New-York tribune., 1918-12-06

adding that he had told Northcliffe
that 1T was foolish for the British gov
ernment to try to say what an Amer-
can newspaper should print.
When asked whether Hearst had not
been barred from England largely be-
cause Of the kind of articles william
bayard Hale was sending from Ber-
lin, Mr.. Brisbane disclaimed all knowl-
edge of the causes of the affair." but
said he had never heard the sugges-
tion made before. He knew nothing.
he said, of otoer Hearst writers who
have been accused of pro- German
writing.
Mr.. Brisbane's relations with Hearst
were brought out. He is working on
contract tor his exclusive services, run
ming till 1922, at $4,000 a week. The
arrangement is that al write what
please, and MIR. Hearst prints what he
pleases." Mr.. Hearst, he remarked.
rules his papers absolutely" 1t was
this contract which led to the agree
lnent regarding Hearst's taking over
his papers, he said Mr.. Hearst was
most generous in letting him have the
use of material prepared for his own
tHearst's) papers.
konta Confused on Stand
Alexander Konta completed his testi.
mony to-day before the Senate com
mlttee investigating the beer-Brisbane
German propaganda relationships.
me most striking evidence produced
against hlm was that showing that he
had sent to DR.. Albert, the German
propagandist chief, an article ON
"America's Economic Interest in the
war which was typical propaganda
aarticle. This evidence came after
Konta had denied that he had any fur
ther correspondence with Albert than
the letters referred to yesterday.
- HIS explanations were most confused.
he explained that the article had been
written by friend, Van Westrum. who
was literary editor of The Tribune at
the time, and had been sent to him.
presumably because The Tribune wonjd
not print it, in the hope that he could
place it elsewhere. He thought Hans
Iauscher, the Krupp agent. had or
dered It. He had sent to Albert a COPY.
on which was a note in his own hand
wrlting "Original sent to 'Times.''
Explanation "No Explanation"
The details of the transaction were
tthreashed over at length, and finally
Senator King asked:
"Have you given al the exclamation
that. you can give, or that you want
to givc?'
When answered in the affirative, SEN
ator King added, well, speaking for
myself, | must say that find no ey
p]anation at all in your explanation"
Evidence was brought out showing
konta's wide acquaintance among the
German agents. To offset this he put
INTO the record letter from Hans
lauscher apologizing for having car
RED so tar an argument in which Konta
had taken the American side at his
nome There was considerable inquiry
into the activities of the American
hungarian Loyalty League, which
konta formed, but little light was
thrown on it. During the discussion
konta charged that he had been unable
to induce the Hungarian Reformed
Church ministers to help him, because
the thirtyfve or so of them in this
country received yearly subsidy of
$500 each from the Hungarian govern
ment.
konta Denies Charges
Major Humes, counsel for the com
mlttee, propounded a long series of
questions, the purport OF which was
that honta had, in 1914, before he adj
united having met Albert, actually held
a series OF conferences at which .
scheme to purchase q newspaper was
perfected and referred to the imneriaI
Nerman government with request for
funds; that Dernburg, on coming, had
disaapproved the scheme, but finally.
under pressure, had agreed that Mar
Gus Braun should go to Berlin to Law il
De1ore the authorities there, and that
braun mad actually gone, Konta figur-
ing IN the transaction throughout.
honta denied this in toto. declar;no
It so false that words fail me-" and
flnally appealed to be told the name Of
the man who was maxine slIch clo-cc