The Washington herald., 1916-04-16
Again Baffled By Conspirators.

The discovery in Hoboken OF laboratory used
by German chemist chiefly for the preparation
Of explosives. the uncovering of bomb factory
on the German steamer Friedrich der Crosse.
lying at pier in the port of New York, the
arrest of eight Germans and the confessions of
FIVE of them, indicating an extensive plot to
destroy merchant ships of the countries at war
with Germany and to blow up industrial cstab-
lishments in this country. could be regarded with
thorough satisfaction, but for the fact that the
identity of the chief conspirators has not been
revealed and the evidence is yet lacking that
would enable the United States authorities to
stamp out menace to our national safety that
has existed and that we have been aware of
ever since Dumba Won Papen and Boyd were
ordered away from shores.
The Federal authorities again are admitting
that they are baffled in their efforts to discover
the ringleaders, the men who financed the plot,
for the reason that the system of the German
agents directing this secret warfare against us
on our own soil appears to provide perfect
safeguard for them In view of all the opportu-
mites afforded the agents of the Federal govern
ment by the disclosure of the nefarious activities
of Dumbs Won Papen, Boy-Ed and Won Rim
telen to follow every trail of the German con-
spiracy in this country to its source, this new
confession of failure is disturbing With secret
enemies at work within our borders defyng every
effort to discover them, the people of the United
States can but feel sense of insecurity as the
time approaches when we must abandon the pre-
tense of friendship with Germany or proclaim to
the world our submission to her. 1t is only reas-
At. To-,
tories besides those discovered in New York and
New Jersey and cannot even guess where
or when blow may be struck. We have every
reason, however, to expect that attempts will be
made to destroy life and property once Won
Bernstorf is given his passports and Mr.. Gerard
quits Berlin.
Surely the American people have right to
look to their government for at least one example
of preparedness to meet a situation of which it
has had ample warning, and it would seem that
it would be only ordinary precaution to double
or treble the Secret Service, so that it may have
representatives in every important city, investi-
gate every clew, and subject to surveillance every
person to whom the least suspicion attaches. This
should have been done months ago, and possibly
it may have been done, since such precautions
are not proper subjects of publicity, but if the
facilities of the Secret Service were made ade-
quate to deal with conditions that were known
to exist long before the British authorities seized
the evidence from the person of Capt. Archibald
then it is incredible that the authorities should
again find themselves baffled, as indicated by the
admissions made in New York.
The law has been exasperatngly slow in deal
ing with these dangerous conspiracies. Not only
has it failed to apprehend the chief consprators
but most of those against whom evidence has
been obtained still unpunjshed, though if
severe penalties had been swiftly imposed the
example would probably have been effective. 1t
is difficult to resist the conviction that the gov
ernment lags in the performance OF its obvious
duty, and that it is open to the charge of being
"too late" in more undertakings than one.