Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-12-20
Witness Tells of Raising Funds
TO Buy Paris journal, but
Says That Paper Did Not
Change Attitude, J
REPORTS OF REVOLT
IN GERMANY FAXED
Germans Tried to Buy Bagdad
News Agency Before War
and Maintained Wireless
Service With South America
Iay MosNlNo IouNNAl srtelAL LEAeeo wlntl

10y MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEAeso wiRrI
Washington, Dec 19.-Propaganda
machinery set up by the German gov
ernment m Berlin and throughout the
world to spread Germanic ideas and
the methods of financing this in the
United States, were described today TO
the senate investigating commtteehy
Alfred l.. Becker, deputy attorney
general of New York.
The witness also told of his inyesti-
cation for the French government OF
the success Of i}olo Pasha, executed
as n French traitor. IN getting ST.
6%3,O00 of German money in this
country for purchase of the paris
Journal, but added that since appar-
emily the Paris Journal did not change
its attitude of loyalty toward France,
the transaction was d pure Swindle"
of the German government
Mr.. Becker read documents gather
cd partly by the British secret service
showing that the German foreign Of
flee and other government depart
ments at Berlin maintained elaborate
systems both before and after the
European war began to Influence
thought all over the world, working
mainly through the press. Branches
of German banks and commercial
houses co-operated in vast cohesive
organization to promote friendly re-
lations toward Germany, journalists,
college professors, bankers. business
men and commercial consular at
taches-many of them being citizens
of the country in which they worked
employed, Mr., Becker said,
Usually the propaganda was insidiods
wthsan attempt 70 conceal its zeal
nature or purpose.
As early as 1909, said Mr.. Becker,
George Won Slial former German
reserve officer and later auditor of
accounts of New York city, was told
on visit to Berlin by a representa-
tive of the foreign Offices press bu-
reau, that he would be valuable in
case of a future war to keen IN touch
with the press in the United States.
There was no evidence. however, that
he acted in this capacity after the
United States entered the war, the
witness said
Planned Three Years for War.
The German government in May,
1914, three months before the war
opened. tried in vain TO buy the OF
toman Geographic news agency, with
headquarters in Bagdad, to spread
German propaganda.
The publication of a German edi-
tion of Current Literature, a magazine
Of which George Sylvester Viereck in
the United State and his father, Louis
Viereck IN Berlin were promoters,
were mentioned by the witness, to-
gether with the Germanic museum at
and the movements to eX-
change professors with American
as German propaganda
One example of enemy propaganda,
said Mr.. Becker, consisted of the sys-
tematic effort late IN 1917 to spread
the world the idea that
Germany was on the verge of in
ternal revolt, and that the kaiser
would soon be overthrown. The fact
that the dissemination of these re-
ports was encouraged by the chief
German government censor. was con-
vincing evidence that the efforts were
intended to paraiyse the
of the war, in Mr. Beck
sr's opinion. He said these reports
had been sent out of Germany by
George r, Odell, correspondent of the
New York Evening Mail. after the
United States entered the war, and
were circulated widely by the Mcclure
syndicate. described as a
of the Mail
Senator Reed, who is not a mem
Der of the committee, interrupted TO
lsll whether similar articles had not
been published by other newspapers
hen, and even down to the present,
and whether developments had not
borne them out Mr.. Becker said this
was true, but insisted that the re-
ports were inspired by the German
foreign office late in 1917.
Maintained Wireless Servlca.s
Mr.. Becker said the Transocean
news agency maintained a wireless
service, intended to Influence mainly
South American peoples, while the
herman South American institute and
he German news service for Portugal
md Spain, subsidized by the German
government, had similar functions.
Mr.. Becker told the committee
hat enemy propaganda in the United
States was disclosed incidentally. dur
ng his investigation of the activities
IF Bolo Pasha in promoting the fl !
lancing of the Paris Journal and in
what was described as an attempt to
,orm a news alliance between the
Journal and William r. Hearst's
newspapers.
The witness told of an unsuccess-
'ul effort of Bolo in conferences with |
D. G.. Grace of the Bethlehem Steel |
corporation, to get the company to |
purchase the Journal, but added that |
ne believed this move was entirely |
.camouflage," intended to cover up |
he real purpose of his visit to the |
United states.
Former German Ambassador Won |
3olo's proposal that the German gov
,rnment advanced the money to pur
.hase the Journal, the witness said, /
hat the New York investigators pro-
.eeded on the theory that Mr.. Hearst |
night have arranged the purchase |
before Bolo came to the United |
states. on this point, however, Mr.. |
Becker said:
II do not say today that I consider
Continued on Page Two.)