Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-14
GERMANS PLANNED
WAR 70 YEARS AGO
PROBERS ARE TOLD
Investigation of German-Ameri-
can Brewers Activities in y.
S. Even Startles Senate.
HUN SPIES EVERYWHERE

of Justice were laid bare TO the Senate
investigators of German propagandist
activities Yesterday by Capt. George B.
Lester of the Military Intelligence Bureau
of the War Department
The Senators sat In amazement while
Capt. Lester unravelled the web of
German plottings, at each step OF his
narrative dragging in new names OF
Americans who had lent their and to the
German diplomatic thugs
Outstanding among the conspiracies
revealed by Capt Lester was the pre-
war plot of the imperial government
hatched early in July, 1914. but which
had been in the making for months,
whereby a corps of $50 propagandlsts
of kultur were sent To neutral countries
throughout the world. including the
United States. To begin the work which
was to weaken the cause of Germany
enemies among the unembroiled nations.
SAYS HEARST KNEW HALEs VIEWS.
The engagement of J. / Dickinson.
known generally as Major Dickson, as
the paid agent of the German propagan-
dists, working as a spy for George Syl-
vestcr at Washington, was another OF
the disclosures, along with an interesting
account of the alleged friendship of the
ubiquitous Major with men high In tn
ion.
The relations of William Bayard Hale
and William Randolph Hearst were viewed
from a new angle by the Senators. TO whom
Capt Lester stated unequivocally that he
believed that Mr.. Hearst was fully CO.
gnizant of the anti-American principles
of Hale throughout the employment of
the former Wilson envoy to Mexico as a
correspondent of the Hearst newspapers.
In addition the Captain produced
the Golden Book" list of subscriptions
taken throughout the United States and
inscribed with the autographs of the
donors of a large sum Of money collected
in the United States from sympathizers
with the German cause, TO be devoted to
he aid Of the widows and orphans of the
boat crews lost in action.
SENT SPIES EVERYWHERE.
Captain Lester told the committee that
following the assassination Of Archduke
Franz Ferdinand and his consort at Sara
icvo, Bosnia. June %. 1914, the corps of
propagandists was started on its mission
rthwith.
On July 10. 1914, twenty-one days
before the declaration Of war between
Germany and Russia, the 1870 writers
and puhicists, selected from the ranks of
the civil service of the German Empire,
were started from Berlin on their world
wide journey as battalion Of trouble
makers The members of this corps,
Capt Lester told the committee, were
selected for their ability as writers and for
their knowledge of the countries to which
they were dispatched.
WORKED UNDERDR. ALBERT.
Thrty-one of them came directly to the
United States. where they placed their pro-
fession as poison distributors under the di-
rection q DR. Heinrich Albert. Most
Of them had arrived AT Their posts by the
time the war was IN full swing and prior
TO the complete regulation OF the blockade
Of the Teutonic Empires by the navies Of
Great Britain and France
Capt. Lester explained that il was
from one of the group of thrrty-one spies
sent TO the United States that the ramifca-
tions of the plan and the method Of or
ganization under which they operated were
uncovered He withheld the name of
the informant
The rest of the group ofspies proceeded
to other neutral lands. including South
American republics, Mexico Central
America and China Wherever thew could
gain foothold In the effort 10 upbuild
sympathy for tho German cause or dis
seminate views which tended to create
sentiment adverse 20 the Entente, par
ticularly Great Britain, there they were
put TO work.
PLANNED WAR 20 YEARS AGO.
The Instructions given the operatives
from Berlin included the information that
a general European war was about to begin
The selection of the l30 experts had been
accomplished long before they were start
ed on their mission, and In each instance the |
German Government had been at plains |
TO learn If the employees were willing to |
engage IN foreign service.
The plan dates back twenty years |
before the beginning Of the world war,
however" Capt Lester told the Senators. |
"Pan-German propaganda has been dis !
tributed throughout the United States |
and throughout the growing republics |
OF South America ever since 1894 "
PLANNED GERMANizAToNo OF Us.
The instructions to the spies included
directions that they set about the crea-
ton Of a veritable army OF German sub
lects, former German subjects and Ger
man sympathlzers In the United States
to promote the cause of l,ultur through
out America. The organi zation which
it had been their hope to establish was
called 'Germany's silent army" They
were TO have added the German cause |
IL every possible way The promoters
OF the scheme OF converting America
To Teutonism, Capt Lester said, had
contemplated a membership Of not less
than 100000 men and women in the
silent army invading every field of
industry, commerce and art.
Major Dlckinsons profession fur
nlshed tie next topic Of Capt Testers
recital Capt. Lester SAID that Dickin-
son had first been engaged by Niereck
IN 1915 at salary of $40 week to rep
resent him in Washington. The occa-
sion OF his engagement had been the
reputed wide and intimate acquaintance
Of Dickinson through the long service
with Hearst with the leading officials
OF the Wilson Administration
Soon after President Wilson took
office. Dickinson assumed an unnamed
office with the State Department. He
had obtained this position by reason |
Of his intimate friendship with William
J. BRYAN, formc- Secretary Of State.
Dickinson IN hl- communications with
NierceE used tie soubriquet Joseph !
" Wingate," Capt Lester told the com
Inittce, and his intimate views ol polit-
Ical conditions and developments at /
the national capital were communicated
to Nicrcck over this signature
Capt Lester sid hc entertained
doubts as to the assertions oi Major
Dickinson that his relations with Pres
dent Wilson were quite as cordial as