Evening star., 1916-06-04

LONDON. May 25.

LONDON. May 25.
oo CHIPPING the enemy on the
NA N field of battle and sinking
\V\V his ships on the sea COM
" " prise of course. the main
problems of a war. but there is another
part about going to war that is almost
as intricate and vexatious. and as hard,
in its own way, to deal with.
The government of the United States
would be up against it should war
cross the ocean and would find it even
more difficult than has the government
here. 1t concerns spies and aliens
the capture of the spy, and the control
of the aliens.
As a bit of belated preparedness
Washington has just issued instruc-
tions to officials on this side to make
a report on how England dealt with
Germans and Austrians resident in
England at the outbreak of war, as
well as on a number of other subjects
The numbers of alien enemies. or
enemy aliens. to be more technical
about it. in this country at the begin
ming numbered thousands, where in
America they would number tens of
thousands. At first the government
appeared loath to put these enemies
into internment camps. but finally
made a pretty clean sweep, largely be-
cause of the insistence of public opin-
ion.
Now great internment camps are es-
tabIished in various parts of the coun-
try and virtually all Germans, AUS
trians. Turks and Bulgars are under
military control. For a considerable
period thousands had full liberty, ex-
cept reporting now and then at police
stations.
The British government now interns.
unless some very good reason for not
doing so is shown, all enemy aliens of
military age. and some others.
Every German in this country was
considered a possible spy. until proved
otherwise And probably every Ger
man was spy. in the sense that If he
had the opportunity of obtaining and
then transmitting information to his
government he would do so Those who
were spies were arrested and tried
dozen or so have been shot in the
Tower of London.
Those who have been suspected but
usually been sent into internment
camps, out of haIms way and where
their spying propensities have no out
let. The task of combing out the bad
unS mas neeN enormous mere Is no
telling how many Investigations the
police have had to make-it runs into
tho hundreds of thousands.
Not rumor goes unheeded by Scot
land Yard. Every report against any
person, whether it comes from a news
boy. maid. servant householder. is
investigated. 1t is astounding how
many people have been accused of
espionage in this way. Conversations
in the privacy of homes have been re-
peated by servants A Scotland Yard
man furnishes the next chapter
Foreigners have learned to be very
careful in what they say and where
they say it. Every other Britisher en-
joys the privilege of roasting his own
government. but let a foreigner do it
and any one overhears, and there like
ly follows a announcement at Scotland
Yard Not long ago the writer lunched
at a certain restaurant with a friend
who always goes there and sits at
certain table. 1t was discovered after
ward that We had a Scotland Yard man
with US that day, listening to our con-
versation.
1t was found that the writer's friend
a few days before had said something
that aroused a womans suspicious and
she trotted to Scotland Yard The
Yard never overlooks thing. Every