R'UvVc;3'M , -
THE WEATHER
Fair Saturday except showers In c
trAirie -west portion; Sunday fair except
probably showep near the coast, winds
becoming north" and- northeast and
probably increasing on coast by Sunday
Complete Service
OP THE'
Associated Press
AvD 1867
Stair
VOL. XCIX-IO. 359.
CENTRALPOWERS HOPE
IH AUSTRIA AND
GERMANY REPLY TO
L
Emperor Charles Says Peace
Would Come if Pope's Sug- '
gestions Were Carried Out
WRITES MISSIVE HIMSELF
Kaiser's Reply, Written by a Mem
ber of His Eutourage, Lays
Down Terms
(Associated Press Summary.)
In reply to the peace proposals of
Fope Benedict, the German and Austro
Hungarian - governments express the
hope that the Pontiff's efforts may
bring- about a cessation of hostilities.
Emperor "William "cherishes a lively
desire" that the Vatican appeal may
meet with success.
Germany's reply is written by a
member of the emperor's entourage
Thile that of Austria-Hungary is a
personal missive from Emperor Charles.
Both notes to the Pope were made pub
lic almost simultaneously and appar
ently both follow the same general
trend.
Emperor Charles declares the "pro
posals will lead to peace if the bel
ligerent nations would enter into nego
:iations in the sense of the Pontiff's sug
gestions," in which he sees a suitable
basis for initiating exchanges toward
a just and lasting peace. He expresses
the hope that the opposing belliger
ent? may be animated by the same
'dea.
The future arrangement of the
orld, the Emperor says, must be bas
ed on the elimination- of armed force,
the freedom of the seas and on the rule
jf international justice and legality.
Emperor William has been following
the efforts of Pope Benedict toward
peace with "high respect and sincere
gratitude." The German - reply desig
nates the pope's note as an "emphatic
peace appeal."
KAISER CHERISHES LIVELY
DESIRE FOR POPE'S SUCCESS
Amsterdam, Sept. 21. The German
government in its reply to the peace
note of Pope Benedict, & copy of which
has been - received here, "cherishes a
lively desire" that the appeal may
meet with success.
Emperor William, the German note
says, have been following the efforts
of the Pope toward peace for a con
siderable time with high respect.
The text of the reply reads:
"Herr Cardinal: Your Eminence has
been good enough, together with your
letter of August 2, to transmit to the
Kaiser and King, my most gracious
master, the note of His Holiness, the
Pope, in which His Holiness, filled
with grief at the devastations of the
world war, makes an emphatic peace
appeal to "the heads of the .belligerent
peoples. The Kaiser-King has deign
ed to acquaint me with Your Emii
nence"s letter and to . entrust the re
ply to me.
"His majesty "has been following1 for
a considerable time with high respect
and sincere gratitude His Holiness ef
forts in a spirit of true impartiality
to alleviate as far as possible the suf
fering: of the war and to hasten the
end of hostilities. The Kaiser sees in
the latest step of His Holiness fresh
proof of his noble and 'humane feel
ings and cherishes a lively desire that
for the benefit of the entire world the
papal appeal may meet with, success."
The reply adds that the effort of the
Pope to pave the way to an under
standing might most surely be reck
oned to have a sympathetic reception
from and the wnole-hearted support
of the German Emperor since he has
regarded it as his principal and most
sacred task to preserve the blessings
of peace for the German people and
the world.
HSTRUX REPLY WRITTEN
BY THE EMPEROR HIMSELF
Amsterdam, Sept. 21. Peace would
wme from the recent proposals of Pope
Benpdict if the belligerent nations
'""uld enter into negotiations in the
sns of the Pontiff's sugestlons, Em
Peror Charles of Austria-Hungary, says
his reply to the "Vatican note. The
Emperor sees in the Pope's peace plan
1 suitable basis for starting negotia
tions toward a just and lasting peace
ni expresses the hope that the nations
'Ppoship his own may be animated by
the same ideas.
