The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-12-06
Government Official Tells of
DIR. VIM. Bayard Hale
And His Pay From Germans as
Propaganda Leader.
He WAS A HEARST Man
Drew $4,000 Yearly From the
German Government.
But They Failed To "Get" SIN
gle American Official.

Washington, Dec. 6.-In telling his
story of German propaganda in Amer
lea, A. Bruce Bielaski, chief of the
bureau of Investigation of the depart
ment of justice, laid before the senate
committee investigating brewery and
German propaganda cables exchanged
in 1915 by Count Won Bernstorff. then
ambassador here, and the Berlin for
eign office. One of Bernstorffs mes
sages urged that special favor be
shown William Bayard Hale, an Amer
lean about to visit Berlin as news
paper correspondent, because he was
employed by the Hearst papers. which
the message said could be depended
upon to favor Germany.
Bielaski told the committee that
Hale was on the Hearst payroll for
$500 a week, and also was employed
at $4,000 year by a publicity or
ganization formed in this country by
| DR.. Bernard Dernburg, the German
| propaganda.
Had German Contract
| Suggesting on June 2, 1916, that the
| time was favorable Ito get Hearst to
send first rate journalist to Berlin"
Bernstorff told the foreign office that
| the man selected was Hale, who he
said had been confidential agent of
the embassy since the beginning of
| war ana was DOunQ such by
| contract to June %, 1918.
| Heart" the ambassadors message
said. "is not aware that Hale is our
| agent, but knows him only as a Ger
manophile journalist who has con-
tributed leading articles to papers,
Bielaski said Germany never sue
| ceeded in seducing an American Of
| ficial IF We except Congressman
Buchanan of Illinois, who got mixed
up with Won Rintelen in labor's peace
| council
Hale, according to Bielaski, was
paid by the German government to
visit Rumania and if possible prevent
| entrance of that nation into the war.
Mr.. Hearst, Bielaski said was ignorant
of Hak's employment on the latter
mission.
Favor Hearst Organs.
A message, dated June 5, 1915, said +:
Hale tells me and Hearst confirms
that the latter is rather hurt that on
Wiegand's account the World gets all
the important Berlin interviews I
recommend that under suitable cir
cumstances Hale should for obvious
reasons be given preference as Hearst
organs have during the course of war
always placed themselves outspokenly
on our side.''
Most of Pro-Germans.
From the diary of Dr. Karl A.
Fuehr a German agent brought to
!. America by Won Bernstorff was pro-
duced a paper labelled Important
: list of names which Mr.. Bielaski said
contains practically all who were
actively pro-German prior to our en-
trance in the war and a few who were
. active afterwa rds.''
The list follows: Prof. VIM r
Shepherd. Columbia university; Prof
Hugo Muensterburg, Harvard uni.
> versity; Prof VIM. NJ. Sloane, Colum.
+ bia university: DR.. Edmund Won Mach
; Cambridge. Mass; DR.. Auth vor
Briesen, New York; Prof. John w
; Burgess, Newport, r, l.; Prof Eugene
: Smith, Columbia university; Prof H
, G. Sanborn, Vanderbilt university
! , Prof. J. G. Mcdonald. University Of
Indiana; Prof Ferdinand Scheull, Uni
versity of Chicago; E. c. Richardson
E Francke, Harvard: Prof. George B
: Mcclellan, Princeton university; Prof
A. B. Faust, Cornell university; Prof
Norris Jastrow, jr., University of Wis
mond; DR.. David Starr Jordan, Berke
g ley, Cal; Petre S. Grosscup, United
States federal judge. Highland Park
Ill; Richard Bartholdt. ST. Louis
: Prof Albert Bushnell Hart. Harvard
h university; DR.. c. J. Hexamer, Phila
: delphia; Charles Nagel. St. Louis
f Oswald Garrison Willard, New Yorl
f Evening Post; William Randolph
h Hearst, New York American; Bernar,
= Ridder, New York Staatz Zeitung; Ed
t Mail; Frederick A. Schrader, 149
e Broadway, New York; Frank Harris
Y No. Washington Square. New Yorl
:. City; Rob. 1. Ford, Freeman's Journal
e American Catholic Weekly New York
= Max A. Helm. 230 Riverside Drive
New York; Geo. s. Viereck, New York
Besides this list Mr.. Bielaski ais
presented a supplemental list of abou
thirty names of others to whom h
9oar nd
= mailed but who were not believed t
be friendly to the cause. This list tn
committee decided to withhold fror
i the record.
n Mr. Bielaski produced letters Hal
r wrote to Doctor Albert, German prop
g agandist, advising how notes write
j. by Secretary Bryan during the Lusi
tania controversy should be answered
If From Fuehr's diary notes were rea
n telling of conferences between Hal
y and Won BerEstorff. Accompanyin
'e Hale was Louis D. Edwards, also sen
IS by Mr. Hearst, who later. according t
DR.. Bielaski, discovered Hale still wa
-, in the pay of the German governmen
L, rs there any evidence to show tha
Mr.. Hearst knew Hale had a contrac
e, with the German government aske
Senator Overman.
NO. on the contrary" the witnes
m replied. Ambassador Bernstorff
r diary shows Hearst did not know
" A prisoner ndIneQ WeunnenDerS
'e Atlanta penitentiary, convicted
e. espionage, according to Mr.. Bielask
informed the department of justie
that in going to Germany a speci;
mission of Hale's was to arrange,
transmitting his news dispatches.
~ include messages for German officia
II in this country. Mr. Bielaski was il
terrupted to ask if the German agen
al in this country had ever succeeded
H. Swerving any government official
" and he answered:
ne NO. it is a remarkable record. tt
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