New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-22
Pacihst Bodies
Deny Getting Fund


Deny Getting Fund
Officers Of all the New York City
pacifst and pro-German societies who
could be communicated with last night
were quick to deny that theirs was the
organization referred TO by Count Won
Bernstorir in his message to the Berlin
Foreign Office.
PEOPLES COUNCIL.
Scott Nearing. chairman OF the
executive committee of the Peoples
Council. issued statement declaring
that the ambiguous statement given
out at Washington regarding Count
Won Bernstorffs message throws a
cloud Of unwarrantcd suspicion on
the organizations spreading peace
propaganda.
"A statement, issued from Washing
ton" said Mr.. Nearing, has been con
strued to mean that one Of the Ameri-
can organizations working for peace
was being subsidized By the German
government in January. 1917. The or
canizing committee of the Peoples
Council did not come into existence
until four months later May 81, 1917.
The Peoples Council itself was not or
gained until September. IL is there.
fore obvious that the Peoples Council
is not connected in any way with these
funds.
Has 1000 Contributors
"Thus far more than 1000 individuals
have contributed to the work of the
Peoples Council. over four thousand
OF these contributors were in amounts
Of 81 or less. The largest single con-
trbution was $1,000. With this ex-
ception and with the exception of few
other contributions Of $500 and 1000
all the money has come in small
amounts.
The People, Council mas already
asked the Department Of Justice TO
make an investigation of its activities
and refute the vicious charges that
have been made from time to time in
an effort to hamper the work OF the
council
at seems particularly unfortunate
i'm these days when rumors are so
easily set afoot. that the government
should not see iii to make public the
name Of the organization for which the
money was solicited. The ambiguous
statement issued Friday merely throws
q cloud Of unwarranted suspicion on
the activities Of a large number OF or
carnations that already have been
made the subject of unjust and vicious
attacks by irresponsible and interested
parties"
Sons Of Irish Freedom
John D. Moore, president of the Sons
Of Irish Freedom, had statement
ready when he was asked to comment
on the Bernstorif revelations.
"Thc Sons Of Irish FrncGom," IL read
els not the Society the German Am
bassador meant. Secretary Lansing
said to-day that the inference that the
count referred 10 any Irish society was
not justified.
THE members Of the Sons Of Irish
Freedom are OF Irish blood only. We
have strivcn TO avoid taking on a Ger
man tingc. The society is maintained
solely by its members. Our aim has
been 10 carry on purely American
propaganda for Irish freedom"
Mr. Moore said further:
81 know thai no one connected with
our organization in any capacity has
accepted German money, nor, for that
matter has even been approached by
Gcrman,agents.'
American Peace Society
Amy suggestion that the American
Peace Society ~ the one BernstorT had
in mind IS simply laughablc,' said Dr..
George W. kirchwey. president of that
organization. Our organization is an
cid one. We do not solicit subscriptions
and our society Is maintained prnci-
pally by cndowmcnts ! know that no
one connected with my organization
has been approached by German propa-
gandists.'
Emergency Peace Federation
Mrs. Henry Willard chairman Of the
Emergency Peace Federation, made q
similar statement. I'VE are 100 per cent
American was her comment. "Of
course We have had nothing to do with
German prOpagandists at any time"
OTHER SOCIETIES
Among other New York City organ
izatIons prominent in the paciiist agi-
tation Of the last few months are:
Collegiate League Against Militarism.
Neutral Conference Committee.
Antl-Militarism League, notable
among whose members is Joseph y.
Cannon.
Committee for Democratic Control.
headed by Amos Piuchot. Max Eastman.
Randolph Bourne. Mary Pinchot Emo
and Winthrop D. Lane
American Union Against Militarism,
Of which Crystal Eastman is secretary
and Lillian D. Wald chairman.
Nomau's Peace Party, with Mrs.
Margaret Lane as secretary.
American Truth Society. with Jerc-
miah II. OLeary as its president.
There were several guesscs as TO the
identity Of the organization referred 10
by Rcrnstorf by local Federal officials.
Most Of them believed IL was one OF
the organizations to which it, German
paid organizers had given some name
20 identify it with the Irish cause.
That several men with Irish names who
were Identified with these organiZa-
t.ons, and who for the most part had
never seen ireland, have been the re-
cIpjerts Of German gold is an open Sc
cret. The British White Paper on the
Won der GOitz confession revealed this.
Further color was lent 10 the belief
that it was one Of the so-called irish
societies by the sentence in the Bern
stort message urging his government
TO make q public official declaration in
favor Of Ireland
Harden Sees Peace This