The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1919-04-30
CARAVAN TELLS OF
HUN MASTER SPY
Ailen Property Custodian Describes
HOW Germany Abused American
Confidence.

How Germany Abused American
Confidence.
New York, April 25.-Under "The
Master Spy" Dr.. Hugo Schweitzer,
German agents in this country re-
ported to Berlin by code every detail
OF Americas business life, kept from
the allies four million five hundred
thousand pounds Of explosives and
sent overseas the formula for the
deadly mustard gas which laid low
thousands Of American soldiers ac-
cordlng to Francis p. Garvin. alien
! property custodian, who delivered an
ADDRESS at the annual banquet of the
National Cotton Manufacturers Asso-
citation here tonight.
Nr' Garvan declared he had for 10
months been making "a study of Ger
man industrial life and it's manifcsta-
IONS in the United States" As a re-
suit, he said, he was also able TO ro-
veal the far reaching Vaccinations Of
'r. Schwcitzcr, former president of
the Bayer company, which was takcn
over and rc-ol .;anized by the alien
property custodian.
True it is that the Hamburg Amer
lean line and the North German LLOYD
Kept faithful tab for Berlin on y
thousand details of our business nfo
winch came under their observation:
thar not ship left our harbors, not q
cargo was loaded or unloadcd but
that some member Of its organization
watched and reported every detail to
be sent by code to the German govern
ment' said Mr.. Garvan.
But greater than all. and forming
the foundation Of her entire csDonapo
and propaganda system, stood the dye
industry. AS long as you were sun
piled by the big six, your business
had no secret unknown to Berlin. In
Berlin you will find card index sys
tenn which rccitcs every fact connect
ca with each and every one of your
concerns that can be of any possible
value to your rivals over there.
Tho head Of that system in this
country for years before the war was
DR.. Hugo Schwcitzer, president of the
Baycr company. He was given his
secret service number by the imperial
minister Of war-363, 2,G37. Hc
came to this country, became a citizen
on the instruction Of the German gov
ernmcnt, eventually was made the
head OF the Bayer company and led
the espionage and propagandist move
ments here down to the day of his
sudden death in November, 1917.
"SchweitZcr was the inventor Of tho
idea Of the purchase Of the New York
evening Mail. Schweitzer wa sthc in
Vcntor Of the idea of the German
publication society. Over thirty train
cd chemists, his licutcnants, are now
intcrncd"
Asserting Dr.. Heinrich f. Albert
commercial attachc at the German
embassy in Washington, had turned
over about 81 800, 900 to Schwcitzc.
Mr.. Garvan said the latter had form
cd the Chemical Exchange by which
all available phcnol supply in America
was turned away from the manurac-
tnrc OF picric acid for explosives for
the allies, with a profit out of Amcri-
cas- pocket, to Germany OF $3.50
600. In praising Schwcitzcr's work,
Albert is quoted by Mr.. Garvan as
saying: Nov one should picture TO
hlmSclf what a military coup would
be accomplished by an army leader if
he should succeed in destroying three
railroad trains Of forty ears, contain
ing four million, five hundred thous-
and pounds OF explosives"
Mr.. Garvan added the Germans
hoped to corner" brominc, produced
only here and in Germany, and deadly
in its effect when combined with nj
1 ric p1Gpc