The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-09-22
KONTA DISCUSSES
PALMER LETTERS

CHICAGO. Sept. 2e-Alexaadsr
Kon:a, OF New York. two OF WHOSE
letters discussing New York news
papers were included in the docu-
ments sent to the Senate BY A.
Mitchell Palmer. made a statement
in Chicago yesterday. He returned
to New York last night to be ready
to appear before the Senate COM
mittee. He said:
The unfortunate letter which I
wrote to DIR. DernburE In 1918 had
nothing to do with this Investment
by the brewers in The Washington
Times. The authorities know that
"If methods like the one enployed
by A Mitchell Palmer WIN help rs t.
win the war, am heartily = far -rsr
them. / am eager TO appear. b "
the Senate committed volun7s Nv
turned over the letters putlishcr 4
state now in unequivocal terms i.Ss '
had nothing whatever TO % dire,
or Indirectly with the parchas
any newspaper.
His Conscience Clear.
81 have been working in the .
terests of this Government fo,. -
last eight months through the Hum
garian Loyalty League. Ny salary
Is 81 a year. l. came to Chicago to
address a meeting at White City on
Sunday afternoon, but 1 gave that
up, and will return to New York at
once.
Il have nothing to fear. Ny con-
science Is clear. The highest au-
thorities have given me a clean bill
OF health. 1 gave the Dernburg and
Tauscher letters to the Military In
telligence officers voluntarily six
weeks ago. They asked me about
them and I said: Gentlemen, here
they are
Knew Nothing Of Lean
"I admit that the letter to DR.. Dern-
burg Is unfortunate. 1 am ready to
take my medicine.
81 ana not = wealthy man, but win
give every dollar I have in the world
to the man who hooks me up with
this Brisbane fund. I know nothing
whatever of that. In fact, advised
against such q campaign once In talk
ing with Mr.. Busch. He was speak
ing Of the advisability Of eountering
the work OF the prohibitIonists BY
starting a campaign for beer and
light wine. 1t said that It was not fair
to campaign against whiskey, which
Americans liked, in favor Of some
thing which he wanted to manufae.
ture.
II have no connection with the
brewers who made this investment
except acquaintance with several-of
the contributors Gus Pabst Is q rela-
tive, but we never talked about this
In this country thirty years. / have
never been pro-German. Once at .
dinner in New York I met Dr. Dern-
burg. I never saw him again At
this dinner he spoke to me about the
trouble the Germans were having in
getting their side Of the war before
The American people. He said the
English were winning in publicity,
Ind asked me, in view Of my intimate
press connections in New York, what
thought Of the Germans buying .
write him a letter about It I did So
lie never answered the letter.
Saw No Harm In Letter.
This. was before the LusitanIa was
Junk. and no one dreamed that this
country would be at war. with Ger
many. I saw no harm i1y(my offer to
lct as a broker for him and see no
harm now. other interests have
Captain Tauscher and his wife
net at the st. Regis Hotel. where we
10th lived. They were nice people
md artistic and we became friends.
But after the Lusitania I said to him:
You keep your loyalty and I win
Seep mine 1 wash my hands OF all
II you Germans
81 have had nothing to do with
hem since, and the authorities knJW
L
THE phrase in the Dernburg letter
the spread OF German prop
ganda was innocent enough at the
ime IL was written. There was no
objection then to the work OF the Ger
mans. 1t comes out now at a dime
Fhen 1t looks bad-that is all.