The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1911-07-12
THE MILITARY spy
He Is an important Factor In the
Modern Game of War.
WATCHES FOREIGN NATIONS.
Learns Their Secret Plans and Reports
Them to His Own Country-If Caught
He Is Repudated by His Government
and Suffers In Silence.

Once in awhile an army or navy off,
Ger is arrested for spying or attempt
ing to obtain military secrets from
foreign government Practically every
government, including the United
States, has law which makes this
crime. Usually there IS more or less
secrecy about the officers arrest and
trial. His government repudiates his
activity, and if he Is sentenced to
term Of imprisonment he receives no
support or aid from his government
Although they will not officially ad-
nit it, practically every government
has a secret service Of army and navy
officers whose only duty is to travel
in foreign countries to gather informa-
ton which might be useful in time Of
war. Because Of the shortage Of Of
fcers the United States has only en-
gagged in this practice in time Of ac-
tual hostlities.
Military espionage is, of course.
delicate subject, and it would be
gross violation Of international pro-
priety for any government to admit
that it had secret agents spying on its
neighbors. However, it is well known
fact that this system exists.
In 1907 an American ambassador at
a foreign capital reported to the state
department that an army officer of the
country to which he was accredited
had been detailed to visit the American
countries secretly to ascertain the
strength of their forces. His mission
was thwarted. however. by the infor-
nation furnished by the ambassador.
The military authorities Of every
first class power are constantly pre-
pairing for war Naturally they are
anxious to know what their neighbors
are accomplishing in military science.
Here develops the function Of the mod
ern military spy. Fiction writer's clothe
the spy with a veil Of mystery and
q supernatural cleverness which en-
ables him to get out of all dangerous
pitfalls into which he falls. But the
real flesh and blood spy is different
person. In these days Of modern and
scientific warfare the spy has become
a technical expert who M be thor
oughly versed in every bra4. b Of his
art. He must be tactful and above all
close mouthed.
The procedure in sending out spy
IS something like this: If the German
government wishes information which
it cannot get in the regular channels
of information some officer IS sent for.
He is summoned to the war office to
receive his instructions. In the case OF
confidential work abroad he receives
oral orders, so that he will not have
any documentary evidence on his per-
son to disclose his identity in case be
gets into trouble. Having received his
instructions he starts out, sometimes
so secretly that even his family do not
know where he is s.going. Usually he
speaks the language Of the country to
which he is bound. His real identity
for the time being is forgotten, and be
travels under an assumed name. II
necessary he uses a disguise to cover
his movements If he is good spy he
returns with the desired information.
and no questions in regard TO the
methods be employed are asked. II he
is captured while engaged in his work
be is punished for attemptingE to OBJ
tain the military secrets of foreign
government. and his own country let's
him severely alone.
The cipher code books by means OF
which diplomatic correspondence Is
carried on are often sought after by
these secret agents. Several years ago
the code book Of the American lesa-
ton at Bucharest disappeared" Its
loss was reported to Secretary Of State
Elihu Root by telegraph. Mr.. Root
sent for the chief clerk Of the depart
ment.
"Mr. Smith," said the secretary, 1.-The
code book at Bucharest has been lost.
I believe it is about time for US to
have a new code for our diplomatic
correspondence"
Some months later the missing book
was offered for sale to the japanese
ambassador at st. Petersburg, who
purchased it for a small sum and as
an act Of comfy turned it over to the
American ambassador there.
A young man several years ago ap-
peared at the American embassy in
Berlin and offered to sell to the am
bassador a copy Of the state depart
ment's code book which he said be had
in his possession. He left several
specimen pages to prove that his book
was genuine. A comparison with the
embassy's code book proved that he
had the real code, but where he had
obtained it was mystery. The am
bassador knew that new code was In
course of preparation and would
shortly be distributed by the depart
ment. The offer was politely declined
on the ground that the embassy had a
code book of it's own and did not need
another.-New York Sun.