BEATEN HUNS’ PLOT EXPOSED.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 August 1919, Page 4

BEATEN HUNS’ PLOT EXPOSED.

VAST RUSSIAN BID. SOFT-SOAPING THE BRITISH (By Wythe Williams.)

London, June 24. Germany is beaten militarily, and she knows it. It is a false idea that she may regain strength to attack Great Britain or France. When she strikes again it will be in quite a different fashion. Already she is preparing. The organisers of the new offensive are the same crowd who ran the old Germany, who did not suffer, who paid nothing, but who still want millions for reward.

In brief, the present higher German idea is to split the Entente between Great Britain and France, and then go after Russia. The United States is not considered for the moment, but with Russia again enchained the courseof the Teutonic Empire would again be set toward the New World. The weapons this time will not be cannon but business. Every propagandist, every spy will work into the new channels. Every man, woman, and child will train every energy to drag the Fatherland from the slough, again to menace the world. Since early in the armistice sentinels for the higher Germans have been on post. In the Hotel Adlon, Berlin, there is always a certain man,

apparently doing nothing. He is about 36 years old, is entirely bald, and gives every visitor an apparently vacant stare through a thick monocle. In reality he is there to become acquainted with Entente journalists and members of the Allied military missions. He is one of the richest men in Germany. He bears the military title of Rittmeister or captain of hussars. During the war he was aide-de-camp to the Crown Prince. Now he is aide to Noske, and others—in mufti. His name is Arnold Rechberg. Rechberg has a scheme. Briefly it is an invitation to British indus-

try to come to Germany, and for one' third profits take hold of German ' industry, conduct it, get it on its' feet, and in the plaintive language of the scheme itself ‘‘save it from Bolshevism.” Rechberg knows everybody. I soon discovered that both he and his scheme were in friendly contact with such men as Bernstorff, Brockdorff-Rantzau and his twin brother ; Herr .Noske, and his military brain Captain Pabst; General Hoffmann of Brest-Litovsk reputation ; Hjalmar Schacht, president of the German National Bank ; many Government officials, and above all with the big business interests.

Aside from his scheme Rechberg had another topic that he constantly harped upon. Would some great British newspaper proprietor, preferably Lord Northcliffe, make a visit to Berlin ? Or if the trip into Germany were deemed unwise, why not, then, arrange a meeting at the Hague, where a party of representative higher Germans would be glad to go at any time. Meanwhile I had been trying to get in touch with the big business interests on my own account.' I had long suspected that this Rechberg scheme was only a part of what it seemed.

BEHIND THE SCENES. It had been trustworthily reported to me that several of the biggest German industrial leaders were in close touch with Moscow, preparing to compromise in case Spartacism gained the upper hand in Berlin, and to pass the real brand of Bolshevism on to the Entente armies guarding the Rhine. The most prominent names mentioned were Hugo Stinnes, the coal-king of the Ruhr, and Walter Rathenau, of the Geneial Electric Company.

Old Emil Rathenau was the “ A.E.G.,” as the General Electric Company is known in Germany. Compared with the father, Walter Rathenau is only the president of the company. There is another man in “ A.E.G.” quite as important as any Rathenau. This man has no title. He does not need one, for he is the “ A.E.G.” to-day. In the days of the Empire he was the greatest agent for German trade abroad. He was the general manager of all “ A.E.G.” foreign business to the farthest corners oi the earth. He was probably better known in Britain, the United States, and the Argentine than in Berlin. That is why‘he is the “A.E.G.” to-day, for it is the outer world that counts, and this is the man who knows it. His name is J. Hamspohn.

I was invited to visit Hamspolm at his villa on the Wannsee, near Potsdam. I refused. A second invitation came to meet him in the offices of the “ A.E.G.” I accepted. Rechberg was the arranger. First Hamspolm told me, as they all do, of his bitter grief that the war should have happened. Next, the story of his long Berlin exile during the conflict, cut off from all his English friends. Then he was inspired to mention his own good deeds. One in particular was his care for an English prisoner, the officer son of tlie co-director of a Eoudon corporation. That was the sort he was, and is, and now—and now—what is the matter with the Entente that they cannot bury their hate and start the old world jogging on the right course once more? It was powerful, impressive argument. I had to force myselt to remember.

I accepted an invitation to luncheon next day at Hillers in Unter-den-Einden. Riding away from the “ A.E.G.,” Rechberg became talkative. He said he hoped much would result from this coming luncheon. He told me Hamspolm had already received a visit in Berlin from one of his great English colleagues a fortnight before, and now all that was needed was to win over the Press. I asked who the Englishman was. I did not expect him to tell me, but he did. He made a mistake.

.MILLIONS TO HE MAOS. Rechberg called for me, arid wo arrived at the restaurant to find everything ready in a small, private

dining-room. Hamspohn was waiting, with another man. It was a magnificent luncheon.

Hamspohu opened up. He said we four were sitting there, three Germans and an Entente journalist, because we *• really had the same opinions on the situation.” I permitted him to think so without reply. He then put his cards face up on the table. He knew that I had talked with Bernstorff and the others— Noske, Hoffmann, Schnclit.. Well, they were a part of the combination, each in his appointed role, uud the scheme that I have stated at the beginning of this article was made clear. .He told me a dozen instances how he and the “ A.E.G.” and other Germans had beaten France in business before the war and they would do it again. They had no respect for France

commercially, and they would show her ncT quarter—but in the present, difficult, embarrassing circumstances for the Fatherland, it was necessary to have the dull but worthy British with them. First necessity in this regard was to win the British Press, preferably the Northcliffe Press, inasmuch as it had hated the best during the war, it could now do the best in effecting the rappochement. Millions, perhaps thousands of millions would be the . final reward. There were all the German contracts, in

Russia—good iron-clad contracts, except for the “ present situation.” Mines, railways—complete reconstruction of the transport system in Moscow. Britain was to permit Germany to get in, and, I quote his exact words, “ the millions will be placed upon the table for equal division.” He insisted over and over again that none of this intei’ested him for

the “ sake of the money.” He already had plenty. It was merely the joy in accomplishing great deeds, and knowing they were well done. None conld do them so well as the Germans, with the English—but if the English would not agree, then, alas, probably the awful Americans would get there first. Only once was Hamspohn completely off his guard. It was when the suggestion came that possibly the t British would refuse any overtures. 1 Then the geniality faded completely from his face. There was a hard, repelling glint in eyes. His heavy fist crashed on the table. His words convinced me concerning the siuister

report I had on Walter Rathenau. He said : “ If we can’t make peace and proceed along these lines, then I assure you that Bolshevism will come to Frauce, and possibly to England, worse than it did to Russia.” There are no witnesses for me as to anything that I have written. Hamspohn attended to that. I have mentioned the fourth man iu attendance

at the luncheon. I have his card in my pocket. His name is Sigmund, Count von Brockdorff, cousin to the Foreign Minister of Germany, who headed the peace delegation to Versailles.