Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-12-13
LESTER MAKES
this STATEMENT
TO COMMITTEE
Men Who Were Informed
Were Sent to all Parts of
World, Says Lester.

Washington, Dec. 13-The Ger
man government on July 10,
1914, informed about 100 Ger
man civilian employees at a con-
ference in Berlin, that a world
war would be started soon, Cap.
tain G. b. Lester of the army
intelligence service testified to.
day before the senate committee
Investigating German and brew
ers' propaganda.
These employees then were dis.
patched to all parts of the world,
thirty-Onc coming to the United
States, to stimulate pan-Ger-
man propaganda, Captain Les
ter declared. He said his infOr.
mation came from an unnamed
informant now interned in this
country.
The German propagandist
landed in the United States in
August 1914. on the same boat
with DR.. HI. F. Albert, known as
the paymaster of the enemy
propaganda system in this coun-
try and Immediately formed the
nucleus for German propaganda.
These propagandists were chos-
en- by the German government,
Captain Lester testified, because
Of their knowledge Of foreign Ian
guages, their ability to write and
their knowledge of legal and pub
lie matters in general.
The army officer explained that
he did not feel justified in giving
the names OF his informants on
wish to return to Germany after
being released from internment.
Pan. German propaganda was
started dsbvssG g f33:n1ssar I'm 1894 as a
means of carrying German ideas
to every country in the world.
Captain Lester told the commit
tee. This propaganda. he said. was
to be carried to South and Central
America, Japan and China, and to
the United States.
Declare Fox implicated.
Testimony that Edward Lyell Fox
\ writer, was sent to Germany in
1915 by the German embassy to write
German propaganda which was dis
tributed by the Hearst international
News Service, was presented today to
the senate committee investigating
brewers and enemy propaganda by
Captain G. B. Lester of, the army in
telligence service.
In response to questions Captain
Lester said there is nothing in the
army intelligence records showing
whether either Mr.. Hearst or man
ayers of the International News Serv-
ice knew that Fox was in the. pay OF
the German government.
The witness read telegram sent
from the German embassy in Wash
ington to the German foreign office
Sept 8. 1914, saying:
Chicago Tribune friendly: paper
Captain Lester said that Fox con-
fessed to him that while in Germany
he had an understanding that hi
would write anything he was told tc
write by the German publicity bureau
at Berlin.
The witness said he obtained from
Fox an admission that an article ap.
pearing in the New York American
on Sept. is, 1915, dealing with alleged
atrocities by Russian Cossacks wa:
written by him under instructions
from German officers as means o.
offsetting the stories Of German
atrocities in Belgium that had begur
to come out about that time.
Il obtained from Fox his origina
notes written in lead pencil on the
Cossack story" Captain Lester said
"and he admitted he never saw an,
of the atrocities referred to and tina
to his knowledge none Of them eyel
were committed. Fox was river
courtesies from German officers tha
no other correspondent was able Il
obtain. @
Captain Lester said that as a resul
of request by President Wilson at .
personal interview with William Ran
dolph Hearst, changes were made II
the film play "Patria," produced
serially in the United States early ii
1917 picturing Japan and Mexico ii
an alliance against the United States
The witness cited this film as on,
bearing earmarks Of German propa
ganda.
Fox, Captain Lester testified. wa
sent to Germany in 1915 by the Ger
man embassy ostensibly as a CORE
spondent Of the Wildman Newspa
per and Magazine Syndicate and ais
was employed by the Correspondence
Film company. which the witnes
said. was financed by the Germa,
government. The managers OF tn
Wildman syndicate did not know d
Foxs connection with the Gerna,
embassy so far as Captain Leste
knew. -
He said Fox was attached. to IN
Hearst newspaper headquarters i
Germany. and in proof presented
letter from Bradford Merrill, pub
Usher of the New York American
written June 20. 1915. to q. Nor
grove Cox. who was in charge or Ii
transmission service of the Hearst q
Internationals News Service on tl1
continent located at The Hague. Thl
letter introduced Fox and asked Tn
his dispatches from Germany 10 foI
warded promptly
Captain Lester explained that opsl
ations In Europe OF the Hearst aets
ice to which he referred were nfopDe
by the British government ii Octc
Der. 1915. n
Captain LESTER aid he haa -
many of Fox,s articles wrif41n
Germany ana ~ were .i1hese pfoe6
gAnda." -