The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-08
BOAS SOUGHT
TO BUY PAPERS
IN PROPAGANDA
Activities of Hamburg
American Official Revealed
to Senate Committee.
FOUND NONE AVAILABLE
Various Periodicals and
Dailies Approached by
German Agents.

Two reports relating to magazines
and newspapers. which young Herbert
Boas, son OF the late Emil L. Boas.
former managing director Of the Ham
burg-American Line in this country,
and one c. T. Revere. otherwise I'M
Identified, thought could be used for
spreading German propaganda, have
been sent to the Senate committee
that is investigating German activities
by Alfred l.. Becker, Deputy State
Attorney General.
The reports, which bore no dates,
evidently were prepared early during
the European war. They were found
in the files OF the Hamburg American
Lime. 1t was said officially that they
reached Won Bernstorff at the German
Embassy.
w. G. Sickel, a vice-director Of the
Hamburg American Line, admitted I'M
der examination by Mr.. Becker that
he had received the report signed by
Boas from him. He testified that ne
did not know that the reports were
connected with the German propa-
gRnda campaign.
The younger Boas died in January.
1917. He took the Plattsburg military
training course in 1916 and became i'll
In camp of ptomaine poisoning.
Relating TO Viereck's Weekly.
The report attributed to Boas deals
with q project to buy a New York
daily newspaper and a magazine. II
was written in an irresponsible fashion
with no pretence to grammatical cor
rectness and with statements based
largely on gossip. 1t starts abruptly
and was evidently a continuation OF
an earlier report on the same subject
1t was headed Weekly and Daily
Papers" The report follows in part
THE original scheme was the pur-
chase of Viereck's weekly, the Inter
national This was fully developed
and 81 per cent. OF stock could have
been purchased for nothing. Approx
mate cost OF $1,000 copies weekly
$1,000 per week, $4,000 year. The
scheme was dropped for obvious
reasons explained to you.
civilian Bayard Hale, who was the
editor on a salary of $1,000 a year
and 90 per cent Of total profits al
no risk to himself, seems anxious tc
either get another paper or start one
viz, a weekly. No doubt pecuniary
interest in the scheme forms part OF
the desire on his part. To start
new weekly is expensive ant
would have no effect for at least si1
months, which are the most valuable
1t can be done at any time if de-
sired, however"
MonthIies Not Available.
Boas said that he had carefully gone
over the field and that the magazine
project had narrowed itself down L
two publications, Hdrpcr's Weekly anC
Current Opinion.
"The former he said, upon being
traced to the ground is found not Il
be for sale. Current Opinion can b.
had for $l25,oO0. The total common
is 425, 900, and the entire block will
the exception of about $4,000 can b.
secured for $125,0O0. Funk and Wag
nails own the paper, but the claim u
that it is becoming too great com
petitor of their Literary Digest, there
fore they would be willing to dispos
of II to some one who they presum
would not make a great success OF /;
They claim that II has net revenue
as a monthly Of $4,000 yearly. 1t ha
$1,000 circulation. What It could d
as a weekly Is a question. 1t woul
appear to be better to start a neV
weekly than to pay s125,o00 for
monthly review which must be turne
into a weekly.
Morning Paper possibilities"
DAILY morning papers, New York
There are only two possibilities, TIL
Sun and Press The latter has littl
value; the former. great The othe
morning dailies, Herald, American
World, Times, Tribune, are obviousl
not to be had. The presumption of
man closely connected with the news
paper world, who Is a personal frien
Of mine, is that 81 per cent. OF TIL
Sun might be had for $4,000. Its los
not amounting to more than abou
$4,000 to $4,000 yearly. Mr.. Rice
(Reick1 was approached; espresso
his willingness to do business, namel
10 consider an offer or purchase
stated. however. that before goin
further he must know principals; tina
he had been approached by some Ger
man interests some weeks ago and q
course l would not sell to Them 1t
believed that Morgan aided r. in pull
chasing SUN.
Mr. Adams saw and he propose
three possibilities, the idea that the
be the purchasers for us, receive
compensation say or 10 per cent. G
stock and the permission to air thei
views on financial matters. The thre
are:
william A. Reed (Read) OF VIII
lam A. Reed & Co. He Is a positiv
bold man, who would not have to /
beholden 10 ]. p. NJ. G. Co.
-. C. Brady, one OF the sons {
Anthony Brady. who died about a yes
ago.. leaving n fortune of about S15
100000.
william II. Bliss. a lawyer. H
married a Mrs. Barnes OF greI
wealth. who WAS the widow OF BEN,
Barnes, the founder and owner of II
Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Mr.. Bliss's SC