The Robesonian., 1917-09-24
RERNSTORFF WANTED MONEY
TO INFLUENCE CONGRESS

WANTED MONEY
TO INFLUENCE CONGRESS
Asked for Authority to Spend $780,
600 in Effort to Influence Congress
on Eve of Ruthless Submarine
Campaign
Washington Dispatch, Sept. Fl.
The American governments pup /
licity spotlight revealing German
intrigue in neutral lands turned to-
day upon the expenditure Of money
by the Berlin foreign office in an
effort to influence Congress on the
eve of the ruthless submarine cam
paign which drove the United States
to war.
No Comment by Lansing
Secretary Lansing made public to-
day without comment the text OF a
message by Count Won Bernstorff to
Berlin in January last asking au-
thority to use $4,000 to influence
Congress through an organiza ton
which the foreign office was remind
ed had performed similar service be-!
fore. TO supplement this move, Won
Bernstorff suggested an official dec
laration in favor Of Ireland for it's
effect here.
The organization to be employed
was not named in the message and
Mr.. Lansing did not discuss its iden-.
tity 1t was freely suggested among
other officials, however, that it was
one of the various societies
which flooded members Of the House
and Senate with peace messages
when President Wilson was asking
that a state of war be Recognized.
Plot was Official
This disclosure adds another chap
ter to the amazing story begun with
publication of the famous Zimmer-
man note in which Germany propos
ed an alliance with Mexico and ia,
pan against the United States and
which has included the German
Swedish breaches of neutrality in
Argentine and Mexico. 1t connects
the German government and Count
Won Bernstorff directly and conclu-
sively with Vaccinations which the
American public had assumed was a
part of the worldwide Teutonic in
trigue, but which many people firm
ly believed were carried on or fin
anced in this country by German
Americans without actual authority
from Berlin.
May Demand Investigation
Little was surprise occasioned
either in Official circles or at the
capital, although members of Con-
gress were highly indignant. There
was some talk at the capitol Of de-
manding an Investigation and Sen
ator Overman, chairman of the
Senate lobby committee and Repre-
sentative Flood, chairman of the
House foreign affairs committee, ar
| ranged to 60 to the State Depart
ment tomorrow and ask for further
information.
On the floor Of the House, Repre-
sentative Heflin, of Alabama, assert
ed that he could name thirteen or
fourteen members of the two branch
es of Congress who had acted sus-
piciousl ly and expressed the opinion
that they should be Investigated.
Generally, however, the disposition
was to regard as absurd any sugges-
tion that any part Of the $4,000
sought by Won Bernstorff was in
tended for members of Congress.
The text of the message to the
German foreign office, made public
without comment, is as follows:
81 request authority to pay up to
$4,000 in order, as on former oc-
casions, to influence Congress
through the organization you know
Of, which can, perhaps, prevent war.
| In the above circumstances, a pub
| lic official German declaration in
favor of Irelard is highly desirable
! in order to gain the support of Irish
i influence here"
Bernstorff Played Double
The message was sent nine days
before the German government pro.
u claimed its unrestricted subma arine
warfare. When he wrote it Coun
Y Won Bernstorff was assuring tn,
: American government and press tha
under no circumstances would Ger
many violate her pledges of the Sus
sex case or do anything that Nigh
T draw the United States into the lis
: of her enemy. : With the Lusitani
4 and other cases and other cases i
abeyancee the American governmen
had made no move since the Suisse
pledge ard there was nothing on tn
surface to foreshadow impending
trouble.
Two weeks later, when Won Berr
t storff was handed his passports,
y prof essed ignorance of prior know
: edge of his governments intentio
T. to throw its promises to the wind
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