Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-01-17
THE MILITARY spy
He Is an Important Factor In the
Modern Game of War

Once in awhile an army or navy ON
Ger is arrested for spying or attempt.
ing to obtain military secrets from a
foreign government Practically every
government, including the United
States, has a law which makes this n
crime Usually there is more or less
eecrecy about the officers arrest and
trial His government repudistes his
activity, and IL he is sentenced to a
term Of imprisonment he receives no
support or aid from his government
Although they Will not officially ad-
init It, practically every government
has a secret service OF army and navy
officers whose only duty is to travel
In foreign countries 10 gather informa-
tionl which might be useful In time of
war. Because of the shortage of Of
ficers the United States has only en-
gagged in this practice in time of ac-
tual hostilities.
Military espionage is, of course, q
delicate subject, and It would be a
gross violation of international pro-
priety for any government to admit
that it had secret agents spying on its
neighbOrs. However, It is a we'll 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 writers clothe
the spy with a veil of mystery and
a supernatural cleverness which en-
ables him to get ont of all dangerous
pitfalls into which he falls. But the
real flesh and blood spy is a different
person. In these days of modern and
scientific warfare the spy has become
a technical expert who must be thor
OuSh'S NtiSth III every DIuuCu VI MS
art. De must be .tactful and above all
close mouthed.
The procedure in sending out a spy
is something like this: If the German
government wishes information which
II cannot get in the regular channels
OF information some officer is sent for
He In summoned to the war office to
receive his instructions. In the case Of
confidential work abroad he receives
oral orders. so that be will not have
any documentary evidence on his per-
son TO disclose his identity in case he
gets into trouble. Having received his
instructions he starts out. sometimes
so secretly that even his family do not
know where he is going Usually he
speaks the language of the country to
which he is bound. His real identity
for the time being is forgotten. and he
travels under an assumed name. If
necessary he uses disguise to cover
his movements. II he is good spy l..
returns with the desired information
and no questions in regard to the
methods he employed are asked. If he
is captured while engaged in his work
he is punished for attempting to OBJ
tain the military secrets OF foreign
government, and his own country lets
him severely alone.
The cipher code books by means OF
| which diplomatic correspondence is