Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1918-03-14
Recalling German Plots in U. S.
BY Prof. W.. A. Scott. University of Wisconsin,.

In the short period of three Years Ger
many transformed the United States from
u friend and admirer into an enemy at
var. This fatcful change was due tn IL
Number of causes. OF these the most wide
reaching WAS the war of the German gov
-inment Oh our country during a time
when We, i'm our blindness. supposed we
we're at peace.
The war i'm Europe was not three
months old when there was established in
New York an advertising agency" under
ne charge of a German named Won Igel.
his office Was raided one day in April.
'9lb. by four United States secret service
agents. They forced their way past the
giant VINO always stood guard over the
inner office. and after a fierce struggle
n which Won Igel Fought like a tiger"
arrested him and seized the mass of pa
pers in his possession.
The. reason for Won lRel's tiger like
ight became clear at a glance. Here in
me form of letters, kilograms. receipts,
account books. etc. was supplied detailed
and absolutely convincing evidence that
the German government had been en-
gagged for Is months in a war against the
United States.
Among the papers were those showing
that Won Papen, the military attache of
me German embassy, had paid out none
Tor placing bombs in American merchant
ships. and that Ambassador Won Bern
5torff himself had signed checks to pay
certain American newspaper men to
spread the pro-German gospel. while they
posed as disinterested American citizens.
Other entries showed Germany using
our territory to work up an Irish revolu-
ton against Great Britain. maintaining a
spy system. supporting a bureau for the
purpose of stirring up strikes in munition
plants and elsewhere. and paying stated
sums Of money to certain newspaper own
ers who We're glad to place their news
papers at the service Of the German gov
rrnment for value received.
me Won lgel papers cover only a com
parattvely small part of the German wal
against the United States i'll 1914-19l6.
Won lgel n Won Papen. it appeared
from other sources. superintendent per-
sonailN the making of bombs on the Ger
man steamer Friedrich der Crosse. in
termed in New York harbor. and saw that
n We're stowe away safely in the
holds of outgoining ships.
Another member of this band of plot
ters was DIR. H. +. Albert. He arrived
from Germany with a letter of credit for
100000 in his pocket. and the assurance
That he might have $40, 10000 altogether.
Tie was to use 1t to manufacture public
opinion. to purchase the votes of congress
men. and to do whatever else would .ad-
;ance the great cause.
Still another star performer was Robert
Fay. He did his bit. in part. by hiding
bombs In the coal bunkers of ships and
Tying them to rudder posts. A t his trial
models of bombs of his own invention
we're exhibited. BY his own confession
and that of his partner the money for this
combination OF ~treachery and murder was
supplied by the German secret police.
In this dirty business the directing spirit
vas the ambassador of the German gov
srnment. Johann Won Bernstorff. An am
bassador Is a guest Of the nation to which
such. But for nearly three years before
aS recall he devoted himself to intrigue
and the plotting OF violence n murder.
His best remembered words while amona
- will always be those Of his letter to his
government in which he asked for author
~ to spend lQA00o. 0oo. Tin order. a. on