The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-12-10
Vain Efforts of Kaiser's Agents to Influence Pub lie Sentiment in Amer
 ica Are Shown
S7,5OO,OOO WAS COST
 OF CAMPAIGN OF
 PROPAGANDA HERE
Of All Newspapers Published in the United States, Hearst Organs Were Most Pronounced in Favor of Germany, Biel-
 aski Testifies


 A. Bruce Bielaski, chief of the bureau of investigation of the department of justice, com pleted his testimony today be- fore the Senate committee in vestigating brewers and Ger man propaganda. For three days Mir. Bielaski had barred the confidential files of the depart ment to show the vain efforts of former Ambassador Von Bern storff and other agents of the Kaiser to influence public sen timent in America in favor of Germany.
 Seven and one-half million dollars was the cost to Germany of the propaganda campaign in the United States, MT. Bic laskie said, the sum coming from the total fund of $27,s5o,OOo held by the em-
 
 went for the purchase of newspapers and the printing and distributing of lit erature and part of it was sent to Ger man consuls over the country.
 TO CONTINUE INQUIRY
 Mr Bielaskfs testimony does not con- clude the committees inquiry into the activity of the German representatives. It was announced tonight that Alfred E. Becker, assistant district attorney of New York, whd conducted an investga- ton zEefnaap propagans1s, and Francis Garvin, chief Af the bureau of investi- gation of the alien property custodian's s office, will be examined later. Tomorrow the committee will hear Prof Albert Bushnell Hart of Harvard university whose name was in the important list of names" contained in Dr. Feuhrs diary and who has asked for permission to testify After that the committee will adjourn for several days. <,
 In the course of his testimony today Mir. Bielaski read from report made to Berlin by Dr. Karl F. Feuhr, coun- cillor of the German embassy on pro- paganda. This praised the attitude of William Randolph Hearst towards Ger many and included in a list of ''neutraP' papers the New York Evening Mail. the Milwaukee Free Press, the Chicago Tribune the Washington Post and the Hearst organs. Feuhr said that of these the Hearst papers were the most valu- |, able because of their large circulation and the fact that they were printed in so many different cities.
 ''The Hearst papers are not to be classified as blind champions of Ger many" Feuhr's, report said. Many of the articles are not favorable to us. But f<v. hot fIaxr ~q fective than they could possibly be if pronouncedly pro-German."
 HEARST FAVORED GERMANY
 MT. Bielask told the committee that of all the newspapers published in the United States, the Hearst organs were the most pronounced in favor of Ger many"
 There is no other newspaper man." said MT. Bielaski whose attitude was so friendly to Germany
 'If this inquiry were limited to an investigation of paid propagandists, we could not mention MT Hearst. There is no evidence that MT. Hearst received profits from the German government, or from anyone acting for it."
 How do you account for MT. Hearst's attitude?" asked Senator Nelson of Minnesota.
 Tt probably was because MT. Hearst always was anti-British, and suspicious of everything that country did, or it may have been caused by his friendship with Von Bernstorff," replied the witness
 What was his attitude after the United States entered the war;" asked Chairman Overman.
 CONTINUED QUESTIONABLE
 His attitude continued very question able.' replied MT. Bielaski. Many, ar- ticles published in his papers, if pub lshed after the passage of the espionage act, as amended, would have subjected him to prosecution
 Mir. Bielaski said that all the depart ment has to indicate that Hearst en- deavored to get any favor in return for his support of Germany was his ap- plication for his papers to get a special news service German agents planned to send to newspapers in the United States. William Bayard Hale. Bielaski said. recommended that the request be granted because of the opportunity af- forded for wide circulation of the news
 Senator King of Utah, objected to plac- ing in the record telegrams sent by Hearst from Palm Beach. Fla, instruct ing his editors at New York and else- where as to editorial policy, saying the messages were irrelevant. After an ex- ecutive session, however. the committee
 (C0ntfnued 0n Pare T~oA