Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-07-05
SPY DISCLOSURES
WOULD STARTLE
WHOLE WORLD
Officials Declare That if Ger
man Activities Were Known
Earth Would Shake
ALL ARE WORKIN G
Information of Amazing
Character and Great Value
Being Unearthed
BY Associated Press

Washington, July 5.-Officials, VINO
for obvious reasons cannot be quot
ed, declared to-day that if the gov
ernment's activities against German
spies in the United States could be
published, the news would startle
the world.
While not admitting they are con-
Vinced that the spy system was en-
tirely responsible for the massed sub
marine attack on the transport of
General Pershing's expedition, it
was said that the combined forces of
the State, War and Navy and JUS
tice Departments were working in
cohesion and Systematically unearth-
ing information of an amazing char
acter, and of great value to the gov
ernment.
Having Trouble
1t was pointed out that even with
the strictest censorship of mails,
cables and press, the European allies
have not been able to meet the situ-
alton to their complete satisfaction.
The problem is of far greater mag
nitude in this country, with thou
sands of aliens, immense border and
countless possible means for outside
communications. Secret service op-
erations, necessarily carried on un-
der cover, are given little or no pub
licity, and this fact, officials say, gives
rise to surmise that little has been
accomplished.
1t was pointed out to-day that al
though the Allies have never main
tanned spy systems as far reaching
or effective as Germany. even that
country, despite her registration of
individuals, her comparatively small
border line, and her network of Sc
cret police, has been unable to pre-
vent information of her military
moves from reaching the outside
world.
Germany's realization of that is
shown in her absolute suppression of
all main and cable communications
for considerable period preceding
any important military movement.
Although the War and Navy De-
partmentS Vouchsafed no comment
on the leak that imperilled thou
sands of lives, all manner of theories
were advanced in official and unof-
fetal circles. These expressions crys-
tallized in a demand that the most
determined steps be taken to un-
cover the spies, who, general belief
has it, are operating within the con-
fidential offices of the government.
While it was, pointed out that, in
an undertaking of such scope as the
one that ended in the safe arrival of
the first expedition, the American
government faced many new prob
lens with reference to espionage,
the grave dangers to American lives
prompted the demand that, if neces-
sary. every department be turned
inside out to prevent recurrence of
that menace.
Would Hang Spies
| Senator Cham berlain, of Oregon,
chairman of the Senate Committee
on Military Affairs, expressed the
majority view when he said:
If these spies are found they will
be strung up without delay and
without the courtesy of a trial by
jury"
Secretary Daniels and Assistant
Secretary Roosevelt were absent
from Washington to-day. and the
Navy Department censors declined
to discuss the spy question in any
way. 1t became known, however,
that the Department of Justice be-
gan a thorough investigation as soon
as the American officers in France
reported to the department the facts
that showed German knowledge of
American military movements.
1t is held Germany obtained this
information from high sources, be-
cause of the fact that the U-boat
captains knew exactly where the de-
stroyer escort and the transports
would rendezvous, and the exact
/ time of the arrival of the transports
at the point where they were at
| tackled. The fact that Germany knew
when the transports left American
ports is not considered of such mo-
ment, as there was a very broad
knowledge of that fact in regular
shipping circles.
Two Theories
Two different theories were ad-
vanced by those officials who do not
agree with Senator Chamberlain
that the German spy system is in
operation in high places of the gov
ernment These are:
First. That the tip to Germany
was received through cable messages
sent to England. This theory is
grounded on the belief that the arch
spy is in London rather than Wash
ington.
Second. That the failure of the
government to censor mail to Mexi-
co, other Central and South Ameri-
can countries and Spain, is being
used to advantage by Germany. This
theory presumes that German agents
co-ordinating widespread activities
in the United States. reach n def
mite and accurate knowledge of the
movements of the government; that
such information is being carried by
mail to Mexico; telegraphed to a
South American port and then
cabled to Spain. The fact that a
German submarine was found to
have been at Cadiz, a Spanish port
within the last few weeks. was held
by many persons to strengthen this
theory.
Fight on U-Boats
Secretary of the Navy Daniels is
waiting for further dispatches from
Admiral Gleaves and promised that
ssoon as an official report ON the
two battles with submarines is re-
ceived 1t will be made public. Ad-
miral Gleaves to-day left the French
seaport at which the American
troops landed. for Paris and is ex-
pected to report as soon as he reach
es the French capital. A report also
is expected within a day or so from
Admiral Sims whose ships took part
in the second engagement with the
German submarines-that within
the zone.