New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-23
United States Urged to Estab-
lish Strict Censorship on
Mails Routed via Latin
America to Stop Danger
Gus Information
By Arthur s. Draper

By Arthur S. Draper
LONDON, Sept. 22.-While Sweden Is
headquarters for the German espionage
system, Spain is hardly less important
rs depot for the collection and dis
tribution of information Of the utmost
value to the enemy. America has no
censorship Of mails to South America
although once letters reach these La
tin countries any information they con-
tain may be Immediately transmitted
by radio to Spain, whence the news can
be forwarded to Germany, either by
wireless or by submarines.
The submarine mail route works with
fair regularity, despite the constant eff
fort to destroy U-boats which pick up
buoys packed with letters of the Span
ish coast or receive letters direct from
fishermen employed by the Germans In
Spain. The submarines carry the mail
either to Belgian or German ports, or
through the Mediterranean to Austrian
harbors.
Lack OF Censorship a Peril
These letters generally contain In
formation Of commercial and financial
nature. Their value is unaffected by
the tedious roundabout journey from
the United States. But it is also pos
sible to send military and naval infor-
nation and secret diplomatic reports
in the same way. All mail from the
United States for European countries,
with exception of that carried by ships
plying between South American and
Spanish ports. is censored either by
British or French authorities. America
cannot afford long to remain the dan
gerous exception.
Before this war no country except
Germany prepared plans for censoring
mails. IL took Great Britain two years
to get her organization in proper run
ming order, and another year passed
before the authorities were thoroughly
| satisfied with the system. The instruc-
tons for the British postal censor
cover fifty printed pages. The censors
translate practically every known lam
guage. Once in while they encoun-
ter dialect which they cannot trans
late, and if they cannot understand a
letter they don't forward il. All pos
tai censors have to undergo a rigid
examination, and none but Britons have
the power TO decide the disposal Of the
Z letters.
Britain Would Aid L. s.
There are not dozens. but hundreds.
Of ways of sending secret messages.
and Internationally Great Britain paid
dearly during the first six months OF
the war for her inexperience in hand
ling information sent through the
mails. Though the SPY must be
watched constantly, a vast amount OF
stuff not intended to do any harm. but
worth infinitely more than that col
/ lected by spies. was sent through the
mails by Americans to friends in neu-
, trail European countries. whence IL
found its way to the enemy. These
indiscretions often cost dearly.
The British postal censorship is now
well organized. and if America desires
assistance in opening bureau for
censorship of mails to South America
there is little doubt that Britain would
be glad TO send experts to the United
States to give advice and instructions.
With this help. an American postal
censorship bureau could be put into
operation in comparatively short
time.
The British experts here are agreed
on the superior value Of censorship
at the source Of the mail over that at
relay station. such as London. but
the vital question Is that of the length
of time it would take Washington to
set UP a bureau for the general CEN
sorship on all outgoing letters. II 1t
is Anticipated that the war will last q
wear or two more. then America should
Immediately begin organizing her de-
partment.
Danger in Business Letters
Censorship aims first to block infor-
nation which would be of military
value to the enemy and, secondly. to
divert information which would be
useful TO the enemy In commercial or
financial enterprises.
The second object Is naturally OF
minor consideration, but at this stage
of the war commercial information
has grown to be of the greatest i'm
portance. To date America has not
adopted restrictions such as Britain's
trading with the enemy act, which pro-
hbited any intercourse with Germany,
even through q neutral country. un-
less under special permission. At
present American business concerns
can communicate with the enemy
through mails sent via neutral coun-
tries. These letters are uncensored
until they are removed from the ships
in British ports.
In America some concern with ap-
parently bona fide credentials may be
dealing with fake foreign branches in
Sweden, Holland, Denmark or any
other neutral country. The British CEN
sor has no desire TO interfere in the
least with legitimate business transac-
tons between American concerns and
foreign houses, but unfortunately many
Of these transactions seem extremely
suspicious.
Want Five U. 8. Experts In London
Once America prohibits trading with
the enemy it would greatly facilitate
matters if at least five Americans, with
intimate knowledge of American bust
ness, were stationed in the postal CEN
cor's office here As every bit Of Euro