Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-12-10
GERMAN PLOTS
LAID BARE IN
SENATEPROBE
BY Associated Press

from the secret files of Count Won
Bernstortf were read to the Senate
committee invCVN N:Gatlng German and
brewery propaganda to-day by A.
Bruce BielasSi. chief of the Bureau
of Investigation of the Department
of Justice.
Among them were instructions ia
ali German consuls in the United
States To get German subjects out OF
plants producing materials for the
Allies.
Wanted Own to Get From Under
The Consuls were ordered TO stop
Germans above the rank of common
laborer from working in such plants,
under n section of the imperial code
and TO report TO the German consul
ate at New York.
Bielaski read TO the committe at
length from the diary of DR.. Karl +,
Fuehr, the German agent, whose
activities figured prominently in the
investigation. The notes of Fuehr
said that on the day following the
publication of the private letters OF
I'll. +. Albert. he consulted with AL
bert at Cedarhurst, n. Y. and later
discussed the incident with Samuel
Untermyer.
that the Hans Lebeau relief bureau
was organized in New York to aid
in influencing Germans and Aus
trians to give up their work in muni-
ton factories. This bureau ostensi-
bly, was n philanthropic organization
supported by contributions, but proof
had been obtained, Bielaski said, that
the German and Austrian govern
ments paid all the expenses and that
Lebeau got $75 a week
Bureaus in Principal Cities
Branches of the bureau were es-
tablished in principal cities. Names
of German and Austrian workers in
munitions plants were obtained and
a systematic campaign among them
conducted. Other work was found
by the bureau for those who could
not obtain new jobs themselves. A
report made to the German embassy
in February, 1916, by Lebeau show
ed that the bureau had placed 4,456
laborers, and that many skilled work
ers who had no trouble finding work
themselves had been persuaded to
leave munition plants.
The bureau also took an enroll
ment of Germans and Austrians who
had had military experience and it
kept up its work until after Bern
storff departed upon the breaking of
relations between the United States
and Germany.
Allentown Doctor Mentioned
The name of Theodore Otto, a
doctor at Allentown, Pa, was men
toned by Bielaski as one of the men
in this country who furnished the
German embassy with information
regarding munitlon factories. A let
ter from the doctor to the embassy
reporting on contracts of munition
plants at Allentown was read.
Bielaski said Captain Won Papen,
the former German military attache,
sent a message in 1915 to the Ger
man consul at st. Louis saying that
two agents for the Brotherhood of
Metal Workers in New York, Sam
uel Scollard and j. e. Hall, had be-
gun movement 10 stop the ship
ment of munitions to the Allies.
Scollard was afterward indicted in
the Industrial Workers of the World
trial at Chicago.
The witness told how, when Cap
tain Franz Won Rintelen came to the
United States in 1915 to endeavor to
stop shipments to Great Britain. he
met David Lamar, convicted after
ward in New York and sent to pris-
on for impersonating A. Mitchell
Palmer, then a member of Congress.
Won Rintelen formed labor organi-
cations in the interest of keeping the
United States out of the war,
through Lamar. he said, and in con-
nection with that work five hundred
thousand dollars was collected.
only a small part was spent,
however" said Bielaski. Lamar had
a habit of taking credit for a great
many things he had nothing TO do
with. At a mass meeting in New
Jersey, at which Secretary Bryan
spoke. Lamar took credit for organ
izing, but he had nothing to do with
it,"
The New York Stats Zeitung was
by Bielaski in connection
with the financing of secret prop
aganda to the extent of $495. A let
ter from Bernstorff to b. II. Ridder,
of that paper, said 10 my great re-
gret am unable to refund any
money for political purposes, as 1
feel that we must keep out of the
domestic politics of the United
States
tiliHh lildL lGlltT lluSl nave
been written for publication" said
Bielaski. because the money was
paid.
Congressman in Probe Net
Just what the project referred to
was not disclosed by the correspond
ence, but the witness said it might
have been in connection with the
election of Congressman Buchanan.
A letter from Theodore Otto, Ger
man consul at Allentown. Pa, ad-
dressed to the counsellor of the Ger
ness. telling of a conversation be-
man embassy was read by the wit
tween Otto and an unnamed person.
Our conversation drifted to the
preparedness of the United
the letter said. And | heard
that a relative of this gentleman
held a position in which he was able
to give information in this regard.
Perhaps it might be opportune to
follow out this clew."
After Bernstorff wrote the Ger
man consuls regarding workers in