Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-05-26
SPIES BLAMED FOR
TIPPING OFF NEWS
Of us. WAR CRAFTS
GERMAN AGENTS SAID TO HAVE
OBTAINED INFORMATION RELA.
TIVE TO OPERATIONS OF TOR.
pEDoE DESTROYER FLoTILLA.

Unlteu states Is TtduN 10 duOpl the
extreme penalty in dealing with spies,
the lives Of thousands in the army
and navy will be endangered That
is The open declaration today of army
and navy officials. They say that APP
parently the higher officials of the
government and possibly even Presi.
dent Wilson simself, dc not realize
the ramiications OF the German spy
system in this country, And it will
continue and become worse, they say,
until number Of men and possibly
women face a firing squad.
The revelation that Germany knew
that Admiral Sims llotilla of destroy
ers was enroute across the ocean and
that mines were strewn at the har-
Dor mouth of the port to which they
sailed, was no surprise to the army
and navy chiefs here who know what
is going on,
A searching investigation to locate
the manner in which the news was
sent and the authors. Is on foot.
There is little hope expressed. how
ever, that the spies will be located
They have had time enough to sue
cessfully cover their tracks. But with
the coming movement of American
soldiers across he ocean in trans
ports and Of additional naval develop
ments officials say some well defined
policy should be outlined without de-
lay. They say that there is intorma-
tion in the session of the government
against certain German agents which
should be acted on And they also
say that the next man who is caught
gathering information for the enemy
must be stood up against a wall and
shot, il terror Is to be spread among
the enemies of the United States.
IT is considered likely that Ger.
many has secret wireless stations
somewhere ON the coast south of the
United States, probably in the noun.
tains.
There Is also no doubt that Ger
man spies are taking advantage of
the greenncss of the men who have
been detailed to act as censors at
the cable stations and are getting
thru open and simple messages which
are perfectly innocent on their face
but which are fraught With potent
meaning when read in connection
with a previously arranged code.
Until the government Is able to
make experts out of It's men, this dan
ger must be ever present The Brit
ish and French missions furnished
the operation of the German intelli-
gence bureau, but the men no duty
as censors have not yet had sufficient
time to digest it. 1t Is pointed out
that simple messages sent from both
England and france as being for
money or dealing with innocent bust
ness transactions, when properly in
terpreted in accordance with previous
" arranged plans, were made to con
vey information of the greatest mo-
ment regarding military and naval
plans and officials are just beginning
to realize that there are hundreds OF
German agents in this country, VINO
are trying to do this from this coun-
try. And they will continue active,
officials who know say, until they
realize that the penalty for their Of
fensive Is death and that that penalty
will be rigidly enforced II not, dis
aster must come to the American
army and navy.
The various secret service divisions
also are investigating the widespread
circulation of rumors of disaster to
American warships. Hardly a day
goes by that the various press repre-
sentatiyes here in Washington do not
receive an inquiry as to the truth OF
asreport OF q big naval fight in which
American units were lost. or of the
destruction of important units Of the
feet In almost every instance these
reports are carried on brokerage
wires and are circulated in the various
financial centers OF the country. Tho
officials here who have been investi-
eating these reports believe that they
are not of necessity circulated to
rig" the market, Rather, they are
given publicity in order to make the
people of the country believe that the
Germans are winning the war and
thus to foster the Made in Germany
desire for peace. And that this Is
having an effect in certain sections is
shown by the fact that it has been
necessary for the government to make
statements from time to time dc.
nutlncing misconstruction Of official
statements and contradicting false in.
formation.