Received With Thankful Heart.
Austria-Hungary's ruler received the
Pontiff s; note wjth a thankful heart
and wjth an expression of hope that
"i" Pontiff's efforts may lead to the
ralizat!on of the Emperor's desire for
9 lasting and honorable peace for all
ropri0Tn of tyB seas as one of the
re hones of Emperor Charles in or
'"r that heavy material burdens could
b taken from tne nations of the earth
3n,J. new sources of prosperity opened
them.
The reply, received here in a dispatch
from Vienna was handed to Monsignor
st ,Valfre dI Bonzo, the papal nuncio
u Vienna, on Thursday.
rne Austrian emperor admits that
future arrangement of the world
, ?rile based on the elimination, of
fmed force and on the rule of inter
zonal justice and legality.
Austria is prepared, the reply states,
enter into negotiations for the sub
'wsion of international disputes to
"jnpulsory arbitration.
iope's idea of negotiations be-
VATICAN
PRQPOSA
i iuniinuea on fart xwo.j
Judge Bingham
Into Reports of What Has
Taken Place In Wilmington
Personal Representative to Find Out Why a Request, If Any, 'fis
Made for Autopsy on Body of Mrs. Bingham and to See Tc
Judge Bingham is Represented if Such is Perform'
Louisville is Stirred by Rumors.
Louisville, Ky., Sept. 21. A personal
investigation of various rumors in con
nections with the death of Mrs. Rob
ert W. Bingham will be made by a
representative of Judge Bingham,
Louisville atorney, former Judge of the
Circuit Court and the second husband
of the widow of Henry M. Flagler,
Standard Oil and railway magnate,
who left her an estate valued at more
than J70.000.000. "A statement to that
effect was made today by attorneys for
Judge Bingham.
Advices from Wilmington, N. C,
where Mrs. Bingham was buried, were
that her grave is being guarded day
and night and the probability existed
that her body would be disinterred and
an autopsy performed.
Report Hard to Believe.
It is intended, the statement by
Judge Bingham's attorneys reiterates,
"to find out exactly what, if anything
has been done there in this matter;
whether there has been any request for
any such thing; by whom such request
has been, made, if any has been made;
and for what purpose such proceeding
is to be had and to see that in the
event there is any such purpose (which
Judge Bingham's representatives can
not believe to be true) Judge Bingham
is given full notice so that he may have
a representative present."
The statement also denies a report
. BLISS TO BE
CHIEF .OF STAFF
Is
Named to Succeed General
Hugh L. Scott, Who Has
Reached Retirement Age
SCOTT KEPT IN SERVICE
Will Be Assigned to Duty in Connec
tion With Training: Troop.
Youngrer Man May Succeed
Bliss in Few Months.
Washington, Sept. 21. Major-General
Tasker H. Bliss today was named
Chief of Staff of the army to succeed
Major-General Hugh L. Scott, who re
tires from office tomorrow.
General Scott, who is 64 years old,
has reached the age of retirement, but
he Immediately will be recalled to
active service. Secretary Baker said
that for the present the general would
he assigned to duty in connection with
ths training of troops in the United
States, but would not specify the com
mand. Bliss is Nearing 64.
General Bliss has been acting chief
of staff since General Scott left for
Russia sevoral months ago as a member
of the American mission. He also will
reach the age of retirement on De
cember 21, next, but before his ap
pointment there were intimations that
he would remain as chief of staff for
at least those three months. When
the American forces begin to reach
Prance in large numbers, however, the
strain on the chief of staff will become
so great that a younger officer may be
called upon to bear the burdens of
the position.
When asked today concerning reports
that Major-General Kuhn, former head
of the War College, and now command
ing the National Army cantonment a
Annapolis Junction, Md., would succeed
General Bliss, Secretary Baker said
that the question was not under con
sideration. Field Command for Scott T
General Scott's assignment to duty In
connection with the training of troops,
it is believed, will be followed later by
his appointment to &. field command,
possibly a division at the front. He
has eagerly sought such a command.
