Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-26
DRAGNET IS SPREAD
TO CAPTURE SPIES
Whole Country Being Covered
by Army Of Secret Ser
vice Men.
MANY UNDER SURVEILLANCE
Every German Reservist Listed
and Kaiser's Sympathizers
Placed Under Watch.
MANY UNDER SURVEILLANCE

wASHINGToN. March 25.--E,sry
channel OF government activity to-
night worked under pressure to nro-
vide spy insurance" for the nation
in the event OF war with Germany. An
army Of Secret Service men and agents
OF tho Department of Justice. spread
ing draCnet from the Atlantic to
the Pacific and from Canada to the
Mexican border. had under si"veillanc
thousands OF spy suspects" and Ger
man syInpathiZcrs. :. declaration of
war between the United states and
Germany, il was learned Tonight, will.
be followed Immediately by Wholesale
arrests and internments.
Among tho thousands under survcii-
| lance are vast number Of German
rcservists. caught in the United States
at the outbreaks OF tho European war
and unable to get back TO the German
army. Every reservist has been listed
by the secret agents. after "A vast
amount of labor. and IA war declaration
would lie the signal for their imme-
diate apprehension and intcrnment
Plans arc under way for several great
intcrnment camps in various parts of
the country. where the German aliens
will be placed under guard.
In addition to these reScrvists the
Secret Service agents lave under sur
veillance Il vast number OF nnturalized
Germans. whose activities during the
recent crisis have brought then un.
, der suspicion. Many of these are
wealthy and influential men in com
munities throughout the country. AS
| an example of this class OF suspects.
it was learned tonight that "A secret
Service guard has been installed about
the home. and business establishment
OF millionaire Gcrman-Amcrican in
Washington. While the secret agents
declined to make any announcement as
TO what charge they were prepared
10 make against tho millionaire !, was
learned that a powerful wireless plant
surmounting his place of business lad
aroused suspicion, and that for months
, a secret Service man had been in the
millionaircs employ. Tonight there
were reports that military maps mes
, sages outlining United States defense
movements and plans and military
! supplies had been discovered on the
premises. The Secret Service men.
however. declined to make any state
ment beyond the admission that tho
surveillance had been established II
was stated that scores of similar cases
are under observation throughout the
country.
wireless plants throughout the
country have been made tho chief OBJ
jective of the secret agents. and scores
OF so-called amateur" plants have
been dismantled in the nationa, capi-
tai itself.
The President and his advisers have
deciued on vigorous campaign to
eliminate all disloya,ty from the army.
the navy and the executive branches
OF the government. and Secret Service
agents have been ordered TO inrestI-
gate the sympathies of all responsible
of'cia!s Congress probably will be
, asked 10 enact legislation barring from
the military and naval service all out
real american citizens. Representative
Gr:;hr. of New York already has be-
gun a movement looking toward this
end.