The times., 1901-04-28
NATIONAL SECRET AGENTS.
Spies Who Are WeIcom-
ed in Official Circles.
(From the Kansas City star. }

(From the Kansas City starr
| Moving in the most brilliant and the
| most intellectual circles Of society in ev-
cry great capital of the wOrld-iu Wash
ingtOn as in St. Petersburg, Paris. or Vi
enna-there are certain number of men
and women, foreigners of distinction, ply
| ing strange, unnamed but very profit
able trade. They are the secret, paid
| agents of their respective Governments
| Officially they are not recognized as dip
| lOmatists by the country they serve. much
| less by the country in which they live.
! Yet they are doing diplOmatists work
| often for more than diplomatists' wages.
| They would Indignantly resent the name
| spy" Yet in return for their handsome
| salaries they keep their home Government
| minutely posted on all the undercurrents
| of political movements concerning it in
| the capitals in which they are establish
| ed.
For many years after the Crfmean war
| Nihilist refugees were received with open
! arms in London drawing rooms English
poets, like Swinburne, who was then a
| passionate republican. celebrated Nihilist
! "herOism" in ringing verse This dispO-
SitiOn raging all over England did not by
| any means suit the book of the Peters
| burg cabinet Heads were laid together in
/ the winter palace to consider the Situa-
/ tiOn. Soon after there arrived in London
Il Russian lady Of great intellectual pow
/ er and social charm, who brought letters
/ from grand dukes and statesmen of Rus
/ sla. opening to her the most exclusive
doors in England This was the now IA
nous Madame NOvikOff. She was charg-
ed with the task Of revolutiOnizIug Eng
/ lish opinion toward Russia-and she did
II. IL is said that Nine. NOvikOff has new
/ er received any pay for her political work.
The persons charged with secret serv
ice, such as Nine. NOvikof is still per-
forming all proceed by the same means.
| Their Government prOCures them letters
which insure their Immediate acceptance
! by the very best circles Of the capital in
which they are to work.
Armed with these documents our uU-
official diplomatist lays siege to society.
Well dressed. witty, If a man distinguish
ed looking, if a woman beautiful; giving
handsome entertainments and figuring at
every society function, our friend grad
ually gains a sure footing in the social
life Of the capital. Presently he has
come to be recognized as an authority
upon the affairs Of his country. People
appeal TO him for interesting new facts.
for explanations of events taking place
there, for personal impressions or pubic
men, statesmen, or of the monarch of his
country. whose acts are being perhaps
unfavorably commented upon.
Let us suppose that our friend Is charg-
ed with the social secret service work Of
Austria. There is. perhaps, a story 60
ing the rounds which represents the old
Emperor's personal character in an un-
pleasant light. Or, perhaps, the journals
are blazOning the iniquitOus treatment of
Polish villages by the Central Austrian
administration.
The Austrian Ambassador can do little
ciety cannot with prOpriety even mention
them In his presence II he should say
anything indirectly to defend his sOver-
elgn or his Government IL IS necessarily
taken as prejudiccd statement. But our
unofficial diplomat atthe head of his ultra
chic dinner table, in the salon after dinner
and wherever he goes unObtruSively takes
or makes opportunity 10 explain matters.
the subject being one on which naturally
he is especially we'll informed. He viii
begin by telling amusing stories about
fha4F aHrVFh hal lie af hon
gallons of lively gossip about the ways of
the Emperor. showing. as if incidentally.
the bluff old autocrats fine nature, his
good heart. his popularity with the peO-
pie. Or. if some one has asked about the
treatment Of the Poles, he will perhaps
deplOTe certain injustices that have been
committed, but will go on to argue with
ingenious appearance of candOr and SYM
pathy that the Poles are, after ALL a
menace To the unity and prosperity of
the dual Empire, that they are CONNER
cially rdscals' and utterly undeserving Of
respect
All this talk, frightened with pictur
esque anecdOte and made effective by a
winning manner will set up a current of
imperial administration, among all who
hear it. These VIII include members OF
the Cabinet. Senator's, Congressman,
judges, political thinkers, writer's of
books and journalists. The leaven, clev-
erly introduced. works powerfully: par
ticularly through the press
-1ltle. NDNlNOH IS one OF the most skill
ful OF manipulatOrs of newspaper Opin-
ion. Journalists. Of the serious order. the
men who write the important political
reviews, are unfailing at her receptions.
editorials and ponti1cate in the monthly
They call to get from her what is called
i'll Fleet Street the ''pictuIe esQue strokes
for their articles. And she supplies them
so skilIfully that often a violent anti
Russian comes away half convinced that |
the TSar is a democrat, that Siberia is a
paradise and that ths process of being |
'knouted' is little less uncomfortable |
than that of taking a Turkish bath Be
sides influencing journalists, Nine. NOvi- /
kOH writes herself Nearly all the papers /
iu England and not a few in America |
have had her signed articles whenever /
Russia has been on the tapis-
Most of these unofficial dipiOmausts are /
exceedingly well paid. They have to be /
must maintain a considerable state. or /
their work would fail pitiably. Some five /
or six years ago German baroness died /
suddenly in Paris When her papers were [
ransacked by the Commissary Of Police IL /
was discovered that she had been a secret /
service agent for her country From her
diary and account books IL appeared that
she had received from her Government I
meut on the Avenue Friedland by the Arc
de TriOmphe. and the keep of her two
nOrSe brOugham with cOcher and valet de
pied. besides generous travelling expenses
Whenever she was requested to visit Ber-
lin. In addition to this very sufficient
wage there was noted also the receipt OF
sums varying from $500 10 $500. entered as
special reCOmpenSe' - presumably for
some exceptionally brilliant stroke of di- I
plomacy 4or some more than usually val /
liable item of information. The disclo- /
sures attracted a great deal Of attention
lt the time, and practically forced out of I
Paris society one of the old lady s neph- /
Tvs, who had married the daughter of an |
lustrious ducal house.