The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-07-10
MODERN SPIESI PEACE.
How Powers Discover Each Others
Military Secrets.

how POWerS Discover Each others
Military Secrets.
There are many things about each
other which nations would like to know.
In order to discover what they must
know but are not allowed to, civilized
states employ military spies. They may
be military or naval attaches, duly ac-
credited to an embassy. or secret agents,
who are sent to reside or travel in
those districts from which information
is required by the intelligence depart
ment. The work of the first class is not
unimportant, but it is not risky. The
officer may not overstep the bounds of
common honesty and rarely if ever, at
tempts to achieve anything secretly.
He is closely watched, and knows it.
If he becomes a strong center of at
traction he may divert the attention
of watchers from some secret agent who
is possessing himself of particulars the
attache is ostensibly so anxious to ac-
quire, but is successfully prevented from
securing. The attache is useful as
clearing agent. Spies become possessed
of facts which are of no real value to
those who employ them, but are as
sumed to be worth much by the agents
OF other countries and an exchange OF
pieces is effected Sometimes appar-
emily useless information is sought sim
ply for its exchange value. For in
stance, some years ago two British Off
GERS created. considerable annoyance in
about the district in which the autumn
maneuVerS were to take place. They
were invited to join the staff-the Brit
ish attache was there-but this honor
they declined.
Then representations were made at
the British embassy, where the officers
were unknown, and subsequently they
disappeared for a time only to be dis
coveI~.d d. the END of the naneuvers in
one of the five great ifortresses which
protect the west frontier of Russia. and
the one that had been the center of the
military operations.
Had these men been russian officers
their Oositlon would have been danger
Gus and II unpleasant international in
cident might have occurred. The Russo
German frontier is nothing to Great
Britain, neither is the Franco-German.
We exchange the first piece" with Ger
many for the second. and the second
with France for little bit of news
about Russia in Asia which India be-
lieves to be important And thus we
get home.
Each country has its own peculiar
sphere of interest to which it devotes
its greatest attention. Great Britain has
so many that properly speaking it has
none. But India is always alarmed as
to Russia. and agents-British and ma
tive-of the India department are ever
busy seeking particulars likely to be
of service when we have to defend an
y
sense extends from Alden to Hong Kong.
Most of the Indian agents in Russia are
officers of the Indian army, but, need
less to state, they do not travel as such.
Some affect to be tourists of an inno-
cent but lnQulriEG turn of mind; some
go as commercial travellers; some lean
to religious propaganda; while others
collect curiosities.
These agents have been so energetic
and so prolific in their disguise that
IN, !, -. . al,
commercial traveller excites suspicion.
The Russians now insist upon all com
mercials" being licensed and taxed;
moreover, the intelligence department
has found the orders for goods obtained
by its travellers somewhat EN- barraSSing.
AS buying agent the spy has also
worked well. No Briton can now go
across the Caspian to purchase skins
any more than to sell hardware or even
just to amuse himself, without his let
tiers being opened and the company he
keeps carefully noted.
Elsewhere than in central Asia the in
quisitive foreigner is likely to be de-
tanned as a suspect if found near a dock
yard, arsenal, fortress, masked battery
or military undertaking of any kind
The real tourist may excite suspicion,
and no doubt many of the people arrest
ed are innocent, but occasionally spy
is captured. and usually, of course, is
liberated after inquiries.
more energetic. emphatic and positive
when a government agent is taken than
they are when the innocence of the par
ties held is so apparent that it needs no
proof In ordinary circumstances, when
the spy is known he thereby becomes
innocuous and he knows it. If discoy-
cred. the impolite Russian way is to
forbid him to enter the country, or to
declare he comes from a plague
infested port, or that he is Roman
Catholic or Jew.
The polite way is to offer him a guard or
helpmate or companion. The spy is then
shown what he must see and as soon as ne
has seen and reported the various military
dispositions are changed so that the tn1or-
nation he obtains is worse than useless,
being actually misleading
The polite British way is to take the rec
ognized SPY round the golf links or give
him pegs of whisky and tell him soft sto-
ries as he sits on stool enjoying ~ m
terr1,inable reeinental cricket then to send
or take him home happy, falkative man,
with nothing to tell. That is what hap
pens when Russian vessel cans az fsSr "a
themselves curious as TO the forts at
MANY are the lodges resorted by Brit
ed', nv their Russian hosts Their common
.1Sav Is to hunt in couples. each -tndepen-
dent Of the other. so that II one is taken
the other may. still succeed in getting
The eastern races make adept spies Rus
their calling by being so well informed,
which is unusual in Russia. but II takes a
clever. educated man TO detect them and
there are few such among tne ciass oL
3t,ely pretend to be merchants. veterinary
sur9eons peddlers and even Migrants
IN the far east in the mater OF es 4;oI,,
+S i+~rIf A Jararese can readily become