Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-12-05
kOnta Admits Tried
TO Purchase Papers in U. S.
IT, Aid Cause of Germany

/ Washington, Dec, 4 m Alexander
konta of New York, named by Alien
Property Custodian Palmer as agent
IN negotiations through which the
German government soughtto buy
newspapers in this country before the
, United States entered the war, ad-
mitted to a Senate committee today
that he had communicated with DR.
bernhard Dernburg, German propa-
gandist, on the subject of the pur-
chase of a New York newspaper. The
committee is investigating Brewers
activities ;.nd German propaganda.
konta said he wrote DR.. Dernberg
on the subject and that he was in
spired by desire to help the kais-
er's representative carry out his
plans to get publicity for Germany, to
get a newspaper that would be hos
tile to prohibition and to earn COM
mission. II desired to aid DR.. Dern-
berg to get the paper in order that
he would have an opportunity to lay
before the American people
German propaganda" interrupt
ed Senator Nelson of Minnesota He
wanted the paper not for himself but
for the Germangovernment and he
was a German agent. Isn't that
true?' He must have BEEN" replied
Eonta. The witness, who stoutly de-
MED he ever had been disloyal to
America, also said he had written in
1915 to DR.. Heinrich F. Albert, then
an attache Of the German embassy
hnrn and
dist, regarding an offer of 1000 to
be made D any persons who could
prove that misstatements were made
IN the German general staff's daily
official war announcement Konta
said his offer never was made.
Other testimony before the com
mittee today was that Count Won
Bernstein, the former German ambas-
sador, had visited the offices of the
American association of foreign Ian
guage newspapers in New York IN
March, 1915, and that Immediately
afterwards an advertising campaign
TO prevent the manufacture of NUM-
Itions in this country for the allies
was started
Louis III. Hammerling, president of
this association, who had 100000 for
the advertising campaign, testified
yesterday that he did not know Won
Bernstorff. 1t also was in evidence to-
day that Hammerling had directed
that Captains Boy-Ed and Won Pa
pen, naval and military attaches at
the German embassy, be called on
the telephone for him. The witness
who differed this testimony was Al
thur Gabryel. former vice president
of the association. Gabryel said it
was the general belief among Poles
that Hammerling was in the pay of
the Austrian government and That
when he Informed Fammerling of
this fact the latter called names end
told him to keep his mouth shut, say
ing that what people don't knew
won't hurt them" After that Ca
bryel said he received $500 or $1,000
extra ir his pay envelope Such cx-
ira payments. he testified, were not
unusual
In his testimony before the COM
mittee konta told of meeting Hans
Tauscher, charged with participa ton
in the attempt to blow upA the We'll
lend canal and OF his association with
Tauscher and his wife. Madame Cad
ski, grand opera singer. both Of
whom he said were 100 per cent pro-
German"
Konta read prepared statement
to the committee in which he denied
being disloyal and declared his or
sanization of the American HunG1-
rian Loyalty League under the aus
pices Of the committee on public in
formation. References to Dernberg.
Albert and other German agents
were brought out by Major e, Lowry
Humes, in charge Of the investiga-
ion for the committee
Konta said he had been pro-German
up to the time Of the singing Of the
Lusitania but his views underwent
another change, he said, when Rus
STA started its advance in Transyl-
vania. He was anxious to see an in
dependent Hungary. he declared. and
The advance OF Russia toward Buda-
49, hae H., -