The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-07-05
SPIES MASKED
AS WAR NURSES
Six Red Cross Convictions
Responsible for Entente's
Strict Rules
THEY GAVE AID
TO THE GERMANS
interviewed Wounded and
Prisoners and Watched
Troop Movements

London, July GERMAN spies who
came from the United States wearing the
insignia OF the Red Cross forced the
French and British governments to re-
fuse to permit any nurses whose parents
were unnaturalized Germans to cross the
sea to administer to the wounded in
France. Only last winter six nurses in
the American contingent were arrested
and convicted upon charges of espionage
These women had worked near the
advanced dressing stations, where they
had access to valuable information, both
by observation and by taking statements
from the wounded. Prisoners were also
interviewed by these nurses to increase
their fund of information. The women
thus convicted were from America and
were of German parentage.
They conveyed to Germany vital infor-
nation on troop movements and the
condition of the allied troops at certain
portions of the line and used their posi-
tions for the general purpose of serving
the German government The allied off
cials doubled their vigilance in this re-
gard following the conviction of the six
nurses, and the affair is the true ex-
PLANTATION of the ban on Red Cross work
ers of German parentage, OF which so
much comment was made.
1t has been the consistent policy OF
France since the war started that no
persons of German birth or Of unnat-
uralized parents can enter the country,
if they are connected with an
organization whose work is carried on
near military bases.
It may seem unjust TO some people in
the United States that nurses are barred
on these grounds, but experience has |
proved, the military authorities contend, |
that it is the only policy. Tho secretary
Of the American Red Cross, talking to
The Sun correspondent at London head.
quarters, said:
"Out Of all the hundreds of nurses who |
have passed through London on the way
10 France there has been but one woman
20 whom admission to the battle area |
vas refused. Her parents were unnat-
lralized Germans and she had never
been naturalized. She was as much a
ierman as ii she had come direct from
3erlin. She was among those who didn't
AVE passports.
"The matter was taken up with the
french officials in London, who gave
Ter permission to go to France, but the
expected, refused to admit her, with the
expected, refused to admith er, with the
esult that she had to return to the
United States at the expense of the Red
ross.
1--WE Immediately warned our Amer.
,an Office not to allow nurses in this
ategory to sail for either England or
rance, because it simply meant they
'ould be sent back on the next ship.
APPARENTLY our people at home are TAX
lg the proper precautions, because this
ase was the only one and will probably :
e the last. ! have no complaint to
lake against these regulations We rec ,
gnize the danger and intend to take :
very precaution to aid the French au-
In British official circles there ia no
tile establishment that any unpleasant ,
'eling could have been aroused in Amer
a by the precautions. One official who
as been closely connected with Great
relations with America, de.
AIRED the allied regulations regarding y
lrses going TO France had to be excep.
onally strict.
1T is quite possible that the Amer =
ans are so new to war conditions that
ey think the rules too severe" he said.
nut bitter occurrences speak for the u
isdom of the rules. No American born :,
/
rents will be barred, but we simply
mot run risks with those who might
German sympathizers." %