The Elbert County tribune., 1917-09-28


German plots in the United States
made 1t certain congress VIII under
take thorough Investigation.
The Investigation VIII be called as
soon MS the state department gives
the congressional leaders the word.
The disclosures, giving names on
Count Won Bernstorff's pay roll, speci-
flying amounts, setting forth details OF
plans to bomb munition plants ana
blow up shipping. to spread German
propnganda and to foment the irish
rebellion. were issued through the com
mittee on public information. The
facts and figures mnde official WASH
ington dizzy with nmazement Mt the
holiness of the game played by the
German embassy.
List of Persons involved.
The list of well-known persons VINO
are alleged to have come under the
influence of Count Won Dernstorn as
given In the disclosures, includes:
Justice Daniel r. cohslan Of the New
York supreme court.
Jeremiah A. O'Leary Of the Ameri-
can Truth society.
Edwin Emerson, the correspondent.
James Archibald. the correspondent.
John Dewey of New York city, edi-
tor of the Gaelic American.
Ray Beverdge, the California artist.
c. j. Waldron of Medusa, N. Y.
T. j.. Bowling of Hartford, Conn.
Marcus Braun, editor of Fair Play
George Sylvester Viereck. editor OF
the Fatherand, or as 1t is now called,
viereck's Weekly.
Otto West, proprietor of the Hour
Glass, 500 Fifth avenue.
Paul koenig. manager Of the secret
service Of the Hamburg-American
Steamship line.
Carl A. Heynan of the Hamburg
lillian consul in Mexico City and for
a time in charge of American con-
suiar interests there.
Lansing AbsoIves Congress.
Given out as an official document.
the specific evidence linking Count Won
Bernstorfr up with the ramiiications of
German intrigue and propaganda in
the United States provoked congress-
men to clamor for nm investigation.
To clear congress Immediately Of
any suspicion which the state de-
partment's revelation may have direct
ed unwittingy at it's members, Secre-
tary Lansing dictated the following
statement:
''If there is any misunderstanding,
j shall say emphatically I do not see
how the Bernstorff message In any
way reflects upon congress or any
member. Apparently 1t was the pur-
pose to employ agencies to influence
them. of which they would have no
knowledge, and in case they were in
fiuenced would be entirely innocent.
do not know what the organization
was. This expose is apropos of Ger
man methods of peace propaganda and
there is no intention of casting suspi-
cion on members of congress-"
Within few days n German news
paper published in this country en-
ployed as a headline to an article deal
ing with Il rumor of German-American
disaffection in this country the deris-
I've legend. "Lieb' Washington, magst
ruhig sein."
This is, of course. parody on the
refrnin of die Wacht am Rhein." the
German national hymns:
''Lieb Vaterland. magst ruhig sein."
'Lover fatherland. be restful Cor un-
disturbed)."
In the parody 1t carries a sneer COM
hensible only to one who understands
the German mode of speech and
thought.
Typifies Propaganda.
OF itself the instance is slight. But
II typifles a certain important phase
of the German propaganda which sub
tly but persistently seeks to present
Germanys course In America In the
most favorable light, even to the ex-
tent of defending the improper activ-
files of the Teutonic diplomatic repre-
sentatives before their passports were
given them.
Because of this continuing propa-
ganda certain documents In the pos
session of the department of justice
now assumes peculiar Importance, in
that they prove undenlably the inti-
mate relations between the accredited
representatives of the kaiser in the
United States and plotters against the
laws and the security of this country,
whose enterprise did not fall short of
projected wholesale destruction of life
and property.
Office Is Established.
Such of these documents as were es-
sential to legal proceedings brought
against the Germans have been pub
lfsheu. Others are here made public
for the first time. They form a curious
II disjointeu. chapter in the diplomatic
history of the war;
In the fall of 1914. when the German
plots against Canada were fomenting
in this country. there was established.
at go Wall street an advertising" Of
fce presided over by a big, suave man
OF Teutonic aspect named Wolf Won