Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1915-12-31
WORK
DONE BY BRITISH
SECRET SERVICE
Public Hears Little Of II, But
Achievements Figure Large
In Archives.
CATCH MANY FOREIGN SPIES

England swarmed With Spies In Ger
man Pay--ln Some Cases They
Were British Citizens for
% Whose Loyalty Their
Neishbors vouched.
London.-A correspondent OF the
New York World has just had an op
pOrtunity ,of learning something Of
what the British secret service has
accomplished from one who. though
not an official, has beer in the way
OF knowing something about It. One
has heard very little of the British Sc
cret service 81 any time. indeed there
are those ~ho believed that it was
nonexislent before the war and had ia
be improvised. like Kitchener's army
From what the Worlds informant says
this seems to have been another great
delusion. 1t seems. indeed, to have
had one very good attribute Of secret
service-it worked without being sus-
pected of being at work.
Some time ago, when the demand
fos the more rapid internment or re-
patriation of Germans became insis-
tent in, parliament, a committee was
created. with the widest possible pow
ers under statute, to investigate all
demands for internment or repatria-
ton. or appeals for release by those
already interned. The proceedings of
this committee have. of course. been
secret, but it has, nevertheless, dealt
with many thousands of cases-about
$4,000 probably-and it must have sat
twelve to fourteen hours day to get
through them. I
The secret service proposes, for in
stance. that a certain German--or
Austrian. as the case may be-shall be
informed. The individual is brought
before the committee, hears the rea-
sons given for his internment, says
whatever he can against the proposal
and the committee gives it's decision.
Oftentimes the interned person finds
some new reason why he or she should
be released, and this reason is taken
into account by the committee on ap.
peal. There is no other appeal; the
committees decisions are superior to
the jurisdiction OF all the courts OF the
realm. Its powers, therefore, are OF q
very extraordinary kind. nothing like
It since the star chamber. Such are
the products Of war emergency.
Army Captain Suspected.
Needless to say, this tribunal has
had some extraordinary cases before
It. For example, there was the ap-
peal for the confinement of British
army captain, with near relatives high
In the service, and coming of an old
English family. 1t b in such cases
that the cleverness and completeness
of the British secret service comes
in. Failure to satisfy the committee
in a case of that kind would spell dis.
credit and increased difficulty in get.
ting internment orders in other cases.
In this particular instance all the
influence that might be expected was
brought to bear to show that the
suspicion alleged against the captain
was groundless-and not only that
but preposterous. But it was shown
that he had been in correspond
With suspicious individuals in Ger.
many, and particularly with beau.
tiful German lady with whom he was
infatuated and who was known to be
one Of the units in the kaiser's widely
extended spy system. It was not al
legged that he was giving away secrets,
but his desperate infatuation for this
lady and the fact that he had found
means Of corresponding with her
since the war made 1t desirable that
he should be put in a place of security
and he was. This victim of the In.
ternment committees activities was a
British subject; but no matter whose
subject you may be you are equally
amenable to its juridiction.
DisIoyaIty That Amazed. II
There is talk here Of another strik.
ms example Of the thoroughness with
which the British, secret service has
been doing it's work in peace time.
A German Of title, for over twenty
years naturalized. who lived. In a very
grand way In an English county, was
brought up for internment. He had
been one of the most prominent men
in his district In public affairs q yolu.
BILE admirer Of the Union Jack, had de.
nounced Prussian designs against the
peace Of Europe. entertained on Law.
ish scale, and was an exceedingly
popular as well as influential person
IN his locality. When the demand was
made for his internment he appealed
to his influential county friends. More
than anything else It hurt him that
It should be thought possible that he
could have been false to the English
friends who had become so dear to
him. They were all up in arms In his
favor. and the committee got protests
from most Of the representative per.
sons and bodies in the county denounc,
ing the action Of the authorities ii
casting this slur on gentleman for
whose loyalty and trustworthiness
they would vouch as for their own. He
had given innumerable evidences Of
his; genuine love Of England. and had
actually taken very active part in
~,>,>-c-,,~.
.PLUcks DIVORCE FROM ASHES.
suspicious Wife Rescues incrlminat-