New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-09

,rorora.ion for this war | refer especially
% the German spy system; | do not mean the
regrlar official spies who try 10 steal war
secrets; every nation has them. The spy
system as practised by Germany Is OF the
treacherous. sneaky kind, almost imposSlole
n detect. It's tentacles spread all over the
world-this country not excepted. but IL Is
in France. Belgium and England that the
system has worked wonders. For the last
twenty-five years the German spy system
has been so perfect that II one were TO mar
rate individual examples, based on real fac's'
fiction writers would grow jealous
No official in any of the countries at war
with Germany. no matter how humole MS
positon, was free from the German spy rep
resented by the governess OF ms chlluren'
by his butler, by his clerk and by hlrtatiouS
societv ladies. The least bit of converse
ton touching on national AFFAIRS indulgeu
II bv the non-suspecting official was quickly
reported 10 the German agent IN charge OF
that city or district whore the official resided
and nv that agent reported to his chief in
Berlin.
For wears French newspapers have carried
advertisements in their situation wanted
columns of men and women willing to work
at nominal salaries under the fallacious pre-
text of perfecting themselves in the French
language. In every large city in Belgium
and France the system had its ramihcatons'
Every little detail touching on national de-
fence was scrupulously noted by the sneak
in the household in the official employ or
the German government. When the Germans
entered the French city Of Lille and informed
the Mayor that there were 1874 horses IN
the different stables belonging TO civilians
enthusiastic war correspondents wrote col
unns on German efficiency, when in reality
that efficiency was but the result Of the work
Of German spies living and working under
different pretexts among the unsuspecting
French population Such efficiency is repul-
sive and does not make for victory. That the
French have been too lenient in harboring
such sneaks is evident and that German scru-
pies are myth Is still more evident.
Another form OF German efficiency ia TO be
found in their occupation of Belgium. Some
three weeks ago this paper published let
ter on Belrium In which the writer referred
10 the underhand work of Won Kissing. the
military governor Of Brussels. trying to re-
vive the old feud between the Flemings leu
tonic race) and Walloons Hatin race, which
form the population Of Belgium. Won BIS
sing by instructions from Berlin, has en-
deavored TO endear himself 20 a few Flemish
personalities IN order 10 OBTAIN thr.t ~.
herence to an eventual annexation Of Flemish
Belgium We have no means Of knowing
what progress the Won Kissing campaign has
made. but the statements in The Tribune some
time ago are are confirmed to-day by the
declaration at yesterdays session Of the
Reichstag by Bethmann-Hollweg, when the
Chancellor said Germany must assure
he sound evolution OF the Flemish
race" Can the impartial reader realize what
the word revolution means when pronounced
ny a Prussian Chancellor? To create III
feeling between the unfortunate Belgians and