Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-09-14
ENVOY IN MEXICO SHOWN TO
HAVE ACTED AS SECRET
AGENT FOR GERMANY.
LANSING ExPLoDEs NEW
BOMB UNDER KAISER
Minister in Mexico City Urging
Chancellor to Decorate Swedish En-
voy Who Had Been Transmitting Sc
cret Messages to Berlin.

Washington Sept. 14.-Secretary of
State Lansing touched off another in
ternational mine, illuminating still
more graphically the secret working
agreement between Germany and Swe-
den and a possible, if not probable,
avenue for the communication of Am
erican military information by Prus-
sian agents to Berlin
Mr. Lansing made public the text OF
a letter dated March s, 1916, from Ger
man Minister Won Eckhardt at Mexico
City to the imperial German chancellor,
urging that Emperor William confer
the decoration of Order of the Crown,
second class. upon Herr Folke CrOn-
holm Swedish charge daffaires in Mex
leo. in recognition of the Swedish en-
voy's invaluable services in forwarding
Won ECkhardt's secret reports to, Ber-
lin through the Stockholm foreign Of
flee and under cover OF the official
Swedish cipher.
Acts as intermediary"
Won Eckhardt said Cronholm was
the only diplomat through whom in
formation from hostile camp can be
obtained and that he acts as inter-
mediary between this legation and your
excellency" the German chancellor who
at that time wos Won Bethmann Holl-
veg. -
The German minister described
Cronholms faithful service, which in
cluded trips to the telegraph office, fire.
quently quite late at night"
Asks Honor Secretly.
The most damaging determination OF
the Swedish government is contributed
by Won Eckhardt's recommendation
that the decoration be conferred upon
Cronholm secretely, in order not to
arouse the suspicious of the entente
allies concerning SO valuable means
of secret communication. and that the
gracious action of the kaiser be con-
fded ito no one but the recipient and
his government"
The confidence Of Won Eckhardt that
the bestowal of such an honor on Cron-
holm by the kaiser would not arouse
the suspicious in Stockholm that 1t
would in entente capitals is accounted
far only by the perfect operation of the
Swedish underground telegraph, in
dicatins a complete understanding be-
tween Germany and Sweden.
Proves Sweden's Plottings.
Mr. Lansings revelation is accepted
generally here as proof that Sweden
almost since the beginning of ths war
has been the secret accompiice OF Ger
many IN afnording secret means OF
communication between Berlin and
German ENJOYS andtagents promoting
plots against neutral American repub-
lies. .-..s FL. --... --
Here is the full text Of the. Won Eek
hardt letter:
Imperial legation Mexico: To His
Excellency the Imperial Chancellor:
Herr Folke Cronholm. the Swedish
charge d 'affaires here, since his arrival
here has not disguised his sympathy
for Germany, and has entered lntc
close relations with this legation He
is the only diplomat thru whom in
formation from a hostile camp can be
obtained.
Was Messenger Boy.
Moreover he acts as intermediary
for official diplomatic intercourse DC
tween this legation and your excel
lency. In the course Of this he is
obliged to go personally each time r
the telegraph office, not seldom quite
late at night, in order TO hand in the
kilograms. Herr Cronholm was for
merly at Picking and at Toxic and was
responsible for the preliminary ar
engagements which had to be made fol
the representation Of his country II
each case. Before he came out nert
nu aGi Seen III charge CT TIE ConSu
late general at Hamburg.
Herr Cronholm has not got a Swe.
dish but only a Chinese order at pres.
ent. ! venture to submit to your ex-
cellency the ACCESSIBILITY Of laying be-
fore his majesty the emperor the nam
OF Herr Cronhoim, with 4 "!cw to th'
| crown order of the second class being
bestowed upon him.
Fears Foes Suspicious.
1T would perhaps be desirable II
| order not to excite the enemy's sus
| picion to treat with secrecy the mat
| ter Of the issue Of the patents until
the end Of the war should the de
| cision be favorable to my suggestion
This would mean that the matte
would be communicated to no one bu
| the recipient and his government, AM
| even to them only under the seal o
secrecy, while the publication Of tn
| bestowal of the decoration would ~
| postponed until the end Of the war.
should be particularly grateful to you
excellency if could be furnished witt
| telegraphic news of the bestowal Of tn
| decoration which / strongly recon-
mend in view Of the circumstances de
| tailed above.