Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-05
GERMANY MAY GIVE
DATA ON u. S. ACTS
1s14-1e17 Activities in
America May Be
Exposed.
Ex the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Germany's official record of her ac-
tivities in the United States from
August, 1914, to April 6, 1917, may be
turned over in its entirety, including
orders and correspondence in connec-
ton with alleged sabotage work by
spies, for perusal by the German
American Mixed Claims Commission.
Karl Won Lewinski, German agent,
arguing Germany'S side of the $24, 000,-
900 sabotage claims by the United
States, which grew out of wartime ex-
plosions in New Jersey, today told the
commission that his government would
produce any records requested.
Robert w. Bonynge, American agent,
he said, previously had asked for the
records of the famous Division lib
the political section of the general staff
of the imperial German government
and for records of other sections of the
German war and navy intelligence de-
partment and OF military and naval at
tacheS in Washington, Madrid, Buenos
Aires and Berne and the German con-
sulate in San Francisco.
The German agent said that he re-
fused this request because he did not
feel he had the authority to comply,
but that IL the records were requested
by the commission, the German gov
eminent would produce them.
Asks u. S. Records.
He made a counter request that GER
tain records OF the Department of
Justice of the United States, dealing
with activities of alleged German spies,
ha introduced ~ Ia eaiI he
had been given access to these records,
but that they were stored in a room
filled with such tremendous volume
of material that he did not feel capable
of picking up the 'aggravating" docu-
mentS
This statement was the German
agents response to charges which he
said the American agents had made,
that Germany had withheld documents
and testimony in an effort to evade
responsibility In the claims. He ac-
cused the American agents of charging
him personally with bad faith, declar-
ing that the claims now under consid-
Grafton had been presented with an
aggreSsiveness unusual before this COM
mission"
Certain specific documents demanded
by the American agents, DR.. Won Levin
ski added, are not available because
they were destroyed at the command of
the chief of Inter-Allied Commissions
Of Control, shortly after the signing of
the treaty of Berlin.
Won Lewinski charged these commits
sions with far-fiung program of de-
struction in Germany Immediately after
the armistice.
On whether the 1916 explosions at
the Black Tom Terminal started in
barge or in freight cars may hinge the
validity of large part of the United
States claims against the German gov
eminent, and the tinepiece Of a watch
man who lost his life, its hands stopped
at 2:40 o'clock, may be deciding
factor.
Winding up the American case in
hearings yesterday. American Agent
Bonoynge contended that sheil-loaded
barge first exploded through fire of an
incendiary character. Won Lewinski
had said he would contend that both
disasters were due to some mishap, neg
ligence or spontaneous combustion.
Agree on Explosions.
Both sides agreed that the two ex-
plosions were at 2:08 and 2:40 am
Bonynge held that the German de-
Tense must rest on the contention that
explosion of dynamite in the freight
cars occurred first, and in contradict
ing this cited the timepiece of the
Waterman killed 1t had stopped at
2:4O, he argued, and the mans body
was found near the dynamite cars.
Furthermore. he declared, evidence
already produced showed that If the
disaster had resulted from spontaneous
combustion, the first notice of it would
have followed explosion of the dyna-
mite In reality, he said the evidence
showed, flames were noticed envelop.ng
the cars fully Is minutes before there
was any explosion.