South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-12-20

r
fuence thought all over the world,
working mainly through the press.
Branches OF German banks and
colonial houses cooperated in a vast
cohesive organization TO promote
friendly relations toward Germany
Journalists. college professors. bank
ers business men and commercial
consular attaches many Of them be
ing citizens Of the country in which
they worked we're employed Mr.
Becker said Usually the propa
ganda was insidious. with an attempt
70 hide its real nature or purpose
As early as 1909. Mr.. Becker said
George Won Skal. a former German
reserve officer. and later auditor OF
accounts OF New York city. was told
on a visit 70 Berlin. by a represent
ative Of the foreign Offices press bu-
reau that he would be valuable N
case Of a future war 10 keep in
touch with the press IN the United
States There was no evidence. how
ever. that he acted I'm this capacity
after the United States entered the
war. the witness said.
Propaganda Before War.
The German government in MAY,
1914 three months before the war
opened. tried in vain TO buy the
/ German telegraphic news agency
with headquarters in Bagdad TO
/ spread German propaganda. The
publication of a German edition Of
Current Literature, a magazine. Of
which George Sylvester Vierick in
i the United States. and his father
I Louis Vierick. in Berlin. were pro
4 mOters. was mentioned by the wit
I ness. together with the Germanic
I museum at Harvard and the move
ments 10 exchange professors with
! American universities. as German
/ propaganda moves.
One example Of enemy propa-
I ganda, said Mr.. Becker. consisted o.
the systematic effort late in 1917 to
spread throughout the world the
idea that Germany was on the verge
Of internal revolt and that the kaiser
would soon be overthrown. The fact
that the dissemination of these re
/ ports was encouraged by the chiet
German government censor. was
convincing evidence that the efforts
were propaganda. intended TO par
alyze the prosecution of the war,
in Mr.. Becker's opinion. He said
these reports had been sent out OF
/ Germany by George T. O'Den, cor
respondent Of the New York Eve.
/ ming Mali. after the United States
entered the war, and were circu-
lated widely by the Mcclure news
paper syndicate. described as a sub
sidiary Of the Mail
Sen. Reed, who Is not a member
Of the committee, interrupted to ash
whether similar articles had beer
published by other newspapers then
and even down TO the present. am
that developments had borne Their
out. Mr. Becker said this was true
but insisted that the reports were
inspired by the German foreign Of
fee late I'm 1917.
Tried 10 Influence Iatins.
Mr. Becker said the trans oceaI
news agency maintained a wireless
service. intended to influence mainl,
South American peoples, while tn,
German South American institut,
and the German news service 70
Portugal and Spain. subsidized b,
the German government, had simila
functions
Mr.. Becker told the committe,
that enemy propaganda I'm tn
United States was disclosed incident
ally during his investigation of tn.
activities Of Bolo Pasha in promot
! ing the financing of the Paris Jour
nal and IN what was described as al
attempt 10 form a news alliance be
tween the Journal and William r
Hearst's newspapers.
, I The witness told of an unsuccess
/. ful effort by Bolo in conference
with r. G. Grace OF the Bethlehem
Steel corporation. to get tho none
TO purchase the Journal, but adde,
that he believed this move wa
, entirely camOuhage. intended L
cover up the real purpose OF hi
visit TO the United States"
Former German Ambassador vo,
Bernstorff assented so readily Z
Bolo's proposal that the German
government advance money to pur
chase the Journal. the witness said
that the New York investigation
o proceeded on the theory that Nh
q Hearst might have arranged tn
. purchase before Bolo came to tn
United States. On this point. how
{ ever. Mr.. Becker said.
D Il do not say today that 7 con
b slider this theory i'm any way estab
. Hshed"
d The witness said there was n
evidence Of a news connection be
tween the Journal and the Hears
ueu-sna Dare