New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-22
Ts,ar Correspondence

WASHINGTON. Sept. 2l.-Thc reve-
Iation by The Tribune this morning OF
the ease with which spies can com
municatc with Germany by the route
from South America TO Spain created
little less than CONSERVATION IN the
House and Senate to-day, and IN
duiries were Immediately started TO
determine how the proposed mail ana
cable censorship can be put IN force
so as to have the necessary effect Oh
keeping information from Germany
while working the least possible hard
ship on the legitimate business inter-
ests Of the United States.
As the conferrees have agreed on all
the changes to be made in the trading
with the enemy bill, in which the cen
sorship provisions are included, II IS
expected to come before the Senate to-
morrow. The amendments calling for
censorship of foreign letters and DIS
patches and giving additional power TO
the government for the control OF Sc
ditious and disloyal publications IN
this country Will be sponsored IN the
Senate by Senator King, OF Utah, and
it is understood that in his speech urs-
ing the adoption of these measures he
will make important revelations OF the
extent to which disloyal publications
and the work Of spies IN America nave
been subsidized by both the German
and Austrian governments.
II is known that the government mas
in its possession letters emanating
from the German and Austrian en-
bassies showing amounts paid 10 Vari-
Gus publications for propaganda dis
loyal to America. In some cases the
actual checks by which the payments
were made are in the possession OF the
government.
The effort 70 continue this kind OF
propaganda still goes on, and the in
stitutIon of censorship OF incoming
foreign mail is highly important TO
combat the German Vaccinations.
Large quantities of German propa-
ganda and peace propaganda are sun
sent to this country both from Ger
many and countries bordering on Ger
many. This matter varies IN charac-
ter from comparatively harmless eX-
plessions Of opinion to deliberate at
tcmpts TO SOW discord among the Allies
and Indictments 10 obstruct the plans
Of the United States government.
No Means of Prevention
Under existing conditions there is
no way TO prevent this stuF from com
ing into America unless It Is sent by
the northern route, and the British
To- "a FH
Sav what the American public shall or
shall not be allowed to read. This IS a
highly unsatisfactory state OF affairs
both 10 this government and TO the
English officials. But II the censorship
proyision in the trading with the enemy
bill becomes law it will be possible
for the American and English ccnnor5
10 work i'm close harmony. An A.2erl-
can representative in the English cen
.orship bureau could be instructed 20
forward intercepted matters of tins
kind 10 this country, where 1t could be
decided BY a competent authority
whether il should be allowed 20 circu-
late here.
Such propaganda work is often done
by persons or firms in neutral countries
bordering on Germany in connection
with perfectly legitimate business en-
tcrprises. As things are at present, the
business Of this country, a. well as OF
the neutrals, must suh r IN order 10
cope with the German propaganda. but
with an American censorship to sitt
out the legitimate business from tne
propaganda. the business part OF sucn
COMMUNICATIONS could be allowed free
massage, while the propaganda would
be permanently sldetrached.
Il is also recalled here i'm connection
with the censorship discussion that two
very serious plots endangerag tAe
safety of the British Empire were dis
covered by means Of the English cen
sorship Of nails. One Of these was
German subsidized rebellion IN INDIA
and the other was a rising IN ireland
From these examples it can be seen that
a mail censorship here would lead 10
the discovery Of the names and ad,,
dresses Of many German agents and
sympathizers carrying on the wcrh OF
the enemy in this country whose pres
once might not otherwise be known.
The censorship would also produce
clews which would lead 20 the detection
and Illustration Of enemy plots. ne
experience OF both England and france
has shown that this is one o. the most
valuable ends 10 be accomplished by
mail censorship. 49,,
There is another point which IS