The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1917-09-14
SWEDISH ENVOY
IN MEXICO ACTS
AS GERMAN spy
Kaiser Asked to Decorate Minis
ter Who Performed Valuable
Service.
Ian ing HAS The LETTER
Secretary of State Makes New Revela-
ton Showing Argentine Wasn't
the Only Country Where Teu-
tons Employed Neutrals.

Washington, Sept. 14.-The material
aid given Germany by Sweden was not
confined to transmission of naval Sc
crets by code from Argentina to Ber-
lin. A copy of an official letter from
Herr Won Eckhardt, German minister
In Mexico, to his home office, given out
by Secretary Lansing, makes the start
ling revelation that Folke Cronholm,
Swedish charge daffaires in Mexico
City, was an active agent Of the Ger
man government.
Decorated by the Kaiser?
So extensive were his services that
he was recommended to the kaiser
as being worthy of special decora-
ton as reward for his services.
1t is shown that Folke Cronholm not
only gave military and diplomatic in
formation to Minister Won Eckhardt
at least up to March, 1916. but that he
followed the example of his colleague
In Buenos Aires by transmitting Off
cial messages from the German en-
bassy in the official Swedish code to
the foreign office at Stockholm and
thence to Berlin.
Morris Ordered to Use French.
At the same time the secretary of
state made public report from Ira
Nelson Morris, American minister at
Stockholm, declaring that while the
Swedish foreign office was transmitting
German messages in German code for
the German diplomats, it was requiring
Mr. Morris to file his messages to Con-
stantinople via the Swedish foreign Of
fee in French.
Swedish Envoy Pleads ignorance.
The revelation in the letter from
Mexico City giving further proof Of
Swedens pro-German attitude can be
met, according to opinion here, only by
dismissal from Swedish services of the
guilty parties, a break in relations be-
tween Sweden and Germany and pro-
found apology to the United States
and other allies.
Secretary LanSlng's disclosure drew
from Baron Akerhielm the following
statement:
Baron Akerhielm knows nothing
about this matter that is referred to
him, but he wants it to be shown that
Mr.. Cronh0lm was dismissed from the
Swedish diplomatic service by the
Swedish government in January, 1917"
A few hours prior to the official
revelation of further use of Swedish
diplomatic channels by German dipio-
mats, Baron Akerhielm called at the
state department to tell Secretary
Lansing he had received from the
Swedish foreign Office such a badly
mutilated text of his governments eX-
planatien of the transmission of Ger
man messages through Swedish lega-
ton at Buenos Aires, that he desired
to delay reading it to Secretary Lam
sing until he could obtain a version In
English. The copy he brought with
him was in French.
The departments reply to the baron
and to Sweden-took the form of
disclosure of Herr Won Eckhardt's in
tercepted note to former Chancellor
Won HollWeg.
Sends Enemy News Over U. S. Wires.
Secret German messages We're trans
mitted over the cable and telegraph
lines Of the United States from Mex
leo City to Europe, under guarantee of
the Swedish diplomats, just as the
Luxburg dispatches were sent over the
British cables. What Mexico may care
to do about the expose is another mat
ter.
The exposure may result in a break
between Mexico and Germany.