The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1915-06-23
SHREMD SPIES Of
GERMAN SYSTEM
fiave Invaded Postoffice,
Says Diplomat.
WANT TO GET NEW INVENTIONS
Messages To Embassies Read
Secretly-0ther Let.
tiers Tempered With.
KAIsER's MNIoNs ARE BUSY

AAlSEhS MINlONS AXE bOS1
Washington, D. C.,June 19.-That
scores of letters written by inven-
tors of new guns, ammunition and
other articles which have military
value. written to the ordinance off,
cials of the United States army and
navy, have been opened while in the
custody of the Post-ofice Depart
ment and read by German Secret
Service Agents, is the charge of a
diplomat who represents one of the
allies in Washington. He seid. -
II do not want my name used,
but can quote you chapter and
verse on this question There is no
doubt about it whatever. Mail to
our Office and those of the other rep
resentatives of the allies is opened
continually, and perhaps with even
greater regularity than that going
to the ordnance experts of this Gov
eminent.
what We are particularly anx-
ious to avoid is the inventors of this
country trusting the secrets they
are trying to sell to the mails. They
may think that they are perfectly
safe in the mails, but as a matter of
fact the chances are largely in fa-
vor of a letter from an inventor to
one of the ordnance experts being
opened and read carefully by Ger
man Secret Service Agent before it
reaches its destination.
I'VE have positive Information
that letters mailed in a post-office
building were opened before arriv-
ing at their destination. In another
case a letter was even mailed direct
on Government railway postal car,
and 1t was opened before arriving in
Washington. In this case the only
explanation I can see is that the
German Secret Service Agent is &C
tually Civil Service employee in
the employ of the railway mail SER
vice.
There are two classes of infor-
nation. both of prime Importance,
which these tamperers with the mail
wish to obtain. One of these, OF
course, relates to the new inventions
along military lines. The Germans
are intensely scientific, and have
number of men quick to appreciate
the Importance of any such discov-
cries, or to recognize that they are
worthless.
"One would not think that they
would have sufficient number of
men possessed of this scientific
knowledge which they could spare
at this time, when 1t would be the
casual judgment that all such men
available would be needed in their
arms and munitions factories of the
German Government, or In the test
ing shops and laboratories where
new inventions would be tested. But
this is not the case.
"They have such men to spare. 1t
seems, for they have number in
this country keeping continual
watch for new ideas They were here
before the war began. and they will
stay after 1t closes, still on the
watch for anything which might be
of Importance to the army and navy.
ION the other hand. these special
agents are anxious to find out any
thing they can by holding the mail
which Is directed to the embassies
of the allies. or is sent out from
them. They have found out several
things which We did not understand
how they ascertained until We dis
covered the whole arrangement.
1T is perfectly obvious that the
privilege of reading all the mail to
and from the embassies Of your en-
emies Is perfectly enormous adj
vantage TO be given to country.
and yet the Germans have obtained
what. practically amounts TO that
privilege by their highly successful
spy system.
I'VE safeguarding against II in
the mail sent out by all the embas-
sizes and legations representing the
allies. but We have not been able of
course. to spike their guns on let
tiers containing descriptions and
drawings of new military and naval