by the German In
/ formation Service. 30 East Forty-sec-
/ ond Street, of which Mr.. Claussen was
manager. Mr.. Hale in January. 1915,
; asked me TO assist him editorially in
/ reading copy for this sheet. When Mr..
| Hale made this offer ! realized the
; unique opportunity for observing and
4 recording German working behind the
/ scenes. On what | directly and per-
/ sonally learned from January 10 No
vember, 1915, and otherwise ascertained
later, this article is baged.
| The press sheet issued By the Ger
man Information Service included most
! IS translated articles from German
\ newspapers. Toward the end Of jan
uary the editing OF the copy was turned
! over to another man, whose name
I NNEEtSltu W .bls ildlV bfNouNt TIC -h-
| tertained sentiments as strong "a mine
/ in regard TO the Germans. This man
! cooperated with me in ascertaining
1 facts concerning the German propa-
ganda. | suggested the lame Of Will
Pam X. Starrett, the cartoonist. Mr..
Hale then asked me TO read the daily
newspapers and watch for a change in
editorial policy and public sentiment
toward the German side. Save as the
| Hearst papers printed matter pleasing
TO the Germans and in line with Mr..
Hale's activities, this watchful waiting
was happily in vain. Editorials from
| the Hearst newspapers calling for an
embargo on arms and for action
against British interference with
American commerce were, by Mr. Hale's
directions, reprinted for further dis
tribution in the German Information
Service news sheet. The policy of this
sheet, as outlined by Mr.. Hale. called
for a persistent attack upon the fnan-