Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-09-24


est
Note Is Security
His only security, Feigenspan de-
clared in his statement to the alien
property custodian, is tine 100000 note
of the Growing Circulation corporation.
Al the close OF the statement, George
Ehret. Jr., declares that he believes it
to be true
The alien property custodian makes
no comment upon the documents, but
simply includes them in a letter to Sen
ator King, of Utah, the author of the
resolution which cancelled the charter
of the Gernan-American alliance, and
then passes to the two letters by Konta
to support his charge in his Harrisburg
speech that the organized liquor traf-
fic has teen pro-German in it's sympa-
thies," and that these great interests
actually have been willing to finance
great newspapers for the purpose of
spreading German propaganda and SEN
timents In this country"
KontA'a letter to Tauscher includes
come expressions OF doubtful compli-
.nentary nature as TO Bernard Dern
Ourg's value as a German agent here
out informs Tauscher that at Dern-
burg's request he has caDvassed the
prospects of buying a newspaper. He
asks that il possible the original be
recovered.
The letter 20 Dernburg. written March
81. 1915, the subject of "the purchase
and publication of a daily newspaper in
this country in the interests of Ger
many and the German government" 1t
proceeds to discuss various New York
newspapers from the point of their sue
cess proceeding from that to make de-
auctions on the likelihood of their sale.
Possible Material
The Herald, Telegram, Tribune and
World. Konta put out of the reckoning
at the outset, because they were part
of great fortunes, and the Times. which
he reckoned as very prosperous and not
for sale. That left in the morning field,
he wrote, the Sun, Press, Telegraph and
Commercial The Sun, Konta wrote
Dernburg, had the drawback of not then
being a member of the Associated Press,
and he did not know if it could be
bought. The Press (now discOntinued)
hef reported. has recently changed own
ership, land the old owner was so de-
lighted to get it off his hands that he
made his managing editor a present of
$1,000" He expressed doubts if the
ne - owners would wish to sell.
The Telegraph, Konta reported, could
be bought at any moment" but would
have to be remodeled from beginning
to end" The Commercial. Konta de-
scribed as mere skeleton" and then
turning TO the evening newspaper field,
discussed the Post, the Mail and the
Globe.
The Post, Konta spoke of in the most
flattering terms, but made no comment
on the possibilities of it's purchase.
The price quoted for the Evening Mail
by it's editor is $1,000, OOO," he 'eported
(The sale of the Evening Mail al
ready has resulted in indictments charg-
ing failure to make proper returns to
the alien property custOdian).
Whether the Globe could be bought
Konta wrote Dernberg, was "a matter
for cautious inquiry"
At this point Konta took up the re-
lation of the prohibition agitation to
the question in hand, and wrote:
Prohibition Also Figures
prohibition is ! seriously occupying
the minds of the brewers and distillers
of this country. 1t is not a question
of temperance, which they advocate, but
of the actual prohibition by law of the
sale of beers, wines and liquors. A
paper that would not be hostile of
the personal liberty of the citizen to
drink in moderation what he pleased
could count upon the powerful support
of the brewers and the distillers to
command illtmitable capital, and what
is more, means of giving the paper in
question a circulation large enough to
attract advertisers.
Add to this a discreet appeal to
every German society in the country
for support by it's members. and we
could hastily count upon a national
daily circulation of 500, 900 copies. This,
to be sure, would be circulation
A cri
cans, whereas, what is wanted is ma
tive American readers, but if this Ger
man circulation is built up discreetly
as | suggest, the man in the street
will only be impressed by members, A
large circulation widely advertised
would impress the native American and
lead him to take the paper. And, mean
while, a deficit would be changed into
a profit to be used for further propa-
ganda-"
At no time in the Konta letters are
Mr.. Brisbane or the Times mentioned
at all, but Mr.. Palmer, it was said,
included the, correspondence to prove
his charge that the brewing interests
were furthering German propaganda
and that the German alliance was really
a German wfliSkey alliance"
Mr.. Palmer's revelations of these
documents shot az stir through official
Wash ington which probably has not
been approached since the declaration
of war. Since his Harrisburg speech
Saturday a storm has ragged around the
ownership Of MIR. Brisbane's Times. II
came to a climax yesterday with Bris-
bane's Published announcement that he
bought the paper with money borrowed
from brewers which was followed to-
day by the alien property custodian'S
revelations soon after the passage Of
the senate's resolution.
The senate judiciary committee will
meet Monday to consider the affair.
pIsLoxAL sAu.oR