Possibly his services may be found
valuable as a connecting link between
the training camps in France and in
the United States.
General Scott, who is a native of
Kentucky, and who graduated from
West Point in 1872, has had an unusuai
career. Much of his active service has
been spent in the Indian country but he
also won fame in the Philippine in
surrection and several times he has
achieved remarkable results as a peace
maker. In 1915 he negotiated an agree
ment with the battling faction in
Mexico which protected the American
border town of Nbsal from the fall
of shells, and bullets. The arrange
ments was made with general Villa,
then a revolutionary leader, and Gen
eral Calles, of the Carranza forces.
Subdued th.e Flutes.
When the Piute Indians in Utah took
to the war trail two years ago to pro
tect one of their number from arrest
(Continued on page two.).
GEN
WILMINGTON, K. C
to Inquire
that Dr. R. M. Ravitch, the physician
who attended Mrs. Bingham prior to
her last illness, had been presented
with a fee of 150,000 and an automo
bile. ,
It was also indicated that Doctor
RavLtch's office had been rifled and
some of his records removed.
' Friends Indignant.
Developments in the affair, which
has stirred Louisville and moved the
friends of Judge Bingham to a state
of growing indignation, slowly have
been approaching a climax for weeks.
Initial rumors were that a contest on
the codicil to Mrs. Bingham's will be
queathing 15,000,000 to Judge Bingham
would be contested. "When the codicil
was offered for probate, a few weeks
ago, no formal opposition developed,
although attorneys for the heirs named
in Mrs. Bingham's will were present
and questioned witnesses to it as to
her physical and mental state. A lead
ing question referred to the probabil
ity of Mrs. Bingham being under the
influence of drugs at the time she sign
ed the codicil. Answers were in the
negative.
Rumors Little Heeded.
Rumors later reached Louisville that
efforts probably would be made at Wil
mington to disinter Mrs. Bingham's
body and have an autopsy performed.
The real purpose apparently was not
disclosed and in the absence of any
decided move in that direction they
were little heeded.
UNIFORM SCALE AT
SHIPYARDS LIKELY
Systematic Action to Discourage
Enticing of Labor Planned
by the Government
WILL CALL A CONFERENCE
Chairman Hurley of the Shipping
Board Will Meet Shipbuilders of
' Pacific Coast to Frame Up Vol
untary Agreements.
Washington, Sept. 21. The first in
dication that the government plans
systematic action to discourage em
ployers from enticing workmen from
other plants, thus preventing industrial
evils oaused by large floating popula
tions, came today in an announcement
by Chairman Hurley, of the Federal
Shipping Board, that conferences of
shipbuilders would be called soon to
frame voluntary agreements on the
subject.
Labor disputes in Pacific coast ship
yards, causing suspension of the gov
ernment building program constitutes
the immediate reason for this course.
Application of the principle to other
industries in all parts of the country
have been considered.
Although Mr. Hurley bias not de
cided when or where he will call the
first conference, it is probable that it
will be on the Pacific coast where a
Seattle shipyard by agreeing to a 31
per oent wage increase has caused a
movement of the best workmen to that
plant.
Labor men do not look with entire
favor on the general plan, but It was
said that the foroe of their opposition
would depend on whether guarantees
were given that their privileges to de
mand higher wage" or strike vould
not be abridged.
Development in the Pacific coast
situation today indicated that the prob
lem there can be solved only by a uni
form scale for shipyards of the entire
coast.
Discussions between the builders and
union men in conference here brought
no prospect of immediai settlement,
and some of them plan to return home
tomorrow in hopes of continuing nego
tiations there.
3478 SELEOT MEN ARRIVED
AT CAMP LEB ON YESTERDAY.
