New-York tribune., 1919-01-19
Berlin the
Handspring

BEHIND this organization, directing it and
coordlnating its work with that of the other
German beasts, was a complicated machine
IN Berlin In spite of the frequent com
plants of the German agents here that
they were cut off" from contact with their
government, the contact was subject to onlv
short and minor Interruptions till after the
time Bernstorf left for home. Wireless
stations working even under the nose of
government censors, passed code dis
patches; underground channels transmitted
letters, photographs, literature even films.
The most trifing affairs were promptly re-
ported to Wlhelmstrasse; the most minute
orders came back.
Here is the outline of the Wilhelmstrasse
machinery, as learned by the secret services
Of our own and the Allied governments:
The press and propaganda bureau of the
Foreign Office
The war press bureau of the Foreign
Office.
The chief censors bureau of the Foreign
Office
The press bureau of the German War De-
partment
The press bureau of the German Navy
Department.
The press bureau for the influencing of
neutrals.
The central section for foreign news SER
vice
The relations between these various bu-
reaus are not clearly understood, but the
keptle here was in touch with all of them,
and did work for all
With the arrival of Dr. Albert and his
staff in September, 1914, the Reptle got
vigorously to work. Throughout the first
phase of its work there was a certain
amount of openness about it-some German
agents spoke and wrote over their own
names and some German propaganda was
sent out frankly labelled. Not all of it.
FROM the hrst there was secret propaganda
gong on and the underground methods were
used. But the popularity of this phase,
which lasted till soon after the sinking of
the lusitania, was that it did have touch
of honesty.
1t also had more than touch Of dis.
honesty, and some of this was of a kind that
Drought down the censure of Won Bernstorff
after 1t had failed This was in the SUBJ
sidizlng of such magazines as Marcus
Braun's "Fair Play" Bernstorff's complaint
was that it could not be kept secret and
also that the men subsidized were never
SATISFIED with what they got, and that thew
practically blackmailed the Germans into
making them permanent pensioners.
The first proceeding of Dr.. Albert was TO
organize the German Information Bureau
putting M. b. Clausscn, who had been presa
agent for the Hamburg American Line. at
It's head. 1t sent out daily sheet Of
frankly pro- German news to the naners
the news carrying whatever German propa-
Ganda was most called for at the time Tho
camouiiage was there. Though supported
by the German government, the sheets
sore tins label: "Conductcd by Nj. b. Claus
sen ht the request of a number of American
citizens who believe the public desires to be
informed as TO both sides Of the war. that
1t may form its own opinion from the
facts"
This label was kept there long after DR.
Albert had admitted to mis- staff that there
was no complaint to be made as TO tho fu,
ness or trustworthincss OF the news that
came through the British controlled coblos
The charge of unfairncss in the British re-
ports was always ono of the stock wcapona
Of the Germans.
tlaussen was actually controlled bv Or.
*. A. Fuchr. Tho scheme did not wort
we'll, and William Baynrd Hale was em-
ployed in December, 1914, to take charge.
Inc whole news propaganda was put under
! t,J