The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-09-06
Held as German Spy, Says
~. S. A. Good Enough for Me-
Kenneth v Reed, Washington Herald Reporter Writ
ing from London, Says "Things Are in Devil
of a Mess Over Here and I'm Coming Back"
And He Has Good Reasons Too

Kenneth V. Reed, a Washington Her
aid reporter. is one OF the most recent
recruits to the See America First
ranks After trying to travel about in
war-ridden Europe and undergoing brief
Incarceration as a German spy. he has
decided that Niagara Falls and Little
Old New York are good enough for
him So. he has packed his trunk. and.
according TO a recent letter. has embarked
on a steamer for Quebec. Here is the
letter. which is dated August u:
Things are in a devil OF a mess over
here and I'm coming as soon as can
get away from this excited country.
I can't do anythin- here; travel on
the Rhine or in France is not so pleas
ant at present and America always treat
ed me we'll So I'll return. nv trip is
completely busted up.
Nv latest adventure. staged yester-
day was getting arrested as German
spy
God Save the King"
London is Wild. with street process
sions day and night. the crowds singing
God Save the King" and attempting to
sing the French national anthem. The
newsbovs are actually crying out the
latest" which Is unheard Of from Lon
don newshoys. I'M told.
Il had =ccn all the sights and mad
clever h:t,c plan to go down into the
country for a week. walking around and
getting a line on English country life
expected to turn up in london on the
18th in time to sail en- the nth
II started out Yesterday for TunhridGe
Wells. little town in Kent. On the
train 7 started TO write n letter to my
people at home. In the letter I men
toned The number Of soldiers I'd seen
and war'ike preparations Ia noticed in
London. also said I world sail on tie
10Th unless I was arrested as a German
spy. That was meant as toke.
Il found I had TO change cars and wait
an hour at a place called Tonbridce. To
kill time I walked up the main treet OF
the town. turned and came back 10 the
station and sat down on \ bench To fin
ish my letter
Enter Tommy Atkins.
Being absorbed in my writing I
didn't pay much attention to what went
on around me Then I was suddenly
scared out Of a weeks growth by loud
mouthed. red-faced Britisher stepping
right down in front Of me and bawlinS:
You're a German and a spy.
7 thought the fellow was crazy and
went on writing-or at least started II.
But he grabbed my paper away.
Yes he howled. and you've been
taking notes in the railway station
"A crowd collected. I protested I was
an American started 10 stand up. was
my passport, which puzzled them. II
and finally was dragged of to
the station house by the stormy individ- !
Ual and the station master
Who are you and why should | go |
to the station house with you?' I asked. |
But they grabbed my arm as II they |
thought I was about to make a dash for |
Germany. and hauled me of to jail-or |
yaol. as they call it.
The Tonbridge constables seemed a |
bit bewildered at having a spy on their |
they might have to shoot |
at sunrise. But they were thorough. I'll |
hand them that much. They instituted |
A search into all my pockets, examined |
the labels in my clothes, shock their |
heads and at length consented to hear
my story. Ihad some real difficulty in !
explaining to their satisfaction \ such !
things as the mention OF the soldiers in
ny letter and that reference to my being
aiken as a German spy.
Discover His Cnmcrn.
Their final decision was that must
wait and see the 'guv'nCr' or superinten
lent OF constabulary. II took him two
hours To show up and while l waited
hey discovered I had camera. Then
We had the whole thing over again. 1t
.nded with their taking possession Of
ny entire film. twelve exposures. There
we're only two pictures on it, but it hap
'ened that one was a picture of a troop
# Scotch militiamen. They shook their
reads over that.
The governor came and had his turn
It putting me through the twenty-third
iegree-only they called it an analysis.
My analysis. passport. letters post
marked Washington. hat labelled Wash
ngton, Washington Y. NJ c. A. card
md my innocent bearing, etc, etc.
eemed to satisfy the superintendent
Ind he said: All right, get away. And
was glad enough to get away, betcher
leck.
But his advice was to take the first
rain for London, because, he said. the