The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-09-23

SHOWN by the reproduction OF letters
to and from that official
Posed As n Friend.
While Germany posed as a friend
her agents in the United States were
concerned with
Violation of the laws of the United
States.
Destruction Of lives and property
In merchant vessels on the high seas.
Irish revolutionary plots against
Great Britain.
FomentingA ill-feeIing against the
United States in Mexico.
Subornation OF American writers
and lecturers
Financing Of propaganda.
Maintenance OF a bureau for the
purpose of stirring up labor troubles
In munition plants.
The bomb industry and other re-
lated activities.
The official expose, issued by the
Committee on Public Information to.
day, says:
Within few days a German news.
paper published in this country EN-.
ployed as the headline to an article
dealing with a rumor of German
American disaffection in this country
the derisive legend. ''Lieb Washing
ton. magst ruhig sein."
This is, OF course, a parody on the
refrein OF Die wacht am Rhein."
the German national hymn:
'Lieb Vaterland, magst runib sein."
Loved fatherland, be restfuI Tor
undisturbed)
In the parody it carries a sheer
comprehensive only to one who I'M
derstands the German mode OF speech
and thought.
OF itself the instance is slightly. But
II typifies a certain important phase of
the German propaganda which subtly
but persistently seeks to present Ger
many course in America in the most
favorable light. even to the extent of
defending the improper activities OF the
Teutonic diplomatic representatives be-
Tore theif passports were given them
Because Of this continuing propaganda
certain documents in the possession of
the Department Of Justice now assume
peculiar Importance. in that they prove
undeniably the intimate relations be-
tween the accredited representatives Of
the Kaiser in the United States and plot
tiers against the laws and the security
Of this country. whose enterprise did not
fall short Of projected wholesale destruc-
ton Of life and property.
Such OF these documents as were es-
sential to legal proceedings brought
against the Germans have been publish
ed. Others are here made, public for
the first time. They form a curious. if
disjointed, chapter in the diplomatic his
tory OF the war.
A Big, SuaVe Man.
In the fall OF 1914. when the German
plots against Canada were fomenting
in this country. there was established.
at 60 Wall Street, an advertising Of
fee presided over by a big, suave man of
Teutonic aspect named Wolf Won Igel
There were two peculiar features about
this office. One was that it was fire. |
Quented during two years Of singularly |
quiet and unbusinesslike existence chief |
ly by Germans who had nothing what |
soever to do with advertising.
The other was large safe, bearing the
insignia Of the German imperial govern |
ment- To this Office there came one |
morning in April, 1916, while Won Igel |
was preparing a mass Of papers which |
he had taken from the safe for transfer |
to the German embassy in Washington, |
four United States Secret Service |
agents from the Department Of Justice. |
who made their way past the guardians |
rest, and undertook TO seize the papers.
The German was large, powerful, and |
brave With the aid Of one associates
he stubbornly fought the officers. striv-
ing to rescue the papers, to close the
safe. to get to the telephone and com
municate with his superiors. Reviewers
were drawn by the Secret Service men.
They produce no effect upon the in
trepid Won Ig'
shouted. shoot me and you will
bring on war"
Papers Are Seized.
There was no shooting. But after
q protracted struggle the defenders
were overpowered and the papers
seized. The German embassy at once
entered its protest These were
official papers. They were sacrosanct.
The diplomatic prerogative OF a
friendly nation had been Overridden
and the person of its representative
insuIted. To this the State Depart
ment replied that the invaded prem
ises at go Wall street we're described
in the contract as a private business
office for the carrying on OF advertis
ing and that Won Igel had not been
formally accredited as a German rep
When the papers were
examined by the Department OF JUS I
tice the reason for Won IgeFs deter
mined tight became apparent. Here,
in the form of letters, kilograms, nota- I
lions, checks, receipts, ledgers, cash
books, cipher codes, lists of spies, and
other memoranda and records, were
found indications-in some instances
Of the vagusst nature, in others of 1
The most damning conclusiveness-
that the German imperial govern :
nent, through its representatives in {
4 then friendly nation. was concerned |
with:
Violation OF the laws of the United ,
States. q,
Destruction ofllives and property in {
merchant vessels on the high seas 3
Irish revolutionary plots against Z
Great Britain. =
FOmenting ill-feeIing against the I
United States in Mexico. 6
Subornation OF American writer's r
Ind lecturers. n
Financing OF propaganda. Iii
Maintenance Of a spy system under S
he guise of a commercial investiga- a
ion bureau. n
Substituting OF p bureau for the pur- n
'ose OF stirring up labor troubles in $
nUnition plants a
The bomb industry and other re- 2
ated activities. =