Middletown transcript., 1917-09-29
CAPITAL AGHAST
ATLATEST PROOF
OF TEUTON PLOTS
Plan to Use Money to Influence
Congress on War Arouses
Legislators.
BERNSTORFF Seen UNMASkED
Disclosures Made by Secretary OF
State Lansing Regarded as Show
ina Ambassador Directed Ger
man Intrigue.

Washington.-Convincing proof that
German diplomatic agents in the
United States violated all rules of In
ternational courtesy and conspired to
influence congress by the use of money
to prevent this country from going to
war to defend itself from the attacks
Of the German government is seen in
the publication by Secretary OF State
Lansing of a note from Count Won
Bernstorff, former German ambassador
to the United States, asking for author
ity to expend $4,000 for the purpose
Of influencing congress.
The publication of this note was
greater bomb-shell than any of the 9TH
er revelations of German duplicity that
have been made by the state depart
ment. Neutral diplomats, members OF
congress and others were literally as
founded by the disclosures. 1t has
been no secret that the German dlplo-
matte representatives in the United
States conspired in various ways to
prevent this country from entering the
war on the side of the allies but the
proof that German money was used or
was to be used for the specific pur-
pose of influencing congress furnished
an amazing climax for all the revela-
tions that have gone before.
Telegram Sent by Bernstorff.
The telegram, exposed by Secretary
of State Lansing, was sent through
some secret channel to the Berlin for
eign office on Jan. %, 1917, by Count
Won Bernstorff, former ambassador OF
Germany. 1t was as follows:
Il request authority to pay out up
to $4,000 (ffty thousand dollars) IN
order, as on former occasions, to infiu-
ence congress through the organiza-
ton you know of. which can perhaps
prevent war.
II am beginning in the meantime to
act accordingly.
In the above circumstances public
official German declaration In favor OF
Ireland is highly desirable, in order to
gain the support of Irish influence
here"
Some congressman expressed the
view that the money was spent In d
campaign by telegraph just before the
United States declared state OF war,
when millions of messages were poured
in upon members OF both houses.
German propagandists used the tele-
graph wires freely to further their
purposes.
The message of Count Won Bern
storff which was revealed by Secretary
Lansing was sent last January, at a
time when there were no outward In
dications of u break between the
United States and Germany. This, OIL
cials said, showed that Count Won
Bernstorff was fully aware OF the
kaiser's plans to launch ruthless sub
marine warfare, thus repudlatlnS Ger-
many's pledges to the United States.
Exposes German Deceit
State department officials declined
to comment upon the object hoped to
be realized as result of the publica-
ton of the Bernstorff message. 1t was
believed, however, to have as its pur-
pose suppiementing the general policy
of exposing to tie world the malicious
deceit that characteriZeS German dip
Iomacy, the revelation of German In
spiration of peace propaganda In
America.
It was denied tnat there was any In
tent to reflect upon congress In max
ing the dispatch public at this time.
II could not be ascertaiped that there
was any design in selecting any par
ticular moment for the publication and
II was asserted also to be mere CO.
incidence that the exposure occurred
lust after the arrival Of Count Won
Berastorff at Constantinople as Ger
man ambassador to Turkey.
Officials made 1t plain that the gov
ernment had some information OF Ger
many's policy of duplicity before Bern
storff requested authorization to con-
tinue his campaign to influence con-
gress. There was qualification in otfl'
cial quarters that the ambassador dio
not presume to intimate to his govern
ment that any amount of propaganda
could influence President Wilson.
Officials asserted that the govern
ment had an idea of the identity OF the
organization referred to by AmDassa
dor Bernstorff, but, there being no alb
solute certainty, none would be named
It was said to be unfair to draw the