The sun., 1918-03-11
GODSOL PAPERS
CALLED VITAL IN
HUNT FOR SPIES
"Of Highest Public Impor-
tance," Says Deputy
Attorney General.
BATTLE IN COURT TO-DAY
Interest Centres in German
War Film Concern as Enemy
Propagandism.
BATTLE IN COURT TO-DAY

amazing mushroom millionaires the wa,
has developed. begins this morning hii
fight to prevent Merton L. Lewis State
Attorney-General. from going further
into the mass OF papers seised wednes.
day in the offices Of the Alliance Motor,
Company. West Fortieth street
Godsol. under arrest in Washington al
the behest of the French Government
was tho moving spirit In the company
and the papers relate to his affairs.
To-day's legal proceedings really will
he skirmish preliminary to the battle
which will decide whether Godsol again
can wriEgle out Of a tight situation.
Again and again he slipped through the
fingers Of French officials who sought
to grasp him long enough to ask him a
few question:. Can he do 1t again.
fortified with his newly acquired millions
against a siege in the courts?''
Alfred L. Becker. Deputy Attorney
General. will make the fight. He made
public last night the answer he will give
TO the order to show cause why he
should not be restrained from going
over Godsols papers. Incidentally he
reveals clearly enough that already he
has gone through them pretty thor
oughly. AS result he now speaks aloud
the suspicion which merely had been
whispered before-that Godsol had more
or less direct German connections.
German Filn, Propaganda.
In tho papers over which the fight
wages were many relating to the Ger
manic Official War Films. Inc. which. to
quote the Attorney-General." were mov-
ing pictures paipably designed to ad-
vance German propaganda in this coun-
try" Benjamin J. Blumenthal. an em-
pioyee. close friend and associate Of
Godsol. was one Of the incorporators Of
the film company.
II deem II OF the highest importance
for the public welfare that I should not
b required TO surrender any papers re-
lating to the Germanic OfYicial War
Films, lnc.". says the Deputy Attorney
General, ''as It Is OF the highest public
interest that the United States should
know whether amy French citizens now
within the United States. such as Frank
]. Godsol. willie masquerading as sim
cere friends Of the Allies. have actually
been engaged. directly or indirectly. in
German propaganda"
Godsol's allee cd connection with Ger
man propaganda pictures should make
great reading III France and. IL substan-
tiated, and (auother iO provided HIS
French citizen. hip stands. would make
him liable to TIE extreme penalty.
Godsol. how,,ver. probably Is little
worried. He hns faced more serious sit
uations and always Vas escaped
His Achievements.
To enumerate:
He was naturaliZed as Frenchman
and when all.x xed Irregularities were
discovered In the papers-he got out
Of the scrape.
He was called to the colors as
priyate-he kept himself out Of tho
trenches: got a pleasant job OH a
Generals staff.
He was arrested at the front as a
spy-he got out OF that nx.
He became a Generals chauffeur,
and soon got extended leave Of
absence to look after his private
affairs.
7 He was in the army. but he got
away, with the pleasant assignment
to 70 TO the United States.
He was recalled on charges--the
charges never were tried-he was
discharged from service and got hack
his soft berth as secretary-fnter-
prefer 10 tne FRENCH puTShihsiH6 coin-
mission. This was the berth wherein
he made his millions. through COM
missions OH motor trucks His army
discharge since has been annulled.
Mr.. Becker says.
How did he invariably "set away
with IT."
Mr.. Becker's Answer.
The Deputy Attorney Generals an
swer. TO be filed to-day in the Supreme
Court. says:
ut IL charged that Godso!. while an
officer Of the French Government--and
while in France and also while in the
United States-corrupted various OFF,
GERS OF the French Government"
In other words. he seems to have
friends near the throne.
NJ Emile Constant OF the French
Chamber Of Deputies demands that the
Chamber take hand In the affair and
request tho Government TO give the
names Of Godsols accomplices In order
that the Chamber itself might he
cleared of suspicion. Parerthetically 1t
may be remarked that again Godsoi got
out OF it: the Chamber was warned to
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