The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-09-29
Many Foreign Agents Are Now
Active in the United
>- States.
COULD Be QUICKLY STOPPED
psclaration Of War Would Cause In.
slant Arrest Of scores-Work Of
Chief Fiynn's Bureau Not Spec.
tacuiar, But Is Wonderful.
iy Efficient.

Chief Flynn's Bureau Not Spec.
tscuiar, But Is Wonderful.
iy Efficient.
New York.-A few days ago the 70
living dispatch was printed In tn
Jw York newspapers, showing thu
or navy Is awake to the possibilitie
4 agents on shore cooperating wit
4 hpstile fleet attacking us:
"A highly important development /
be war game was announced by Rea
ADMIRAL Benson, chief of naval opera
tbas. who said that spies working TO
lie invaders had set fire to all til
soal piers ut Norfolk.
SThis means that theoretically thi
isPortant base Of supplies was lef
vsguarded and could have been de
aroyed. The navy yards are all par
Il the great war game, and the frs
Now against the protection Of thu
coast occurred at Norfolk. Word i'm
pe.Iiately went forward to arrange
for eoaling ships Of the defending flee
ID the vicinity of Norfolk by other
emergency means. How this will be
dsue has not yet been reported"
For the first time in the war ma.
leuvers of the navy account has been
taken of the possibility Of hostile spies
working in our navy yards and coal
packets. Rear Admiral Benson has
Pot his finger on the spot which has
long been declared weak by secret
service men and certain members of
congress who have been endeavoring
to procure IN increased appropriation
for secret service which more close
y approximates the intelligence de-
partment Of European and Asiatic na-
tons, says the New York Herald.
Many Spies in United States.
Just how realistic are the condi-
lions. hypothesizeds by Rear Admiral
Benson in the recent war game is
shown by the statement of a man high
In the United States secret service
that there are scores of known foreign
spies In the United States.
If war should be declared on the
United States today by any one OF
four European or one Asintic power,
The telegraph instruments in the office
u the secret service Washington,
rould click out message that
would cause the arrest Of more than
Dne hundred men and women known
% be working in the interest Of for
elgn governments.
The work of the secret service is not
)pectacular. Few realize to what OK
TENT it is being carried on. Occasion
llly Chief Flynn's men make a SEN
(ational raid on q band Of counter
letters, and for a few days the secret
Pervice is talked about. Many persons
believe. that running down counterfeit
Frs Is the sole activity Of Chief Flynn's
bureau. They do not know that his
Pperatives-men known only to him,
ind not even to one another-are con-
tantly watching clandestine enemies
b the very heart of our government.
The investigation bureau of the de-
Partment of Justice, under A. Bruce
Bieinski, once In a while attracts at
ention because of the exposure Of in
(ernal revenue frauds, but thousands
n readers ore unaware that Mr.. Biel-
(ski's men have under surveillance
(eores of spies whom they allow to
70 their way within circumscribed
Pehds In order Tint they may, to a
reater extent, betray the workings Of
heir system.
Against most Of these workers no
Fharge can be brought which would
Justify an arrest. They have not VI
Plated any law. The only possible
Fourse open to Uncle Sans secret
ratchers is to dog their footsteps and
(ar the way II they begin to nose out
Important information. ~
Fighting One Another.
At present, owing to the war in Eu-
|ope, not only are these European
pies operating against the United
Ptates but they are fighting one an
lther. In general they work some
ping like this: There Is one man or
foman in charge of a certain piece of
PORK. Under him are many other per-
pms. He knows them all, but they
o not, us rule, know one another.
A certain government official or the
representative Of another nation IS
opposed to have information wanted
y the agent of some power. His men
re scattered about Washington so
nat the object of their interest is al
post continually under the eyes Of the
Fganizati0n., One man acts us wait
! IN the hotel or restaurant where
le object of interest eats. Another !,
ets position In the barber shop
mere he Is shaved. A woman acts
|s'a manicurist. Still another seeks
|s personal acquaintance through
uos or social functions.
No one of these secret agents may
M out very much, but each reports
MS chief, for whom the various
tory.
some time ago II line officer Of the
IVY made some improvements in the
ne, with which he was familiar
trough commanding vessels ut sea.
very night when this officer finished
oFx he burned oil the scraps Of pa
on which he had scrubbed code
unerals, signs or other symbols dur
uRNs FOE INTO A TORCH