The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-04-12
HERE'S REAL HUN |
BrOckdOrff- Rantzau Involved in
Plot To Start Revolt.
He Tried to Stir Up a Czecho-
SIOvak Rebellion.
SEVERAL OTHERS ARE HELD
DIR. Schwarz and Julia Pahlen
Are Ones Arrested.
German Methods Have Not
Been Changed, 1t Seems.

Correspondence of the Associated Press
Zurich, April 12.--Count Won Brock
dorff Rantzau, the German foreign
minister, who has been selected as
one Of the German delegates to the
peace conference, was involved in a
recent attempt by Germany and Ger
man-Austria to stir up armed rebel
lion against Czecho- Slovakia, accord
ing to a special correspondent writing
from Prague. The alleged plot was
discovered by Czecho-Slovak authori-
ties when they arrested DR.. Paul
Schwarz, the German vice consul at
Prague and one of his woman agents,
Julia Pahlen. Doctor Schwarz was
arrested as he was leaving Bohemia
to pay visit to Berlin about March
l. The luggage was seized and
searched, and, says the Prague cor
respondent, in it were found a number
of compromising documents bearing
on the scheme to stir up a revolution
in Bohemia sa
The correspondent adds: The gov
eminent of Bohemia is in the posses
sion of the original letter which in
troduced Doctor Schwarz to Herr Won
Gebstattel, German consul agent to
Prague
A Communication From Him.
The following extracts are taken
from it:
The secretary of state. Count Won
IL
communicate to you the following:
Il beg you in the name of the sec
rotary of state while keeping Doctor
Schwarz in the subordinate position of
vice consul. nevertheless give him ev-
cry facility for maintaining constant
communication with political person
ages in Bohemia. After learning from
him the nature of special instructions
1 beg you to assist in any and every
way the work to be done by Doctor
Schwarz. If we had the bad luck to
compromise we will simply recall Doc
tor Schwarz, leaving you to disavow
all connection with his proceedings"
This letter recalls very strongly
the instructions given by Count Won
Bernstorff to his subordinate agents in
the United States" continues the
Prague correspondent.
Same Old Hun Methods.
German methods it will be seen
have remained unchanged. Doctor
Schwarz settled down in Prague to or
ganize a vast system of espionage and
propaganda which was to eliminate in
two armed rebellions against the
Czecho- Slovakia government, one in
the German speaking regions of Bo-
hernia and the other in Slovakia. He
succeeded in placing a. number of his
agents in various government depart
ments at Prague"
The correspondent asserts that
OOClOr ScnWdTZ espionage was QlS-
closed by the indiScretions of Julia
Pahlen, a German girl of FL years,
whom he had placed in the Czecho-
Slovak official press bureau. There
her espionage work was discovered.
Details of the conspiracy against Bo-
| hernia were learned. Copies of in
| structions to German agents in sew
eral places where armed risings had
been planned were seized and Doctor
Schwarz's arrest followed. Julia
| Pahlen also was arrested and it is
! stated will be tried for high treason as
| she was government official and
had taken the oath of fidelity. 1t is
not yet known what will be done with
/ Doctor Schwarz.
1.-The Schwarz intrigue began i'm
mediately after Count Won Brock
dorff- Rantzau's appointment as Ger
man foreign minister" writes the cor
| respondent Its inception must have
been one of his first official acts"