£72,600,000 Spent IN BRIBES.

Waikato Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1743, 25 April 1916, Page 3

£72,600,000 Spent IN BRIBES.

GERMAN WOOING OF NEUTRALS. Astonishing disclosures concerning Germany’s world-wide campaign of intimidation, persuasion, and bribery to enlist the aid of neutrals in the great war are made by Mr John L. Balderton, the special correspondent in Europe for the “Pittsburg Despatch.” Mr Balderston estimates that the amount spent by Berlin in propaganda work is at least £72,(300,000, including such remarkable “traced items” as harems for Persian potentates. German propaganda, according to the information at my disposal, says Mr Balderston, is being carried on with feverish energy in fifteen neutral countries, In two other countries, Turkey Hnd Bulgaria, the game has been Avon. In Italy it has been losv. There are three weapons wielded by Prussia ui this Avorld-A\dde campaign intimidation, persuasion, and bribery. The tactics used in each country are varied according to the conditions obtaining there. Three Weapons. The three Aveapons of the propagandists are being used in fifteen neutral countries for three different reasons. Those three aims of the German propaganda to a large extern overlap, but. Broadly speaking. German aims in her campaign of more or less “peaceful penetration” are summed up as folloavs: Countries Germany is trying to win ac active allies Roumania, Greece Persia, and fbveden. Countries Germany seeks to■ influence for commercial reasons; All the foreg.iing—Holland, tSAvitzerlaud, Nonvay, Denmark, Spain, China, Argentine, Brazil, Chili, Peru, and the United States. In the case of the United States, the only neutral exporting munitions, an additional motive comes in—the hope of stopping this traffic. Germany, in persuading, intimidating and bribing in Italy, Turkey, Bulgaria, and the fifteen countries AA'here the effort continues lias spent not less tEan £72,600,000. This gigantic sum, I Avith Avhicli Germany could maintain the Avar for three weeks, is a minimum figure arrived at by obtaining an estimate from an authority on the spot of the amount known t have been disbursed in each country since the beginning of the war. Where the Money Went. Following are the estimated expenditures in each eountiy where German agents have been at work:— £ , United States 15,000,000 Turkey 34,000,000 Italy .■.) 10,000,000 Bulgaria 5,000,000 Greece _ 4,000,000 China ‘ 4.000,000 SAveden 3,000,000 Roumania 3,000,000 Persia 3,000,000 Spain 3,000,000 Holland 2,000,000 Norway 1,600,000 Denmark 1,000,000 Switzerland 1,000,000 Argentine 1,000,000 Brazil 1,000,000 Chili (300,000 Peru 400,000 Total 72,600,000 The moderation of the estimate that only £.15,000,000 has been spent in influencing the United States, a figure half or one-third that often mentioned in America, is also characteristic of the other estimates, all of Avhich are probably too lo\A r , since they deal only Avitli expenditure A\dbich have been traced or have produced observable results, such as harems for Persian potentates, or palaces for Chinese mandarin,or motor-cars for poor Greek lawyers who happen to be members of Parliament on the King’s side.