Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-10-02
GERMAN WAR PLOT ON CONGRESS
REVEALED BY STATE DEPARTMENT
Startling Exposure That Ambassador Bensor Asked
Berlin for Money to Influence United States Law
makers Against Declaration of War-Sent Cable
Just Before Unrestricted Submarine
Warfare Was AnnOunced-Plots
and Intrigue Traced to
German Embassy.

Washington, Sept. 21.-Secretary Of
6tahs Lansing today made public an
astounding addition to the series OF
disclosures of German intrigues in
America and elsewhere-a message
sent by Count Won Bernstorff in Janu
airy of this year to the Berlin foreign
Office requesting authority to pay out
$4,000 to influence congress through
an unnamed organization, apparently
known to the Berlin authorities.
Count Won Bernstorff indicated in
his his message that money had been
paid this organization on former occa-
sions to perform the same work. The
text of the message, dated Jan. %,
1917, was made public without COM
ment
Whether the state department is in
possession of other evidence indicat-
ing the ambassadors activities has not
been revealed, but the extraordinary
disclosures already made have fixed
the belief that agents of the United
States government have collected and
compiled the entire story of German
duplicity and intrigue and that other
chapters will be added. Chapters here
tofore given out by the state depart
ment were the messages of Count
Luxburg, German minister to Argen-
tina, which have disrupted relations
between Argentina and Germany, and
the letter of German Minister Won Eek
hardt in Mexico City, suggesting re-
ward for a Swedish diplomatic agent
to serve the German cause. These
were recently given out. Months ago
the state department gave out the
Zimmerman note to Mexico City, pro-
posing getting Mexico and Japan to
make war On the United States.
The reference to avoiding war is
taken as an indication that Ambassa-
dor Bernstorff had prior knowledge Of
his governments intention to proclaim
a merciless, widespread submarine
warfare, and that he was equally con-
fdent that the United States govern
ment could not be easily placated by
mere promises.
SiAS"S ~ van w 90 =NFN~NSAa
The German announcement of inten-
ton to expand its submarine activities
was not made public until Jan. 81,
when the world was startled not only
by the determination to remove all re-
strictions but by the statement that it
would become effective on the follow
ing day. Three days later the United
States government expressed it's dis
approval by severing relations with
Germany.
That the German ambassador knew
Of his governments intention was as
sumed by some officials, although at
the same time he denied prior knowl-
edge, and those in close touch with
the embassy were given to understand
that he did not approve the course and
worked for modification.
1t has not been assumed that the
ambassador actually attempted to
bride or personally influence any mem
Der of congress and doubt that such
was his purpose is supported to some
extent by the comparatively small
amount of money he asked.
For Propaganda and Espionage.
Fifty thousand dollars, it was point
ed out, would go but a short way to-
ward buying the influence of any con-
gressmen. Judiciously expanded, how
ever, it might do much in compensat-
Tag paid agents, such as are now
known to have belonged to the elabo-
rate machine Bernstorff had so care
fully built up for the production of
propaganda and for the purposes of es-
pionage.
information in the possession of the
government but not yet revealed, is
Said to show conclusively more di-
rect connection of the German ma
chine in America with the Irish Ques-
ton than that indicated in Count Won
Bernstorff's message. The records are
said to contain the names of men well
known in America.
The announcement by the state de-
partment is the first official utterance
OF the government with reference to
the German ambassadors active per-
sonal participation in the maze of
plots and intrigues conducted for Ger
manys benefit in this country since
the beginning of the European war.
The name of the organization
through which the German govern
ment had sought to influence con-
gress, the manner in which the money
used for this purpose was expended,
the previous instances and the indt-
viduals carrying on the propaganda,
although not disclosed, are the SUBJ
jects of we'll defined suspicious at the
state department and at the depart
ment of justice. whose bureau of in
vestigation for more than three years
has been conducting a rigid surveil-