The Washington herald., 1910-10-16

that death-and a shameful death-must
be the lot Of the captured military spy.
But Great Britain showed It's appreciation
Of Andres motives by the erection OF a
monument TO his memory In Westminster
Abbey. where his remains are now in
TERED. The late Cyrus Field. the pro-
tector OF the Atlantic cable and patri-
otto American, erected a statue TO Andre
at Tarrytown, where he was hanged.
Generally a military spy captured dur
ing a time OF peace is not tried by a
eourt-martial. but by the ordinary civil
tribunals. The German law against spies
was passed in July. 1903; the French law
IN 1855: and under this French law the
penalty is comparatively light-from TWO
20 five years Imprisonment. with a fine
of from 800 10 $1,000.
Incidentally one may note that Europe
was covered with Pitts spies at the end
of the eighteenth century. and that every
calamity in France, from the defeat OF
an army 10 a tenement fire. was popularity
ascribed 20 them.
The Police Spy.
In addition to the spy engaged in the
more or less honorable service OF discov-
ering military secrets, there is the police
spy. whose business it is 10 discover
internal plots against the existence OF
governments. Such spies have always
been employed by the police of every ma
ton. and they are most necessary and
most numerous when the government Is
autOcratic and opposition is underground
During the unrest that followed the
reformation in England the spy became
probably for the first time. a national
Institution BUghley had an army OF
spies smelling out Jesuits The laws
against the Puritans brought the newt
able squadron OF traitors and informers
and spying reached It's most Infamous
depth with the exploits Of Titus Oates
and his associates IN the reign OF Charles
H.
In France. Richelieu and Louvois en-
ployed spies in all stations of life, and
under Louis XIV and Louis XIV spying
was vastly extended. particularly Will,
Sartines and Berger were the lieutenants
Of the Paris police
The revolution with its fury against
aristocrats. found ample employment for
the SPY. and Fouche, the notorious min
lister OF police 10 Napoleon. found a con-
genial task in using them to the full
In more recent times the police SPY has
/ been generals employed 70 watch the
movements Of anarchists and revolution
fists. Bismarck had a particularly vel
equipped corps engaged IN this work
The Russian SPY IS the government
chief weapon against nihiliSm. and IN,
many Irish cOnspiracies during the nine.
teenJh century made 1t necessary for the
English police 10 rely largely on the use
OF the spy.
The amazing exploits Of the Russian
secret police have been. OF course, enOr-
mously exaggerated by imaginative writ
ers. but the service is far-reaching and
complete. and the revolutionists in every
foreign city are regularly and thoroughly
watched.
Irish Plans Failed.
In nearly every instance the plans o,
the Irish dynamiters were foiled either
by the greed OF a traitor or By the inge
nuity OF a spy. II is not, perhaps. attrac
tive 10 the normal man 10 gain the conf
denCe OF COnspiTatOrs. 10 discover theil
/ secrets, and promptly 10 give them away
but it cannot be denied that such mar
as Mai lie Caron. who time after tim,
enabled Scotland Yard 10 checkmate th
Clan-na-Gael was a patriot IN q very rea
sense. and an exceedingly useful publ.
servant. Such man carries mis- life n
his hand, and the payment he receives
Is little enough In comparison with the
risk.
Here, again, there is n great difference
/ between such a man as Le Caron and IN,
piuful creatures who in nearly every
conspiracy are found willing 20 saw,
! their own necks by the betrayal Of thei,
comrades,
The evil that accompanies the institu
/ ton Of secret police is the tendency {,
create conspirscies IN order that they mal
+ Pc discovered. There Is no question tha
( the agent provocateur IS regularly en-
ployed In Russia. and is not unknown
elsewhere. Under Bismarck there wal
little secret that he was regularly used bl
the police
The policy IS that il is better 10 bring
/ conspiracles 10 head and 10 give faciH
Tee 10 the would-be revolutionary Z,
/ carry out his dreamS-and 10 be arrested
But the whole scheme is Fundamentally
wrong, and undoubtedly frequently lead
/ to the punishment Of innocent persons.