Petersburg. Va., Sept. 21. A total of
8,476 recruits for the 0th division of
th National Army reached Camp Lee
today. Pennsylvania sent 2,448; West
Virginia 880 and Virginia, whose quota
on the second increment arrived chief
ly on Wednesday and Thursday, sent
139. (.
The officers, are somewhat puzzled as
to what shall be done with a Hungar
ian from one of the West Virginia
counties who arrived today. He can
not speak English and a card was
pinned on his coat stating the fact and
asking that he be given something
to eat.
The physical examinations of the
men by regimental surgeons is in con
stant progress. One company a day
is .considered rapid work. Rejections
because of physical unfitness are rare,
averaging thus far less than ono out
oX a, hundred. ' .
SATURDAY MORNING,
POPE'S
ARGENTINA READY
TO TAKE GRAVE
AND RAPID STEPS
New Information Concerning Ger
man Practices WQ1 be Pre
sented Congress Today
WAR IS NOT IMPROBABLE
Chamber of Deputies Will Today
Enter Into Discussion of
Present Crisis
Buenos Aires, Sept. 21. The cham
ber of deputies late today postponed
discussion until tomorrow:of the crisis
with Germany caused by the unfriendly
action of Count Von Luxbtfrg, the dis
missed German minister .This post
ponement 'ws.s taken after Veceipt of a
statement from Foreign Minister
Pueyrredon that the government has
received new information which he will
present to the congress tomorrow.
After a meeting of the ministry this
afternoon it was announced that the
government was prepared to take
grave and rapid measures In view of
certain developments.
A high government official declared
that these measures probably will in
clude an immediate declaration of war
against Germany, to be followed by the
dispatch of troops to Europe.
RELATIONS WITH GERMANY
MAY BE BROKEN OFF TODAY
Buenos Aires, Sept. 21.riArgentine
probably will sever relations with Ger
many tomorrow as the result of new
developments today. The Associated
Press learns from a high official source.
DEMOCRATIC CONGSSS
IN PETROGRAD SEPT. 25
Has as Its Purpose the Settlement of
Cabinet Questions All Class
es Are Represented.
Petrograd, Sept. 20, Russia's po
litical question of immediate interest
is the democratic congress summoned
by the central soldiers' and workmen's
council, which is to meet in Petrograd
on September 25, and which is pro
claimed as of more importance than
the recent congress at Moscow.
The program of the congress is to
settle the cabinet question and to con
stitute a parliament to which the cab
inet will be responsible.
In he congress will participate 120
representatives of municipalities, 50
of Zemstvos, 150 of co-operative or
ganizations, 77 of military organiza
tions, 100 of labor unions, 300 of the
council ojf soldiers 'and workmen's dep
uties and also representatives of "the
railroad unions, industrial orgaiza
tions and national unions on a basis
which will practically exclude alto
gether the bourgeoise and propertied
classes. Members of the Duma have
not been invited.
Unlike the Moscow congress, the new
congress will not be official, but those
who are convoking it claim it will be
more representative and they insist the
government must recognize it. The
attitude of the government regarding
the congress is doubtful.
It is virtually certain that Premier
Kerensky will address the congress.
ON 10 BERLIN' THE
BLADEN MEN'S SLOGAN
Huge Banner Stretches the Entire
Length of Car
Yesterday Was "North Carolina Day"
at Camp Jackson So Far 3,363
Men From This State Have
Arrived.
By BRIAN BELL.
Columbia, S. C, Sept. 21. loday
was "North Carolina Day" at Camp
Jackson. Most of the movement of
men for the National Army which be
gan Wednesday was concentrated on
North Carolina today and two trains
after midnight will bring all the Tar
Heels included in the second oall.
Already 3,363 North Carolina men
have reached the camp in three days.
