The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-03-01

Won Bernstorff, is in possession OF the
United States government. It's text
is printed elsewhere on this page.
| This document has been in the
! hands of the government since Presi-
dent Wilson broke off diplomatic re-
lations with Germany. 1t has been
kept secret, while the president has
been asking Congress for full authori.
ty to deal with Germany.
! The document supplies the missing
! link to many separate chains OF cir
! cumstances, which until now have
seemed to lead to no definite point. 1t
| sheds new light upon the frequently
reported but indefnable movements
of the Mexican government to couple
its situation with the friction between
the United States and Japan.
II gives new credence to persistent
reports of submarine bases on Mexi-
can territory in the gulf of Mexico;
it takes cognizance of fact long
recognized by American army chiefs.
that if Japan ever undertook to In
wade the United States, 1t probably
would be through Mexico, over
the border and into the Mississippi
valley to split the country in two.
Il recalls that Count Won Bernstorff
when handed his passports, was very
reluctant to return to Germany, but
expressed preference for asylum in
Cuba. 1t gives a new explanation to
the repeated arrests on the border of
men charged by American military
authorities with being German in
telligence agents.
Last of all 1t seems to show con-
nection with Gen. Carranzas recent
proposal to neutrals that exports of
food and munitions to the entente al
lies be cut Off and an intimation that
he might stop the supply of oil, 80
vital to the British navy, which is ex.
ported from the Tampico fields.
What Congress will do and how
members of Congress who openly
have sympathized with Germany in
their opposition to clothing the presi.
dent with full authority to protect
American rights will regard the reve-
lation of Germany's Vaccinations to
attack the United States, is the sub
ject tonight Of the keenest interest.
Such a proposal as Germany instruct
ed her minister to make to Mexico,
borders on an act of war II, actually
it is not one.
No doubts exists at Washington
now that the persistent reports during
the last two years of the operations Of
German agents not alone in Mexico.
but all through Central America and
the West Indies, are based on fact.
Carranza's peace proposal was open
ly pronounced by officials here as an
evidence OF German influence in. Mex
leo, who declared 1t was intended on
ly to embarrass the United States.
Count Won Bernstorffs connection
with the plot, further than serving as
the channel Of communication, is In.
tensified by the fact that the German
Embassy here was not merely the
medium of delivering a message in
this instance, but was really sort OF
headquarters for all the German mis-
sions in Central and South America.
The German Naval Attache, Cap
tain Boy-Ed, and the Military At
tache, Captain Won Papen, whose re-
call was forced by the State Depart
ment because Of their military activ.
titles in this country, also were ac-
credited to Mexico and between the
outbreak of the war and their de-
parture from this country made at
least one visit there.
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 National and the Bank of
London and Mexico, owned by French
and British capital. The institutions
were closed by the Mexican officials
and some of their officers imprisoned
and held for weeks despite repeated
protests by France, Great Britain and
| the United States.
Reports of German machine guns
and German gunners in the Carran5a
army also have been persistent, al.
though the relative Importance OF
that to the proposed alliance is not
fully established. 1t is recalled to.
night. too, that last November, when
the Mexican-American Joint Commits
Continued on Page ~