Evening star., 1914-10-13
Complete System of Obtaining
Information by Spies En-
pIoyed for Years.
RANGES OF FORTS TAKEN,
STRATEGIC SITES FIXED
Explanation of Kaiser's Discrimina.
tion in Levy of Fines in Bel
gium and France.

correspondence Of the Associated Press.
PARIS, October 1.-The discrimina-
ton with which the Germans distrib-
uted war fines and acquisitions in the
towns they occupied in Belgium and
northern France and the precision
with which they chose the most SOL
vent citizens as hostages have been a
surprise. but when the details became
known the facts carried their expla-
nation with them. For instance, the
first detachment of uhIans that en-
tered the city of Lille was guided by
a man who had left his job as super
intendent OF an important factory In
the city to rejoin his regiment
At scissors, when objections were
raised to the exactfng proportions of
the acquisitions, the commanding Of
fcer called his aid, who turned out
the town, who. of course. knew its
resources thoroughly.
You see.'' said the officer, pointing
to the aid there's no use resisting:
we are posted by some one who
knows"
Similar instances were reported
OF the ground had been carefully
studied: the ready money in every
town estimated. every suitable morse
and every ton of hay located, and the
plans of every bridge drawn up. In
France their statistics went so far as
to chow how many bottles of wine
might be exacted in each locality
Bismarck's Foresight.
Bismarck knew two years before the
war of 1870 all that was going on in
France. and among his informers was
no less a parsonage than the present
German chief of staff, Won Moltke. 1t
is doubtful, however, whether his in
forma tion was as complete as that pos
sessed by the German general stan to-
day Probably no army ever had the
benefit of so far-reaching a system of
secret service as that which the Ger
mans have developed in France.
There is nothing particularly new in
the stratagems employed by the Ger
man spie, but the patience, thorough
ness and hardihood with which they
have worked are worthy of note. The
reports of the siege of Maubeuge have
demonstrated how the great German
mortars could Immediately be put into
action on arrival, thanks to macadam
foundations prepared months. if not
years, in advance, IN the yards OF
German factory. The land on which
by the Krupps through a go-between.
The sale caused some talk at the time,
but the matter was forgotten until the
fall of Maubeuge recalled the circum-
stances.
Advance information.
The range of every fort was carefully
taken in advance. and the Germans had
in addition the benefit of complete
which spies posted at one end could in
form the battery as to the exact result
of every shot. In connection with the
deposits of arms and uniforms in the
establishments of German merchants
in Antwerp, this confirms how thorough
were the preparations.
AS long ago as 1887 the topography
of the region in which the battle of
the Marine was fought was carefully
studied by company OF spies, who
presented themselves even at the
mayors Offices and at the procedures
new railway lines. They got all the
information they wanted. When 1t was
discovered that the projected railway
lines were myths it was too late.
Tney employed supposed artists to
sketch 1ortifcations and supposed fish
ermen TO take the depths of streams.
There is probably not fort in France
that the Germans don't know as well as
the French. and it is quite possible that
there are river fords indicated on their
maps Of which the French general staff
IS ignorant.
Lists the Eligible Hostages.
1t was recently asserted that the
German foreign Office possessed COM
plete list of all the inhabitants of
France whose fortunes made them
eligible hostages. as well as a black
list of all those who had made them
selves obnoxious by their avowed hos
,ility TO Germany.
Most of the men employed in the
German secret service speak good
English. and frequently pass them
the other day. after having telegra PHI
ed to Cen Maneury's headquarters,
but his papers were not satisfactory,
and he was shot forthwith.
1t was only when the general mobili-
Zation was ordered that the French
began to realize to what extent their
"ountry had been organized by the
--uemy. Then IL was remarked that at
ne end or near the end of many
ridges having strategic Importance
Iere was a German factory.
Examples Cited.
Naubeuge shows how close they got
the forts. and the Landernau pow
Ter mill is still graver example OF
their audacity. This factory, while
furnishing gun cotton to the govern
u,ent. was in the hands of Germans,
and 1t has even been declared that the
powder that blew up the battleships
Iona and Liberte was made of defec-
tive gun cotton furnished by this mill.
II is known that more than 5000
German spies We're arrested in Bel
gum, most of whom have been tried
by court-martial. How many have
been arrested in France no one knows
the government having succeeded in
throwing an impenetrable veil over
all these proceedings.
Italian Foreign Minister Better.
ROME, Italy, October 13. via Paris
IN nrn-The condition of the Mar