The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-03-01
BERNsTORFF IN PLOT

Count Von Bernstorff's connec-
 tiOn with the plot, further than
 serving as the channel of cOnh-
 munication, is intensified by the
 fact that the German embassy here
 was not merely the medium of de-
 Iivering a message fin this instance
 but was really a sort of headquar-
 ters for all the German missions in
 Central and South America.
 The German naval attache, Cap
 tain BOy-Ed. and the military att
 tachc, Captain Won Papen, whose
 recall was forced by the state de-
 pertinent because of their military
 activities in this country, also
 were accredited to Mexico and be-
 tween the outbreak of the war and
 their departure from this country
 made at least one visit there.
 OTHER EVIDENCE
 For many months naval officers here have believed that the mysterious Ger man sea raiders of the south Atlantic must have found a base somewhere or the Mexican coast, and that such a base could not be maintained without the knowledge and consent of Mexican off cials. Last November the British charge at Mexico City presented to the Carranzs foreign office a notification that if il was discovered that Mexican neutrality thus had been violated, the allies would take drastic measures to prevent z continuance of that situation.
 NOTE WAS INSOLENT
 In note almost insolent in tone For eign Minister Aguilar replied to th' charge that, in effect, it was the busi ness of the allies to keep German sub marines out of western waters, and tha if they were not kept out. Mexico woult adopt whatever course the circumstance might command.
 To German influences also have
 been attributed in some quarters
 the vigorous steps taken by the
 de facto finance minister to force
 loans from the BancO NaciOnal and
 the Bank of London and Mexico,
 owned by French and British cap ital. The institutions were closed by the Mexican authorities and some of their officers imprisoned and held for weeks despite repent ed protests by France, Great Brit ain and the United States. Reports of German machine guns an German gunners in the Carranza arm also have been persistent, although tn rels tive importance to the proposed al liance is not fully established. It wa recalled tonight, too, that last Novem Der, when the Mexican-American joir commjssion was making it's futile effor ! to adjust the differences between the tw countries, the Austro-Hungarian ambas sador at Mexico City, Count Kalma Kama Volkanya.3 made a trip to tn United States on what he described a | a secret mission
 1 suggestion interprsted by some off cals as an indication that Germany migf have made approaches to Mexico at ths 1 time was made by Cabrera in an addres l at Philadelphia on November 10.
 "The foes of the United States will eel |tainly assume to be friends of Mexico, l said MT. Cabrera. "And will try to talk l advantage of any sort of resentment Me> ] leo may have against the United State Mexico, nevertheless. knows that in case of a conflict between the Unite l States and any other nation outsid l America her attitude must be one ( l continental solidarity
 TRAILS OFTEN SEEN
 It has been an open secret that
 department of justice agents in
 their investigations of plots to violate American neutrality by
 setting on foot armed expeditions
 in Mexico more than once have un-
 covered what appeared to be trails
 of the German secret service.
 A few days ago Fred Kaiser, suspected of being a German agent,
 was arrested at Nognles on charges brought under the neu-
 trality statutes, department Of 5us-
 tice agents declaring he had st- tempted to obtain military infOr-
 nation on the American side of
 the border and had cultivated the society of American army officers with an apparent intention of pro-
 noting those efforts.
 l Last July, when w. H. Schweibz WI claimed to be former German arm officer, escaped into Mexico at Nogale after arrest on similar charges, the de luty marshal who tried to follow him WI stopped hv Mexican authorities. | GOVERNMENT CAREFUL
 The full extent of the evidence of Ge many's plotting against the United State