[Illustration: _Copyright, International Film Service_
George Sylvester Viereck, founder and Editor of _The Fatherland_ a pro-German propaganda weekly known later as _Viereck's Weekly_]
Bernstorff and Papen, under orders from Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg, in May, 1915, had under consideration the payment of from $1,000 to $1,200 for the expenses of a trip to Germany for Edward Lyell Fox, a newspaper writer, who "at the time of his last sojourn in Germany" (in 1914) "was of great benefit to us by reason of his good despatches."
Von Bernstorff himself wrote on March 15, 1915, to Marcus Braun, a Hungarian, and editor of a review called _Fair Play_:
"In answer to your favor of the 12th instant, I beg to say that I have read the monthly review _Fair Play_ for the last 3 years, and I can state that this publication is living up to its name, and that it has always taken the American point of view. During the last 7 months _Fair Play_ has, in its editorial policy, treated all belligerents justly and thereby rendered great services to the millions of foreign born citizens in this country, especially to those of German and Austro-Hungarian origin. _Fair Play_ has fought for the rights of the latter and for truth, always maintaining an American attitude and showing true American spirit.
"You are at liberty to show this letter to anybody who is interested in the matter, but I beg you not to publish it, as to (do) this would be contrary to the instructions of my government, who does not wish me to publicly advertise any review or newspaper.
On May 28, 1915, J. Bernstorff signed another gratifying document for the same Braun--a check for $5,000 payable to the Fair Play Printing & Publishing Company. Such was the reward of "true American spirit."
When Germany embarked upon an enterprise she usually followed charts prepared by trained surveyors. Her attempts at newspaper and magazine propaganda in the first ten months of war had been hastily conceived and not altogether successful. One of the most comprehensive reports which has come to light is a recommendation, dated July, 1915, in which the investigator discusses the feasibility of a strong German news-syndicate in America.
It was to be operated by two bureaus, one in Berlin as headquarters for all news and pictures from Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey and the Balkans, one in New York for distribution of the matter to the American press. Correspondents from America were to be given the privileges of both Eastern and Western fronts, from 3,000 to 4,000 words a day were to be sent by wireless from Nauen to Sayville, secret codes were to be arranged so that the cable news might be smuggled past the enemy in the guise of commercial messages. The bureau in New York was to gather American news for Germany, and the service was eventually to extend over the whole world.