The total for the two Carolinas and
Florida arriving since Wednesday has
reached 5.521, more than half of the
total movement to be . completed Sun
day. The record train reached Camp
Jackson at 6 o'clock this evening when
seven hundred North Carolinians came
from Columbus, Bellhaven, Snowden,
Elizabeth City, Camden, Greenville.
Clinton, Kinston, Goldsboro, Snow Hill.
Gates, Halifax, Fayeteville, Tarboro,
Elizabethtown, Ahoskie, Smithfield,
Selma and Nashville.
Not to Stop in France.
The most startling declaration of ths
movement was credited to the men from
Bladen county. A huge banner stretch
(Continued on Page Two).
SEPTEMBER 22, 1917
EFFORTS WILL SUCCEED
BERNS TORFF'S NAME CONNECTED
WITH A PLOT TO USE $50,000 TO
CORR UPT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
Berlin Admits the British
Won Victory In Flanders
Opposing Armies on Four Great War Fronts Still Kept Busy. Alex
ieff and Kerensky Disagree and the Former Quits It is
Possible Argentina Will Declare War.
The opposing armies still are busy
from the North Sea to Switzerland in
the west, from the Baltic to the Black
Sea in the east, in Macedonia and in the
Austro-Italian mountains to the Adri
atic. In Flanders, however ,the activ
ity Is not intense.
Field Marshal Haig has made com
plete his latest success and his men
are holding tight to the new positions
taken from the Germans on Thursday.
Crown Prince Rupprecht hurled counter-attacks
against the new British
lines without avail.
Berlin Admit Defeat.
Berlin officially admits tha the Brit
ish effort was successful and that the
Germans were forced to evacuate some
of their defenses In the vital Ypres
salient, but it attempts to minimize
the importance of the advance! The
British losses In the assault are re
ported to have been light.
The German crown prince has suf
fered severe losses in an unsuccessful
Have Prevented Full Understand
ing Between Americans and
Japanese, Says Ishii
TO BE DAY OF AWAKENING
Viscount Declares Japan Has Not the
Remotest Intention of Appealing
Arms Against the United
States.
Washington, Sept. 21. German 'in
trigue and propaganda, cleverly appli
ed in both countries, have prevented
a full understanding between America
and Japan .Visoount Ishii. 'head of the
Japanese mission to the United States,
declared in an address tonight at the
National Press Club. The Zimmer
man note to Mexico involving Japan
gave a clue to the secret agencies at
work to part the East and the West,
the viscount said, but even the noise
of this diplomatic "bunder" by Ber
lin gave a check only for a time.
Every Argument Used.
"Since then the agents have been
at work," the viscount oontinued.
"They were at work yesterday and
they are at work today. Every preju
dice, every sympathy, every available
argument has been appealed to and
used to show to your people and to
ours what a low, cunning enemy we
have in the other and 'how much de
pendent we are upon the future friend
ship and good will of Germany."
Viscount Ishii said that in all coun
tries today fraud, deception, treachery
and all the forces of evil are wearing
disguises most difficult to penetrate
and that he regretted deeply to say
that owing to this difficuly the news
papers in both America, and Japan, in
advertably, he believed, had delayed
the "inevitable full understanding" be
tween the two nations.
World to KnoTr Trutli.
"I am quite confident that some day,
and sincerely trust the day Is not
far distant the eyes of all men who
honestly endeavor to present the truth
will be opened and that the truth
about Japan and about America will
be revealed to all the world," the vis
oount continued.
"WTien that day comes you and all
men will know how cleverly the work
of deception has been carried on and
how long we have listened to lies
about the ambitions and the ideals of
the East and West.
For Peace With Angerien.
"Let me tell you a piece of secret
history. When it became known to
us that the Amerioan and British
governments were alike desirous of
entering Into a general treaty of ar
bitratiion, but that they found the
making of such a treaty was preclud
ed by the terms of the British alliance
with Japan, as they then stood, it was
not with the consent of Japan, but it
was because of Japan's spontaneous
offer that the -stipulations of the alli
ance were revised so that no obstacle
might be put in the way of the pro
posed treaty. As you know, Article 4
of the new Anglo-Japanese treaty now
in effect, excludes the United States
from its operations. This is a true
account of ths genesis of that clause.
