East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1915-09-18
SYSTEM OF
SCOTLAND YARD IS A
BUFFER TO GERMANS
TEN Alleged AGENTS OF THE
KAISER ARE BAGGED IN
SHORT TIME.
Had Not Been in England Three
Weeks Before They Are Picked Up
by British etectlves-Dragnet Is
Most Efficient and Good IIauls are
Made Every Day,
BY WILBuR 5. FoRREsT.

BY WILBUR 5. FORREST,
Omitted Press Staff Correspondent
LONDON. Sept 6-(By MaiD-
The admittedly thorough and effici-
cnt German spy system is up against
most thorough and efficient stump
in England
One of the unhealthiest obstacles
for agents Of the enemy's intelligence
department is the anti-spy section of
Scotland Yard.
Official reports, Just issued show
that ten alleged spies Of various ma
tionalities, all of whom were declared
to be working for Germany, were bag
Ped before any one Of them had been
in England three weeks. Four read
lily confessed.
This list, however represents but
a fractional part of the most recent
fruits Of the British dragnet On two
occasions, 1t is unofficlally declared
the authorities in London cleverly
maneuyered to round up dozens of
spies who had been operating in Lon
don in the guise OF British army Off
GERS The method was as simple as
it was effective. The war office isl
said to have informed all army off
cars in the metropolitan area to re-
frain on a certain day Of recent date
from travelling on any trains of the
great system Of underground railways
Of the metropolis. The order was
strictly obeyed. Every officers uni
form that boarded an underground
train that day contained spy The
spy bag was full that night
Several days late, the war office isl
said to have repeated its warming. this
time instructing officers to keep off
Of the motorbuses that travel by
rndreds on Londons busiest streets
-he result was similar The spy bag
vas filled again
But this is only one Of the many
methods through which spies are
caught in England, Another is
chemistry.
1t was chemistry that told the Brit
ish authorities that what appears to
he an American passport is not al
ways the real article. A government
chemist informed the authorities that
the great and powerful red seal of the
American state department had been
forged by the enemy; that the secre-
tary Of states signature had been
photographed from a genuine Ameri-
can passport in Germany and applied
TO a spurious document carried later
by spy in England. 1t was the
chemists proof linked with other
features that followed, that caused
the spy to confess that he was fur
nished the forgery to obtain military
secrets in England.
This forgery is today in the hands
Of the British authorities for com.
rarison with other suspicious look
ing documents bearing the seal of
the United States
Americans travelling through Eng,
land to or from continental countries
will henceforth be subjected to the
most thorough examination and sur
veilance by the British authorities.
American passports in England in
future, If there is the least doubt Of
their validity, must bear the tests of
the government chemists.
Americans must not feel i'll tow
ard the British authorities If neces-
s2ry precautions are taken to prevent
the use of spurious American pass
ports in this country" said high Of
fetal Of the war office to the United
Press. "They must realize that Ger
many is not above forging the official
seal of the American state depart |
ment and has, perhaps, forged scores /
Of these documents in an attempt to
safe-conduct their spies into England !
and other belligerent countries. Every
american citizen entering England in |
future must come with a clean bill Of I
health easily proven and above all /
With a passport that will defy the an
nlysis Of our chemists"
Scotland Yard is assisted in "spy
by all branches OF the gov
crnment and even by the boy scouts
and girl scouts.
A striking case Of spy detection or
iginated in the general post office /
where girl censor had a Fremont |
tation that certain letter she was
reading was mot just right" She /
handed it over for inspection. A
chemical test brought to light writing |
the lines of the apparently |
harmless letter and the trap was set
FOR the spy. He fell into it a few |
Gays later. He was tried and convict
ed and was executed in London Tower
A loyal Britisher and his wife from
Northern Yorkshire decided to spend |
a weekend at Torquay a little water
ing place near Plymouth on the Brit
lsh southcoast They ware "camghtn