TO INVADE CANADA
The diary, too, tells us of Captain von Papen’s plan to invade Canada. Scarcely had he arrived in this country from Mexico, a few days after the Germans had invaded Belgium, than, as general-in-chief of the German reservists, he began to mobilize his forces for a military enterprise in Canada. If you look at the Captain’s diary you see these entries: “September 1, 1914, Mr. Bridgeman Taylor, $200;” “September 16, for Buffalo, Taylor, Ryan, $200;” “September 22, for Ryan, Buffalo, $200;” “October 14, for Fritzen and Busse, Buffalo, $40,00.”
These are the earmarks of an unsuccessful military enterprise; for just as soon as Captain von Papen saw reservists gather in New York and assembling in other points he laid his plans for a concerted move on Canada. He discussed the details with his majors, captains and lieutenants assembling in New York. He met them in secret at night in the German Club and with maps and other detailed plans he set forth his mode of attack.
Captain von Papen’s scheme—as they talked it over at the German Club—was to create such a reign of terror among Canadians that the provincial governments would deem it absolutely necessary to keep all the troops in Canada for defence rather than hurry them to the European battle-front. The plan, while it entailed explosions and fighting, was largely for psychological effect. One part of the scheme was to send an expedition to blow up the Welland Canal, a waterway that runs around Niagara Falls on the Canadian side and is a most important avenue of transportation for freight and passengers. The second part was to have an invasion by German reservists upon various parts of the Canadian border.
Captain von Papen aimed to create a panic among the Canadians, to put such fear into them that they would say to England, “We need our troops for self-protection against the Germans in the United States”—thereby putting the United States in a position of being unable to preserve its neutrality. The destruction of the canal by a tremendous explosion, or the detonation of a carload of dynamite on some railroad, or any sort of explosion in the Dominion, believed to have been supervised by Germans, would have had a tremendous effect upon the people. Doubtless this was what Captain von Papen sought; for that was the way he outlined the scheme to his assistants.
It has been stated that Wachendorf was one of the men whom von Papen gathered for secret conference in the German Club. “Von der Goltz” in a confession made to the Federal authorities said that he was asked to give his opinion about a proposal made to the German Embassy, the writer of which, a certain Schumacher, had asked for financial support in order to carry out a scheme by which he would be able to make raids on towns situated on the coast of the Great Lakes. He proposed to use motor-boats armed with machine-guns. Though the proposal was rejected on account of the Embassy receiving unfavourable information about the writer, “von der Goltz” next was requested to aid in a scheme of invasion of Canada with a small armed force recruited from the reservists in the United States. The scheme, which was proposed by von Papen and Boy-Ed, was abandoned as objections to it were made by Count von Bernstorff. “Von der Goltz” says he was told so by Captain von Papen.