It was Japan's own idea her own
(Continued on Page Sight).
GERMAN AGENCIES
AT WORK III JAPAN
r : -
attack on Mont Haut, in the Cham
pagne. Other attacks by the Germans
on the Aisne front and near Verdun
were repelled by the French.
Alexieft Has Resigned.
There has been no marked fighting ;
activity on the eastern front. General
Alexieff, chief of staff to Premier Ke
rensky, commander-in-chief of the
Russian armies, has resigned. Differ
ences between the two men over mat
ters appertaining to the Korniloff re
volt are given as the reason.
Italians Had to Retire.
The Austrians and Italians apparent
ly are resting on the Carso front. In
the Trentino, however, in an attack at
Cima Sief, in the Dolomite Alps, the
Italians gained the enemy defenses.
The. impossibility of securing shelter
forced the Italians to retire.
Argentine May Declare War.
The Argentine Chamber of Deputies
has postponed until Saturday action
on the part of the republic's relations
with Germany. The foreign ministry j
has received new information which
probably will compel Argentina to take j
grave and rapid measures, including
the possibility of a declaration of war
against Germany.
SECRETARY LANE
TO H FLIGHT
Will be One of Twelve to Accom
pany Lieutenant Resnati to
Washington Today
TO BE FLEET OF 4 PLANES
Will Start oft Langley Field, and the
Italian Officer Says He Expects to
Cover the Distance In Two
Hours.
Newport News, Sept. 21. Following
a test this afternoon of the four tri
planes that will be used in the flight
to Washington from Langley Field to
morrow morning Lieutenant Silvio Re
snati tonight stated that everything !
is in readiness for the voyug; anfl
that there has been no change in the
program for the fight to basin prompt
ly at 5 a. m.
Secretary Lane, Howard E. Coffin
and a party are scheduled to a-riv?
at Old Point oarly tomorrow an:l after
breaJcfast will go immediately to
Langley Field wtxere they wiil fsml
the tri-planes in readings'. . R.'snall
will dJdve the Big Captor l, carrying
tvelveVfteople. including twr. mechani
cians, lawcretaxy Lane and Mr. Coffin,
it is expeoted, will be in the car with
Resnati. The others of the party will
occupy the three accompanying tri
planes. Resnati said 'he expects to make the
trip within two hours. Conditions to
night indicated ideal weather for the
flight. Asked whether he will return
tomorrow afternoon, Resnati said that
would be determined after he reaches
Washington. He intimated he might
remain over a day or so.
The yacht Langley, tender of the
Langley Field aviation station, left
this afternoon for Washington carry
ing several mechanics and supplies
that may be necessary upon the arri
val of the planes in Washington.
MORE THAN 5,500 HAVE
REACHED CAMP JACKSON
Out of More Than Three Thousand of
the Men Re-Examined Only 87
Have Been Rejected.
Columbia, S. C, Sept. 21. More than
half the 10,400 men of the National
Army included in the second increment
already have reported to Camp Jack
son, military authorities announced
tonight The arrival late today of a
special train from North CaroJMna
brought the total for the last three
days to 6.551.
No South Carolina troops were
scheduled to report today .the moving
being confined to North Carolina and
Florida. Additional South Carolinians
are to report tomorrow.
Physical examinations during the
last, two days have resulted in the re
jection of only J87 men out of more
than 3,000.
WOL TOUR COUNTRY IN
BEHALF OF LIBERTY LOAN
Washington, Sept. 21. Secretary
McAdoo will devote the entire four
weeks of the second Liberty Loan cam
paign to a country-wide speaking tour
in behalf of the new loan, it was an
nounced tonight.
