Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1917-09-27
Sought Authority From Berlin to
Pay Money to Influence Con-
gress Against War.
LANSING MAKES EXPOSE
Nations Still Friendly When Envoy.
Asked Permission to Pay $4,000
las on Former Occasions"
For Influence.

Washington, Sept. 24.-The Amer
lean governments publicity spotlight
revealing German intrigue in neutral
lands, has turned upon the expenditure
of money by the Berlin foreign Office
in an attempt to influence Congress
on the eve of the ruthless submarine
campaign which drove the United
States to war.
Issued Without Comment.
Secretary Lansing made public
without comment the text of mes
sage sent by Count Won Bernstorff to
Berlin last January, asking authority
to use $4,000 to influence Congress
through an organization which the for
eign office was reminded had per-
formed similar service before. To
supplement this move Won Bernstorff
suggested an official declaration in ia
vor Of Ireland for its effect here.
"Peace" Society Tool.
The organization to be employed
was not named in the message and
Mr.. Lansing did not discuss it's iden-
tity. 1t was freely suggested among
other officials. however, that it was
one of the various societies which
flooded members of the House and
Senate with peace messages when
President Wilson was asking that a
state of war be recognized.
World Wide Intrigue.
This disclosure adds another chap
ter to the amazing story begun with
publication of the famous thinner
mann note in which Germany proposed
an alliance with Mexico and Japan
against the United States, and which
has included the German-Swedish
breaches Of neutrality in Argentina
and Mexico. 1t connects the German
government and Count Won Bernstorff
directly and conclusively with machi-
nations which the American public
has assumed were part of the world.
wide Teuton intrigue, but which many
people firmly believed were carried on
or financed in this country by German.
Americans without actual authority
from Berlin.
Congress Indignant.
Little surprise was occasioned
either in official circles or at the Can.
1tol. although members of Congress
were highly indignant. There was
some talk at the Capitol of demanding
an investigation and Senator Over.
man. chairman of the Senate lobby
committee and Representative Flood.
chairman of the House foreign affairs
committee. arranged to go to the State
department and ask for further infor.
nation.
Could Name Suspects.
On the floor of the House Represen.
tative Refin Of Alabama, asserted
that he could name 13 or IA members
of two branches of Congress, who had
acted suspiciously and expressed the
opinion that they should be investi-
gated. Generally, however, the dispo.
sltion was to regard as absurd any
suggestion that any part of the $50, 900
sought by Won Bernstorff. was intend.
ed for members of Congress.
Preceded U-Boat Announcement.
This message was sent nine days
before the German government pro.
claimed it's unrestricted submarine
warfare
When he wrote it Count Won Bern.
storf was assuring the American gov.
eminent and press that under no cir.
cumstances would Germany violate
her pledges of the Sussex case or do
anything that might draw the United
States into the list of her enemies
With the Lusitania and other cases
IN allegiance, the American govern.
ment had made no move since the
Sussex pledge and there was nothing