Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-06


ID Erie. and Dalhousie less than TWEEN
ty-seven miles distant, on the shore of
Lake Huron, is a straight, narrow stretch
OF water which occupies a place In the
winning of the world war second only to
that Of the English Channel This water
way is the greatest part of the eNpana-
tion OF Canada's ability to keep the
stream and volume of troops and sup
plies pouring steadily across the ocean
to England and France. BY means OF II
the troops of the provinces bordering on
the Great Lakes, as well as the supplies
Of those of the United States which are
accessible to the inland waterways, nave
been carried rapidly and cheaply to the
ocean port of Montreal without ONertaN-
ing the carrying capacity of the railroads
of the Dominion, 1t Is the Welland
Canal constructed and maintained ny
Canada to overcome the obstrucuohS tG
navigation between Lakes Huron ana
Erie afforded by the rapids and the ia
NOUS falls of Niagara River.
From the early days OF the war from
the time when its Importance TO the mo-
hilfxaticn of Canada's resources became
anna rent the Welland Canal as an OBJ
jectiye Of an underhanded attack was
constantly in the minds OF tne army "l
spies and plotters maintained IN Alhel A
lea by the Imperial German Govern
ment Its locks. constructed to raise
the largest of lake vessels to the ~ loot
elevation in the levels of the Two lakes:
offered a tempting mark for a chafge on
gates would cripple the canal and render
Il useless for months thus impeding
greatly the extension OF the neip "ntSn IrS
Canada was giving Great Brltalh. Inc
piacine of a charge of explosive IN one
~ the gates would be a matter OF but
little risk, as it could be easily done from
the American side, where ths tai."uIn t,
guards respecters OF the rights o. neu-
frai nations, could not interrupt the con-
YET there were serious objections TO-
carrying out a plot 10 destroy the CalldI
stortf, the ShreWd
and cautious am
basSador of the I'M
vor t.erpstorfT perial German Gov
rr~es Caution ernment at Wash
ington, ana dIreCCOr
of the Kaiser $ spy
rmv in America. When Captain tranG
Won Papen first mentioned a sche2e lot
using dynamite on one of the locks OF
the canal Count Won BernStorn voiced
his objections, and laid down the CON
tlitions upon which he would consent 10
such a plot in these words:
.You have impetuously fostered
plan which is fraught with the SfGaLSst
menace to which our country m.sht De
called upon to, faee, captaiI ~ 10 tr'g
possibility ofEthe Cniteo States entering
the war on rhe side OF the Alles: IN"
DESTRUCTION OF the canal might well leau
to serious complications hetween tne
United States and the DOMINION OF an
Yankees might be brought into, question.
Let such a question be ralssd ana Lle
entry of the united States against Ger
many in the war would be inevitable.
Damage within its own borders the
United States will assimilate, but
threatened stain on the nasenal honor
Of the country will arouse every amer. YER,
lean to a pitch of fury which nothing can
Withstand. -
The discovery of the perpetrators
under such conditions would be fore
Z ronk conclusion. With you or any one
II the plot, the trail would lead direct Y
to this Embassy and the result weufs
be the making of the one foe lmperia
Germany cannot conquer-an aroused
AIherica. Come to me when, you have
explosives acquired through sources
which cannot be traced, and when you
have men who have never been asso,
with Imperial Germany. Then. and then
only. will you receive the required per-
missionlto proceed
That was early in the fall of 1914.
Captain Won Papen did not inform his
chief that he aIEsadyahad men at Mag
ara Falls, prepared with explosives and
directions. awaiting the, word from him
to go on their message of destruction
without the faintast suspicion that the
scheme would be refused the sanction of
the Ambassadors Instead, he had ex-
pected congratulations for having con-
ceived such mighty b ow as the first
act Of the secret warfare which had
been decreed for America by the kai-
ser's command. So the plan was aban-
dOned. but Captain Won Papen kept 1t In
mind as being q scheme which would
some day be available for his peculiar
talents. .a--... ......
That time had now arrived Caustic
comments regarding the failure of the
Kaisers forces in America to loosen eX-
ports to the Allies had become frequent
IN communications received from the
Berlin offices. Particular references had
been made to the large amount of sup
plies which were being shipped from
Canada, references so particular, in
fact. that they might have been con-