Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-13
Capt. Lester Gives Story at
Propaganda Hearing by
Committee.
CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES TOLD
BY BERLIN GOVERNMENT
Writer Whose Reports Hearst
Printed Declared to Have Been
German Agent.


1914. informed about 130 German
civilian employees at a conference IN
Berlin that world war would De
started soon, Capt. G. B. Lester OF
the Army intelligence service, testi-
fed today before the Senate commit
tee investigating German and brew
ers' propaganda
These employees then were dispatcn-
ed to all parts of the world. thirty
one coming to the United States, 70
stimulate pan-German propaganda
Capt. Lester declared. He said his IN
formation came from an unnamed IN
formant, now interned In the united
States.
The German propagandists landed IN
the United States in August, 1878. on
the same boat with DR.. He1nnerlcn
Albert, known as the paymaster OF
the enemy propaganda system In TINS
country, and Immediately formed the
nucleus for German propaganda.
Reason for Selections.
These propagandists were chosen by
the German government, Capt. Lester
testified, because of their knoWieoee
Of foreign languages and their ability to
write and their knowledge OF legal ana
public matters in general.
The Army officer explained that ne
did not feel justified in giving the
name of his informant on the grornd
that this man might wish to return to
Germany after being released from
internment.
Pan-German propaganda was start
ed by Germany in 1884 as q means
of carrying German ideas to every
country in the world. Capt. Lester
told the committee. This propaganda
was to be carried to South and Cen
trail America. Japan and China and TO
the United States. he said.
Details Of the program OF the thirty
one men who came to the. United states
for this purpose were not disclosed py
Capt Lester when the committee ao-
journed for the noon hour. He plan.
ned to resume his statement IN thae
connection at $3.50 o'clock.
Testimony that Edward Lyen Fox,
writer, was sent to Germany in 1915 by
the German embassy to Wrtt1 IesnSn
propaganda which was diStrlouteo Dy
the Hearst International News Service,
was also presented to the SENATE COM
mittee by Capt. Lester.
In response to questions capt.
Lester said there is nothing IN the
Army intelligence records showing
ayers Of the International News Serv..
ice knew that Fox was In the pay OF
the German government.
The witness read a telegram sent
from the German embassy In wash
ington to the German IaIr;nn foreign once
'Chicago Tribune friendly paper"
Alleges Fox Confession.
Can't. Lester said that Fox confessed
to him that while in Germany he had
an understanding that he would write
ANYTHING he was told to write by the
German publicity bureau at Berlin.
The witness said he obtained from
Fox an admission that an article ap-
pearing In the New York American on
September 18, 1915, dealing with al
legged atrocities by Russian Cossacks.
was written by him under instruc-
tions from German officers as means
of offsetting the stories OF German
atrocities in Belgium that had begun
to come out about that time.
"I obtained from Fox his original
notes written in lead pencil on the
Cossack story" Capt. Lester said.
land he admitted he never saw any
of the atrocities referred to and that
to his knowledge none OF them ever
were committed. Fox was given cour-
tesies from German officers that no
other correspondent was able to OBJ
tain"
Capt. Lester said that as result
of request by President Wilson at
a personal interview with William
Randolph Hearst. changes were
made In the film play. "Patria. pro-
duced serially in the United States
early in 1917. picturing Japan and
Mexico in an alliance against the
United States. The witness cited this
film as one bearing earmarks of Ger
man propaganda.
Louis Garthe, Washington corre-
spondent for the Baltimore American.
explained that his only connection
with the National Courier. Wasa-
ington weekly. was to write editorials,
in some of which he urged all citi-
zens to keep cool and stand by the
President" He said on one occasion y,
money from Count Won Bernstorff. in
tended for Theodore Lowe. publisher
Of the Courier. Mr.. Garthe said he
knew the Courier was financed by the
German embassy.
Anti-Japanese Plot Called Fake.
Chairman overman yesterday made
pubic q letter from Edward Lyle Fox