The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-28
NATIONAL SECRET AGENTS.
AristOcrntic Spies Who Are WeIcom-
ed in OHicinI Circles.

(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-iR Wash
| ington as in St Petersburg, Paris, or vi
| enna-there are a certain number CO Tner
and women. foreigners of distinction, ply
ing a 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
infinitely posted on all the undercurrents
Of political movements concerning 1t In
the capitals in which they are establish
| ed.
| For many years after the Crimean war
| Nihilist refugees were received with open
| arms in London drawing rooms. English
| poets. like Swinburne, who was then a
| passionate republican, celebrated Ninilist
| '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 cOnSjder the Situa-
| ton. Soon after there arrived in London
| a Russian lady of great intellectual pow
| er and social charm, who brought letters
| from grand dukes and statesmen of Rus
| STA, opening to her the most exclusive
I u. L
nous Madame Novikoff. She was charg-
! ed with the task of revolutfOniZiug Eng
| lish opinion towIrd Russia-and she did
n. It is said thai 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 I'M
official diplomatist lays siege to society.
Wen dressed, witty. IL a man distinguish
ed looking, If a woman beautiful; giving
handsome entertainments and figuring at
uaily gains 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 of public
men, statesmen, or of the monarch of his
country whose acts are being perhaps
unfaYorably commented upon.
Let us suppose that our friend Is charg
ed with the social secret service work Of
Austria. There is. perhaps. story go
ing the rounds which represents the old
Emperors personal character in an I'M
pleasant light. Or. perhaps, the journals
are blazoning the Ubiquitous treatment OF
Polish villages by the Central Austrian
administration.
The Austrian Ambassador can do little
or nothing in such matters. peOple in so
ciety cannot with propriety even mention
them in his presence. II he should say
anything indirectly to defend his sover-
eign or his Government it is necessarily
taken as preJudiced statement. But our
unofficial diplomat at the head of his ultra
chic dinner table, in the salon after dinner
and wherever he goes unobtrusively takes
or makes opportunity to explain matters,
the subject being one on which naturally
he is especially well informed He will
begin by telling amusing stories about
the court balls at Viepna, then pour out
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
deplore 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,
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. win set up a current of
sympathy for the Emperor. or for the
imperial administration. among all who
hear it. These will include members of
the Cabinet. Senators, Congressman.
judges, political thinkers, writer's OF
books and journalists. The leaven, clev-
erly introduced, works powerfully: par
Nine. Novikoff is one of the most skill
full 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 pontificate in the monthly
They call to get from her what is called
i'll Fleet Street the picturesque strokes
for their articles. And she supplies them
so skillfully that often a violent anti
Russian comes away half convinced that
the TSar is a democrat, that Siberia is a
paradise and that tbs process of being
'knouted' is little less uncomfortable
than that of taking a Turkish bath. Be
sides influencing journalists. Nine. Novi-
lof writes herself. Nearly all the papers
i'll England and not a few in America
have had her signed articles whenever
Russia has been on the tapis
Most of these unofficial diplomatists are
exceedingly well paid. They have to be
people of very marked ability and they
must maintain a considerable state. or
their work would fail piuably. Some five |
or six years ago a German baroness died |
suddenly In Paris When her papers were |
ransacked by the Commissary of Police x !
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 |
$500 a month, the rent OF superb apart |
ment on the Avenue Friedland by the Arc !
de Triomphe and the keep of her two
hOrss 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 TO $500. entered as
special recOmpense' 80 presumably for
some exceptionally brilliant stroke of di-
plomacy sor some more than usually val |
liable item of information. The disclo-
sures attracted a great deal Of attention
at the time. and practically forced out of
Paris society one of the old lady's neph-
ews. who had married the daughter of an
lustrious ducal house.