Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-07-16

TASHINGTON, d. c., July 1S.-A startling
w proof Of how Germany planned to obtain
view to hampering their development and further
ing German intrigue in this country was revealed
when Saint Andrews Bay on the Gulf of Mexico re-
Gently fell into the hands of A. Mitchell Palmer
the custodian of alien property For this harbor and
the land surrounding it were owned b. the prince
of a small German state its affairs were managed
by a German syndicate, and German ships entered
and left the harbor nightly
1t is significant to note that Saint Andrews
Bay possesses all the potentialities for thriving
metropolis OF the southeast. 1t lies on the north
west coast of Florida hundred and fifty miles
from Pensacola and forty-two miles from
Apalachicoa. 1t said to possess a better har-
Dor than either of these, and it is in direct line
with Havana and almost in direct line with Colon
Only few rods of track are necessary to give 1t
railroad connection, by way of Atlanta, with the
Atlantic seaboard, the west and middle west. With
some essential improvements it might outstrip any
other port of Florida when the expansion of South
American trade begins after the
Yet until less than a year ago this potential
city controlled by Germany almost
pletely as a colony of that empire The syndicate
ostensibly operated small lumber mill close to
the waters edge. 1t possessed a considerable
number of boats, ostensibly for the purpose Of
transporting timber to Atlantic ports; but depart
ment of justice officials who are now completing
a very thorough investigation of what the syndi
cate did and did not do say that the lumber
business was used cloak for much more
sinister
The land measures some 200, 900 acres, most
of it valuable timber property. Nearly all of the
employees of the syndicate Germans NATL
rallied Americans born in Germany. The
ployes had little to do with the jewellers in the
surrounding country and spurned whatever ad-
the natives made. The Atlanta and Saint
Andrews Bay railrod had terminus at Panama
City, less than three-quarters of a mile from the
harbor and the offices of the syndicate. 1t is said
that the officials of the railroad offered to build
an extension to the mills, thus opening another
avenue for the transportation of the timber The
syndicate rejected this offer bIuntly and. in so
many words, informed the railroad, that it could
do very we'll without its help.
At the time of the first raid by the depart
ment of justice the syndicate had been in exist
ence some fifteen years. According to neighbor-
pitch from time to time, by the wall of exclusive
with which the Germans surrounded them
selves, not enough lumber cut in a year to
pay the expenses of single month. Yet, at regu-
lar intervals, boats glided in and of the har-
Dor, depositing mysterious cargoes and carrying
off large stores of no knew what These visi-
tors always came and went at night. For a long
time they came perhaps two three times week.
but after the war between Germany and the en-
tente, the visits increased until at the last they
occurred nightly
When the raid took place large stores of print
ed propaganda were found in the Offices of the
syndicate. 1t is believed that part of the work of
these German agents-for such they undoubtedly
were-was to prepare propaganda for distribution
throughout the United States. The president.
vice president, and number of directors of the
syndicate were interned at Tort Oglethorpe.