The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-12-18
HUN PROPA-
GANDA IN U.S..
Captain Lester Shows How Ger
man Agents Worked in the
United States.
STARTED CAMPAIGN BE-
FORE WAR STARTED
Conference in Berlin Sent Out
131 Trained Agents to All
Parts of the World.

Washington, Dec. 13.-OperationS
of the German propaganda system in
the United States through which val
liable information for transmission to
Berlin was gathered at the same time
that German doctrines were spread
over the country were laid bare to-
day By Capt. G. B. Lester, of the
army intelligence service, in testimony
before the senate committee invasti-
eating beer and German propaganda
Most of the evidence related to activi-
ties of Teutcnic agents before the
United States entered the war.
Capt Lester declared that an un-
named informant, now interned, told
him that the Berlin government, on
July 10, 1914, nea-ly a month before
the war started, called into confer
ference about 131 trained and educat-
ed German propagandists and sent
them to all parts Of the world, with
instructions to prepare for the world
war which, they were told, was about
TO be preciRtated. Thirty-one Of these
landed in the United States two weeks
after hostilities started and became
the nucleus for an organization OF be-
tween 100000 and 100000 volunteers,
mainly COMMUNICATIONS who gath
cred information of all kinds and re-
ported it to German consuls and
agents in hundreds of communities
William Bayard Hale, writer for
the Hearst newspapers, and formerly
confidential secretary Of President
Wilson in Mexico, eventually became
head of the publicity branch Of the
organization thus built up, Capt. Les
.er said The officer also testified that
newspapers and writer's were inf1u-
anced to promote German propagan-
la, film plays were produced promot-
ing distrust of Japan and Mexico, a
Washington newspaper man was hired
.e report government secrets to the
German headquarters, writer's were
sent to Germany send back dispatch
es praising the German cause and a
golden book" was circulated through
out the United States to get sigma
cures of American citizens leaning to-
ward pro-German sympathies.
J. j. Dickinson, a newspaper man
md former major in the army, was
hired at $40 a week to report on con-
idential interviews with officials to
German headquarters in New York,
said Capt. Lester. Dickinson claimed
that he had confidential relations
with cabinet members, that he could
.ge. in the back door of the White
House" and boasted that he was re-
spcnsible for the notorious leak on
the peace note. Capt. Lester declared.
The witness admitted that records
showed Dickinson did have consider
able accurate official information of
confidential nature and gave it to the
German representatives.
Capt. Lester, continuing his testi-
mony tomorrow, expects to tell how
he German agents tried to stir up
revolt among American negroes TO
serve German purposes.
The intensive German propaganda
efforts had their beginning, Capt.
Lester said. in a series Of lectures
given the chosen agents at Berlin by
representatives of the foreign Office
and other German government agen-
c;es. Elaborate memoranda were
prepared on detailed subjects and,
'lTUlcu Will llIeSc, tS-OilS CS1 11AoAA
agents sailed from Copenhagen for
the United States August 4, 1914, ar
irving August Is on the same boat,
with Dr. Heinnerich Albert, paymas-
ter Of the propaganda forces. The
only ones Of these men mentioned by
Capt. Lester were DR.. Adolph Meek +.
lenburg. Dr. Eris Kraske and DR..
Philip Bonn, all of whom have re-
turned to Germany. He explained
that. for military reasons, other
names could not be disclosed. The
group sent to America, as we'll as
those sent elsewhere, had specific
functions laid ouE for it. One group
If the men was to deal with CONNER
cial matters, anoher with political
matters and a third was to specialize
n japanese, Chinese, South American
md Mexican relations.
The delegation on arriving in this
,ountry established headquarters at
123 Broadway, arrangements having
,een made in advance, Capt. Lester
aid by George Sylvester Viereck,
hen publisher of weekly known as