The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-24
CODE NOT SECRET
Sign Language of Diplomats Is
known Generally.
Presidents Confidential Agent
Is "Put WISE"
SAME SYSTEM SEVEN YEARS
Uncle Sam Urged to Adopt New
CIPHER A B C's.
Easy for Foreign Nations to
Find L. 5. Cable Code.
SAME SYSTEM SEVEN YEARS
BY CARL w. ACKERMAN.
United Press staff Correspondent

Berlin Jan. 24-The supposedly
secret diplomatic codes Of the United
States government are known to prac-
ticaliy every belligerent nation IN
Europe. IL was learned today. Colonel
Z NJ House who is comforting with
American ambassadors in Europe as
confidential agent OF President VIII
son. will have this fact impressed
upon him before he leaves for Wash
ington- Through him the state de
partment will be asked TO changes its
cypher.
Ii is now impossible for any diplo-
matte agent of the United States in
Europe to cable "a message 70 Wash
ingtou with the certainty that 1t VIII
be transmitted without its contents be-
ing known in Europe. In some IN
stances. officials Of more than one
belligerent country can know the con-
tents OF such message before II
reaches Washington.
American diplomats in Europe real
lie officials Of the belligerent nations
have not the time to examine all of the
dispatches they send TO Washington
But when officials know that impOr-
tant dispatches are about to be trans
mitted. as is often the case, they can
be on the alert
Penficld's Note
Not only is it possible for European
belngerents to obtain such informa-
ton. but it is known they have done
so in numerous instances A dispatch
recently cabled to Washington by Am
bassador Penfield al Vienna Is an
illustration. Penfield used the usual
route ca bling by way Of Berne and
Paris He first telephoned to Berne
such a dispatch was coming, then he
telegraphed in code. Four days later the
American minister to Switzerland
wired Penfield that his dispatch had
not arrived. Penfield forwarded an
n a
original message The original was
mystic iOusly delayed.
There are now three diplomatic
codes in use by American diplomats,
old Usually governments change
their codes at least three times every
two years TO keep them from falling
into hands Of spies
The Green Code" supposed 70 be
the most secret Of all. is said to be we'll
understood by agents OF European
countries. The code by which Ameri-
can naval attaches communicate with
Secretary Daniels is equally well
known.
Disguise state Secrets.
Formerly. when Washington sent a
note to an European power. the en-
bassy. after DECIDING the cOmmunica-
ton, always paraphrased it. This was
done so that no code expert in the
employ of a foreign government could
lay the embassy translation by the
side of the cabled code messages and
thus work out the code.
Recently there have been several
mistakes that have made it a simple
matter for experts to learn the Ameri-
can CIPHER The state department, for
instance, gave out a copy Of Austria s
recent reply to the American note as il
was translated literally from tbs
American code. Amy belligerent who
saw this translation and then saw ths
code message as it passed through this
hands Of telegraph officials on its way
TO Washington. would have little diff
ficulty working out the code by use o.
CIPHER expert.
The possibilities of Embassy courier.
being bribed 20 divulge important i'm
formation is another disturbing factor
One such incident is said to have beer
discovered only recently by one of tn,
American emba ssies in E,urnne