Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-09-21
Former German Ambassa.
dor Used Money to In
fluence Congress.
TRIED TO PREVENT
WAR DECLARATION
Secretary Lansing Makes Public Mes
sage Sent by Former German Am
hassador to Berlin Government
Openly Asking for Money With
Which to Stop Declaration Of War
by Amsriea-U. S. Has Al: Facts.


Lansing today made public, as an as
founding addition to the series Of dis
closures Of German ihtrigues in Amer
lea and elsewhere. message sent by
Count Won Bernstorff in January Of
this year to the Berlin foreign office,
requesting authority to pay out $50,00o
to influence congress thru an unnamed
organization apparently known to the
Berlin authorities.
Count Won Bernstorff indicated in
his message that money had been paid
this organization on former occasions
to perform the same work.
The text Of the message, made public
without comment and dated Jan. %
1917, follows:
II request authority to pay out up to
$4,000 (fifty thousand dollars) in or
der, as on former occasions to influence
congress thru the organization you
know Of. which can perhaps prevent
war.
Il am beginning In the meantime to
act accordingly.
kuc dDOtc a PuO
lie official German declaration in favor
OF Ireland is highly desirable in order
10 gain the support Of Irish influence
here" - s,
May iubiish Entire Story.
whether the state department is in
possession Of other evidence indicat-
ing the ambassadors activities is not
revealed, but the extraordinary dis
closures already made have fixed the
belief that agents Of the United States
governments have collected and compil-
ed the entire story Of German duplicity
and intrigue and that additional chap
ters will .Ibe added.
The reference to avoiding war was
taken as an indication that Ambassa-
dor Won Bernstorf had prior yord
that his government would maintain
ruthless widespread warfare and he
was confident that the United States
government could not be easily placat-
ed by mere promises.
The German announcement OF It's
intention to expand its submarine act1-
vities was not made public until Jan.
81, when the world was startled not
only by the determination to remove
all restrictions but by the statement
that it would become effective the fol-
lowing day.
Three days later the United States
had expressed its disapproyal by sever
ing relations with Germany.
No Attempt to Bribe Congress-.
Il Ia not assumed that the am
bassador had actually attempted to
bribe congress. It is doubted that such
was his purpose, and this Is supported
by the small amount of money he ask
ed Fifty thousand dollars, 1t is point
ed out would go but short way in
buying influence OF any congressman.
Judiciously expended, however, it might
do much in compensating paid agents,
such as are now known to have be-
longed to the elaborate machine Bern
storr had 50 carefully built up for the
production Of propaganda and for
purposes Of espionage.
information In the possession OF the
A government but not yet revealed. 1t is
said, shows conclusively more direct
connection Of the German machine IN
America with the Irish question than
that Indicated In Count Won Bernstorns 8
message. The records at the depart
ment Of justice are said to contain the
names Of men well known in America
implicated in that phase Of Germanic
intrigue.
eernstorff in Bad Light.
Today's announcement by the state
department IL the first official utter
ance Of the government with reference
to the German ambassadors personal
activity In the maze Of plots and intri-
CUES conducted for Germany's beneht