WHOLE NUMBER 39,179
Sent Message to Berlin on Eve of
Ruthless Submarine Cam
paign Asking Authority
LANSING GIVES OUT TEXT
Money Was to be Used by Organi-
t
zation Which Had Done
Similar Service Before
MAY BE AN INVESTIGATION
Heflin Says He Has Several Mem
bers Under Suspicion
Washington, Sept. 21. The
American government's publicity
spotlight revealing German in
trigue in neutral lands turned to
day upon the expenditure of mon
ey by the Berlin foreign office in
an effort to influence Congress on
the eve of the ruthless submarine
campaign which drove the United
States to war.
No Comment by Lansing.
Secretary Lansing made public to
day without coment the text of a mes
sage by Count Von Bernstorff to Ber
lin' in January last asking authority
to use $50,000 to influence Congress
through an organization which the
foreign office was reminded had per
fomed similar service before. -To sup
plemertt this ' move. VOh' BertMrtorff i?
suggested an official declaration in
favor of Ireland for its effect here.
The organization to be employed
was not named in the message and Mr.
Lansing did not discuss its Identity. It
was freely suggested among other offi
cials, however, that it was one of the
various societies which flooded mem
bers of the House and Senate with
peace messages when President Wil
son was asking that a state of war be
recognized.
Plot Was Official.
This disclosure adds another chapter
to the amazing story begun with pub
lication of the famous Zimmerman note
in which Germany proposed an alliance
w.ith - Mexico and Japan against the
United States and which has included
the German-Swedish breaches of neu
trality in Argentine and Mexico. It
connects the German government and
Count Von Bernstorff directly and con
clusively with machinations which the
American public had assumed was a
a pswt of the world-wide Teutonic
intrigue, but which many people firm
ly believed were carried, on or finan
ced in this country by German-Americans
without actual authority from
Berlin.
t- May Demand Investigation.
Littie was surprise occasioned either
in official circles or at the capitol, al
though members of Congress were
highly indignant. There was some
talk at the capitol of demanding an
investigation and Senator Overman,
chairman of the senate mbby committee
and Representative Flood, chairman of
the House Foreign Affairs Committee,
arranged to go to the State Depart
ment tomorrow and ask for further in
formation. On the floor of the House, Repre
sentative Heflin. of Alabama, assert
ed that he could name thirteen ot four
teen members of the two branches of
Congress who had acted suspiciously
and expressed the opinion that they
should be investigated. Generally,
however, the disposition was to regard
as absurd any suggestion that any
part of the $50,000 sought by Von
Bernstorff was intended for members
of Congress.
The text of the message to the Ger
man foreign office, made public with
out comment, is as follows:
"I request authority to pay up to
$50,000 (fifty thousand) dollars, in or
der, as on former occasions, to Influ
ence Congress through the organiza
tion you know of, which can, perhaps,
prevent war.
"I am beginning in the meantime to
act accordingly.
In the above circumstances, a pub
lic official German declaration in favor
of Ireland is highly desirable, in order
to gain the support of Irish Influence
here."
Bernstorif Played Double.
The message was sent nine days be
fore the German government proclaim
ed its unrestricted submarine warfare.
When he wrote it Count von Bernstorff
was assuring the American government
and press that under no circumstances -would
Germany violate her pledges of
the Sussex case or do anything that
might draw the United States into the
list of her enemy. With the Lutltania
and other cases in abeyance the Amer
ican government had made no move
since the Sussex pledge and there was
nothing on the surface to foreshadow
impending trouble.
Two weeks later, when von Bern
storff was handed his passports, he
professed ignorance of prior knowl
edge of his government's intention to
throw its promises to the winds.
Evidence has been accumulating to
prove that the ambassador not only
was cognisant of but actually directed
the activities of Boy-Ed and von Papen,
the military and naval attaches who
were sent home long before the United
(Continued, on pac two...
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ft
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; -pf"'' '