Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-12-06
HALE, EMPLOYED
BY HEARST, ALSO
GERMAN AGENT
Was Given Salary Of $500
Yearly As Head OF Prop
aganda Service.
HALE SENT TO BERLIN AS
HEARST CORRESPONDENT
Attempted To Sway Public
Opinion In U. 5. Favorab e
To Germany.


Washington, Dee. 6.-That william
Bayard Hale employe Of William r..
Hearst, was also confidential agent"
of the German embassy here and was
employed as head Of the German prop
aganda service at a salary Of $4,000 a
year, was the testimony today Of A.
Bruce BielSski, head Of the department
of justice, bureau OF investigation, be-
fore the senate committee investigat-
ing alien propaganda.
Bielaski read into the record cable
grams Furnished by the state depart
ment from among the records of Won
Bernstorff, former German ambassador
to this country, to prove what he said
about Hale. The first Of these was sent
to Berlin via Buenos Aires and SJock-
holm on June 2, 1916. In it Bernstorff
advised Berlin that "the present is q
favorable time to get Hearst to send
first rate journalist to Berlin. The
man selected, W. B. Hale, has been
confidential agent of the embassy un-
der a contract which runs 10 June 23,
1918"
In the second cablesram Bcrnstorff
complained that "Hale says, and
Hearst confirms, that The World (the
New York World), en- account Of Vic
gand (Karl Won Wiegand) ). gets the inn
portant interviews. Urge Hale to get
preference, as Hearst has, since the be-
ginning. placed himself outspokenly on
our side.
Bielaski said that 50 fas "a he knew,
Hearst knew nothing about Hale being
in the employ Of the German govern
ment.
Bielaski told of the meeting at the
Ritz Carlton, New York, cf German
propagandiSs, headed BY DR., Dernberg
chief Of the propaganda service in the
United States.
Dernberg, Myer Gcrhardl, a German
embassy employe, an empIoye named
Meyer of the Hamburg American line;
George Sylvester Verieck, editor of the
Fatherland, and Won Bernstorff werc
present, the witness said.
Dernberg Outlined Policy
Denberg outlined the policy to be
pursued in shaping American pubic
opinion to Germany's advantage. He
said that "made in Germany efforts
to sway American public c,inion had
reacted unfayorably.
Dernberg said more money would
have to be spent with tie American
press, according to Bielask'.
"Through direct bribery nothing can
be done, Dernberg was quoted, ''but
it is said one can work on reporters.
Dernberg announced he was consid-
ering "taking into his services the fa-
nous, clever Journalist Mcclure. +"
When Hale was hired by the embassy
he was not only to head the German
news service, Bielaski declared, but
was to make an effort to let in touch
with President Wilson and impress the
German view on him. Hale, who is au-
thor Of "A Life Of President Wilson"
tried to get an interview with Presl-
lent Wilson for Dernbcrg but was re-
fused.
"The public opinion Of America in
/ pro.German sense is highly import
,nt," Bielaski quoted Dernberg as say
ng. "Our efforts must be enlarged,
Tor they have already. proved uneom-
Portable TO the English. .
DR.. Carl A. Fuehr was one OF the
orainiest men connected with the Ger
man propagandists in their pre-war
in this country and dirtcted
much Of Che publicity from New York,
Bielasl6i testified.
Prominent Men in List
A long list Of names including many
men prominent in the educational and
public life Of the country was seized
lmong other papers from Fuehr and
read into the record by Bielaski.
Under the caption ''Impcr'ant list
If names were the follow ing
Professor william R. Shepherd, Coz
umbia; Professor Hugo Mnnsterberg,
Edmund Won Mack, Cam
bridge; Professor John ". Burgess,
Newport. R. IL: Professor Herbert san
fTcut;,uod an MIRA twni