The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-12-06
CLAIMS w. b. HALE VAS
PAID BY GERMANY
Startling Testimony Presented That
American Newspaper Man Was Sent
to Rumania to Keep That Country
Out of the War; Also That Hale
Represented Dernburg
Organization.

Washington, d. c. Dec. 6.--In telling
his story of German propaganda Elm
America, A. Bruce Bielaski, chief of the
bureau of investigation Of the depart.
ment of justice, to-day laid before the
Senate committee investigating brewery
and German propaganda cablegrams OK.
changed in 1916 by Count Won Bern
storff, then ambassador here, and the Ber-
lin foreign Office.
One of Bernstorff's messages urged
that special favor be shown William
Bayard Hale, an American about to Wis
it Berlin as newspaper correspondent,
because he was employed by the Hearst
organs, which, the message said, had
outspokenly placed themselves on the
German side.
Bielasld told the committee that Hale
was on the Hearst payroll for 5000 a
week, and also was employed at Si5,-
900 year by publicity organization
formed in this country by Dr. Bernard
Dernburg, the German propagandist
Suggesting on June 2, 1916, that the
time was favorable 'to get Hearst to
send frst-rate journalist to Berlin"
Bernstorff told the foreign office that the
man selected was Hale, who he said, had
been confidential agent of the EN-.
bassy since the beginning Of the war and
was bound as such by contract to June
23, 1918.
Hearst" the ambassadors message
said, SIS not aware that Hale is our
agent, but knows him only as German
ophile journalist, who has contributed
leading articles to papers,"
Hale, according to Bielaski, was paid
by the German government to visit Ru-
mania, and if possible prevent entrance
Of that nation into the war.
Mr. Hearst, Bielaski said, was ignorant
of Hale's employment on the latter mis-
sion.
Following is the message of June 2
sent by Bernstorff through Buenos Aires
and Stockholm:
wish, I suggest that thepresent is ia
vorable time to get Hearst to send first
rate journalist to Berlin. The man Sc
lected, w. b. Hale, has been, as your
excellency knows, since the beginning Of
the war, confidential agent of the EN-.
bassy and as such has been bound by
contract till June %, 1918. In makhg
this arrangement the main idea was that
Hale would be the most suitable man
to start the reorganization Of the news
service after peace on the right lines.
81 request full confidence may be ac-
/ corded to Hale, who will bring with
him letter of recommendation from
me to DIR. Hamman. Hearst is not aware
that Hale Is our agent, but knows him
only as Germanophile journalist, who
had contributed leading articles to pa
pers,"
Another message, dated June 5, 1916,
said:
Hale tells me, and Hearst confirms,
that the latter is rather hurt that on
Wiegand's account the World gets all
the important Berlin interviews. I rec
ommend that under suitable circum-
stances Hale should, for obvious rea-
sons, be given preference, as Hearst or.
gans have during the course of the war
always placed themselves outspokenly
on our side"
Bielaski said Germany never succeed.
ed in seduciug an American official, "if
we except Congressman Buchanan Of H.
linois, who got mixed up with Won Rim
telen in labor's peace council"