The state herald., 1917-09-28
Revelations by Secretary Of
State Lansing Bring Storm
of Denunciation.
BERRsToRFF WAS PAYMAsrER
Ambassadors Request for $4,000 Re.
eardsd a. Indicating That Money
Had Been Used Before fer
Same Purpose.

the diplomatic corps have not vet re-
covered from their amaxement at the
astounding revelations made by Sec
retary of State Lansing Of the plans
Of Count Won Bernstorff, former Ger.
man ambassador to the United States,
to expend $4,000 In an effort to influ.
ence congress and prevent this coun-
try from going to war with Germany.
The revelation Of this plot, follow.
ing the disclosures OF other cases Of
German duplicity in its diplomatic re-
lations with the United States and
other countries. had the effect Of
sweeping away such antiwar propa.
ganda as may still have been alive In
the national capital and giving more
convincing evidence Of the hostile acts
which forced the United States into
the war.
How Plot Was Revealed.
Here is the statement Of Secretary
Lansing:
"The secretary Of state issues the
following statement from Ambassador
Bernstorn to the Berlin foreign Office,
NotSu Suhuuiy <$s lOit.
~ request authority to pay out up
to $4,000 (fifty thousand dollars), In
order, as on former occasions, to infiu-
ence congress through the organiza-
tlon you know of which can perhaps
prevent war.
"T am beginning in the meantime
to act accordingly.
TN the above circumstances. pub
lie official German declaration In ia
vor of Ireland is highly desirable in
order to gain the support OF Irish In.
huence here"
Capital Stunned by Revelations.
The publication Of this letter ap-
parently revealing the fact that Bern
storff had previously Influenced
congress through the organIzati ton you
know Of" actually stunned the cap.
itoi.
On the floor Of the house, congress-
men were denounced as suspicious"
II was openly stated by some that they
believed their colleagues had received
German money.
According to Representative Tom
Helm. Alabama. he believes he could
name 13 or II men In the two houses
Of congress who have acted suspi-
ciously.
Fess Of Ohio and Howard Of Geor-
gia both declared the German propa-
ganda worked directly. with money
changing hands and reaching govern
ment oficinls.
Additional startling revelations Of
the free use Of money by the Ger.
man government to sustain the Ger
man propaganda In the United States
will follow LanHng's expose.
These revelations. II was indicated.
will corr0borate the indictment Of
the German embassy a. the disburs-
Ing bureau for propaganda. Certain
Insh.American aGitators In the coun.
try who have allied themselves with
hostile German.Americans may expect
to be the next objects Of the govern.
meats attack.
csnvIets Count Osrnstsrm.
The shower Of indictments Of Ger.
man clandestine pre-war activities In
this country IL relied upon BY the
state department to set at rest all
doubt remaining In any quarters that
the German government oficially
through Count Won Bernstor6 con.
splred nagrantly. a. asserted In Presi.
dent Wilson'S war proclamation. to di.
vide the American people on the H.
sues Of the war. II Ii believed BY the
state department that public opinion.
after digesting the contents OF the
series Of exposes, may be depended
upon 70 deal effectively with those
who became the catspaws Of the Ger.
man embaasy.
The message was decoded by Scot.
land Yards experts after vain at
tempts BY Americans.
Expulsion might have been Won
BernstorfY's fate as remotely ~ 1918 II
the state department had then known
Ns much about the secrets Of the Ger.
man code ~ II knows today.
Other shets 10 Fellow.
One by one the exhibits In the cvi.
dencc In the cnse. II was said at the
state department. will be given TO the
public.
That Americans In high public posi-.
tions lent themselves TO the German
cmbnssy's plan to split congress on
the question Of war. further dccodcd
messages In the possession Of the gov.
crnmcnt nre expected TO demonstrate
conclusively.
More thnn one Of these wcli.known
persons has been under public suS
picion. but proof Of their completely
with the Germnn government hns not
come forth. II II known thnt cvi.
dcnce Of the most damaging nnd con.
vincing character Inns finally been
obtained by the agents Of the govern.
inent.
Vice President Marshall nadc
riear-cut statement Of his views to.