The Washington herald., 1918-12-20

unnamed person, whose name was
submitted to the subcommittee chair
man on a slip of paper, relating a
conversation between the person and
Count Won Burnstorff in q camp in the
Adirondacks concerning the purchase
Of paper by the German ambassador.
The affidavit stated that he had in
formed Bernstorff that he would be
able to secure only two papers in
New York. the Mail and the Hearst
papers, and that 1t would be utterly
impossible to persuade the other news
papers to consent to be used as Ger
man propaganda organs. Senator
Reed, of Missouri, a member of the
Judiciary committee. Immediately pro-
tested the admission of the affidavit,
declaring that it was an abuse of the
committee privileges and that he was
present at the subcommittee hearing
to protest just such testimony.
Hope to Prove Facts.
Mr.. Becker stated that he was sub
mitting the statement to establish
certain facts concerning Bernstorff's
attempts to secure a paper in the
United States and to inform the COM
NAAN NAAN NOdAANAg NAAS
matter.
Similar to the information you gave
when running for ofSce," Senator
Reed said.
At the suggestion of Chairman
Overman the subcommittee went into
executive session to discuss the ques-
uon OF admitting the documents as
evidence.
Upon the return of the subcommit-
tee. Mr.. Becker was informed that he
would be permitted to read such evil
dence as he thought necessary to es-
tablish the facts of Bernstorff's at
tempts to secure control of an Ameri-
can paper. Senator Walcott and Sem
ator King entered protests against the
use of names without documentary
proof of their connection with German
propaganda. Mr.. Becker asked that
the chairman edit the statement on
the grounds that otherwise his good
faith would be attacked
The witness related the facts, al
ready published in various press re-
ports, of the trial and subsequent exc
cution of Bolo in Paris on evidence
partly secured in this country. Sena-
tor King questioned the witness con-
cerning the use to which Bolo had
put the funds secured in America and
as to the policy of the Paris Journal
after its purchase by Bolo.
Mr.. Becker testified that with the
exception of the article on Hearst
and the attempt of Bolo to establish
news exchange between the Jour-
nal and the Hearst publications, the
Journal had continued as a loyal
French newspaper. He also stated
that the rest of the money, not in
vested in the Journal. had been used
to finance a munition factory out
side of Paris, manufacturing muni-
tions for the French army.
Sepator Reed took exception to
the statement that the article oil
Hearst had been regarded in France
as pro-German, asking Mr.. Becker
to produce the documentary proof
of his statement. Mr.. Becker de-
clared that the claim had been made
by Lieut.. Mornet, the prosecuting
attorney at the Bolo trial, and that
he would look up the exact refer
ence in the reports OF the trial and
bring them to this mornings hear
ing
Mr.. Becker gave the details OF the
German propaganda bureau in Ger
many. and stated that an attempt
had been made in 1909 to secure an
agent in the United States to handle
the press end Of the program in the
advent of a world war. other at
tempts to influence public sympathy
for Germany in this country began
early in 1911, with the establishing
of the exchange between the uni
versities of the two countries and a
German department in connection
with an American periodical, Cur
rent Literature. afterwards Current
Opinion.
Mr. Becker stated that the two
Viericks. father and son, had been
at the head of the two branches of
this work in America and Germany.
George Sylvester Vierick at the head
of the American branch and Louis
Vierick in Berlin.
The unofficial but most important
branch of the propaganda bureau in
Germany before and after the war
was the trans. ocean news agency
through which the German govern
ment circulated stories for which they
did not care to be officially respon-
sible Mr.. Becker stated. The other
propaganda bureaus attempted a
rigid supervision of all news mat
lCE NlAfAl a. POA AAANNVu ~ 81 ONN
from the empire to other countries.
The witness stated that il was be-
lieved that Won Papen and Boy-Ed.
while officially attached to the en-
bassy in Washington, had been, In
reality, members of the propaganda
service, detailed for service with
Bernstorff.
Head of Propaganda.
Mr.. Becker began the narration of
the details of the financing of the
propaganda campaign in the United
States by funds secured in this coun-
try and in Germany. DR.. Heinerich
Albert, he stated, had been the sup
posed authorized commercial agent
for the German government, but had
been in realty the head of the propa-
garfda bureau. his title being bestowed
upon him solely for the purpose of
concealing his true business.
Part of the money used in America.
Mr.. Becker testified, was raised
through a German war loan of 25,-
10000 marks in August, 1914. Practi-
cally the entire loan was taken by
German as an expression
OF their loyalty to the Fatherland