New-York tribune., 1918-08-22
Lewis and Becker
Op en- Campaign
Here in 9Th District
Fight Made on German
Propaganda Is Cited
by Candidate

Attorney General Merton E. Lewis,
Governor Whitman's opponent in the
primaries, and Deputy Attorney Gen
eral Alfred L. Becker. the anti Whit
man candidate for the Republican
nomination of Attorney General, made
their first speeches of the campaign
last night. They spoke before the
Federal Republican Club. "A Avenue C.
This club is the regular organization
OF the 9Th Assembly District. Samuel
.. Noeh' 3 Sounty chairman, personally
extended the invitation to Lewis and
Becker ''N
Mr.. Lewis in his speech condemned
the Endorsement of candidates before
the primaries by county committees as
violation of the spirit of the primary
law, and said that he had disc outraged
all attempts to indorse his own candi
dacy
Whitman Is Questioned
He favored he said submitting the
proposed bone dry amendment to the
Federal Constitution to the voters. in
stead of having it ratified bv the
Leg g.slature without the voters being
consulted. He also declared in favor
OF the restoration of the state conven-
tlon and modification of the primary
law.
On the need of modification Of the
primary law Mr.. Lewis cited the ac-
ton of the Supreme Court in no ding
that the nominating petitions of Eu-
gene M. Travis, the State Controller.
were invalid because one of the minor
technicalites prescribed by law had
not been observed.
Tells of Fight on Spies
Nj. Becker told OF how the Attorney
Generals Office, by virtue of the peace
and safety act," which he declared the
attorney General conceived, had been
able to conduct Investigations into
German and pro- German activities
"hicn the Federal government had
peen unable to handle because it did
not possess the power.
re cited as All example the enemy
allen custodian act, which Congress
passed, but neglected to give the en-
emy alien custodian power to compel
recaicltrant witnesses to testify II
was because o. this power that the At
torney General was able to show that
the Kaiser controlled "The New York
Evening Mai"
Fhe first case, he said. which he had
invest gated under the Attorney Gen
eraPs direction was that Of Bolo Pacha.
This resulted in exposing Bolo's rela-
tons with William Randolph Hearst
and Count Won Bernstorff From the
latter Bolo obtained s., ,S83 900 to con-
duct a peace drive in France in behalf
of Germany through newspapers he
subs idized with German gold and in
which he eulcgized Hearst
LAS q result of this mace pnd SaTafv
act" continued Mr.. Becker, "the At or
ney Generals office hAs been an ctfec-
tive adjunct of the Federal govern
ment in stamping out German propa-
ganda and German conspiracies In
some of these German D OTIS Germans,
we found, were engaged, and then
again there were German-Americans
aiding them, while in many instances
we found that men of American birth
loudest in their professions of loya ty
10 this country, were working for the
Kaiser.
Will Keep Up Fight
~ am not asking you for your votes
in Primary Day o. any such plea that
if ! am not elected Attorney General to
succeed Mr. Lewis this work viii uot 20
on. say row that regardless Of what
happens on Primary Day or on Election
Day, stand ready to be drafted by the
government to continue to aid in this
work or in any other capacity. But
also wish to say, speaking as a candi-
date h it there is 40 ons cunning for
the office Of Attorney General who has
the knowledge l have Of the slippery
snake of German propaganda, knowl-
ege acquired during years inves.i-
CATION into all the ramifcations Of
German intrigue in this countrYn