The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1917-10-04
KNOWS BERNsToRFF's AIDS
Secretary Of States Successive Die.
closures Of TeutonIe Intrigue in
America Are Well Timed to Meet
kaiseTs Efforts to Becioud Issues.
BY EDWARD s.'cLARk.

~SAAS~AA
been secured. 9.
The recent publication Of the details
pf plots Matched in the United States
before this country declared war
against Germany, and before Count
Ton Bernstorf had received his dis.
missal papers, carried with It the
names OF some persons and organiza.
Hons directly connected with the plot.
making. It has been believed in Wash.
lngton, however, for a long time that
Mr: Lansing has in his possession the
names Of persons In this city who are
more than suspected Of being carriers
Of tales and Information to Count Won
Bernstorf at his residence on the Ter.
race overlooking Massachusetts ave.
nue.. "s''a NJ r:>.se;..'*s.
One day the secretary Of state went
Do far as to say to group of men that
among those to whom he was talking
were several who he knew were acting
hs instant carriers Of information con-
corning his daily conversations to tho
German embassy.
Washington correspondents knew
Secretary Lansing we'll enough to un-
derstand that, cautious as he is under
all circumstances, he would not have
said what he did unless he had good
proof of the truth Of his words. It
was somewhat later than this that the
secretary gave an intimation Of the
possession of material which, If made
public, would convince the American
people beyond any kind of a doubt that
German agents were seeking to divide
this country against itself to the ad.
vantage Of the kaiser's cause.
Disclosures Well Timed.
1t Is nothing new for Washington TO-
realize that suspicion Is directed
against certain persons in this capital.
There Is realization today that per-
haps the secretary Of state has ldone a
wise, thing in spreading out his dis
closures concerning German intrigue.
He has timed each disclosure so that It
would come cOincidently with some
attempt on the part Of Germany to be-
cloud the issues or to secure peace
virtually on it's own terms. The Won
BernstOrff message with its request for
$4,000 fund to influence congress
and the Won lyle disclosures came al
most simultaneously with the answers
Of Germany and Austria to the pope's
peace proposals. In the days that have
elapsed since the disclosure was made
there have come additional reasons to
make it seem certain that the Won
Bernstorff material was given pub
licity then because the moment was
thought to he the right one In which to
strike.
Because Of the tremendous happen
ings Of the last four or five months the
country seemingly has forgotten some
Of the things which occurred Just prior
to the declaration Of war against Ger
1nnnv IN t's dispatches to the press
Of March 20 this was said:
"There are congressman who> fsar
that the votes which they may lose II
they act mnnfully will defcat them for
ra-e'ecticn in November. 1918. A ina
inrity Of the members Of house, md
senate will vote right. hut there will he
y few ~enatrrS and few 'repreS.r'ta-
tivns. = is feared. who will give aid
and comfort to the enemy by trying 7"
make It npre"r that this nation Is NOT
one in its desire to defend its people
and its honor"
How German Money Was Used.
The happenings Of that time are In
entire keeping with present belief th1t
German money was used to bring
about the partial results C"tained by
the p,ry, ":nd;,. The cash WAS spent
to pay for the hnnbn rtlment Of con-
gress with telegramS. Few thought or
think that congressman received my
money. 1t was definitely known. how
ever, that an effort. prepared some
weeks prior to the time that Won
Bernstorff had received his dismissal.
was to be made to handicap the gov
eminent in its program.
. The Won Bernstorff influences were
felt in all ranks of Washington society.
After. his juniors had been sent away
because Of their discovered plottinss
against the good Of this: country. the
ambassador remained here and so far
rs officialdom was concerned was in
good standing because he had not been
caught as his juniors had been in the
3atifE WORK IF ffouble milking. During
ali this time there were men and Won:
en- IN Washington who kept up their
intimacy with the German ambassa'
fior and who were openly and pro
nouncedly pro-German in their senti'
ments.
washington believes it knows the
names of persons who were perhaps
more than suspected of willingness
To aid the cause of the kaiser. just
prior.s to the declaration of war; and
washington still thinks that perhaps
Some of these persons are not sin
cere today in their protestations Of
navalty to their own country,