hindered our spirit of enterprise against the economic strength of our enemies.
"Address correspondence for the president to Herr Ad. Christliebsen, Apartado 58, Mexico, or to the secretary, Hugo von den Steinen, Apartado 1221, Mexico City."
When this communication was discovered en route to Berlin another avenue of German intrigue was opened up; and, in view of the disclosures in the letter from former Minister of Foreign Affairs Alfred Zimmermann to the German Minister in Mexico City, it is easy to see what use the Imperial Government could have made of the twenty-nine branches of the Verband Deutscher Reichsangehöriger in case Germany's efforts had succeeded in influencing Mexico to invade the United States. Also, in view of the Zimmermann letter, one can understand the statement of this society in April, 1916, that "it is not practicable for us to aid Germany by force of arms." The society, at that time, was just being organised, and was, therefore, not powerful enough to carry on military operations. Evidently Doctor Zimmermann thought the German citizens in Mexico could violate Mexican neutrality as easily as the German Army scrapped the treaty with Belgium.
One can draw a remarkable contrast between this method of organising foreigners in Mexico with that of the American business men who, during my stay in the capital, planned an American Chamber of Commerce. The complete prospectus,
