New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-20
p,,rsau Worked Openly Be-
fore U. S. Entered War;
Now Secretly
Ships Movements
Told to Germans
Mail Censorship at Source
in United States Is
Needed
By Arthur S. Draper
Is.,r Cnrrnnnhcncel

LONDON, Sept. lS.-ror HSnH
-onths Germany has maintained well
,-yapized and well equipped bureau in
Srs5sn fer the collection and distribu-
.,r Of information useful 20 German
,sbnsrines. There are other German
bnr.sus in European neutral countries.
Int none which does so large busi-
r,ss SIS that at Stockholm.
BEFORE Americas entry into the war
,ss Swedish bureau worked so openly
md with such complete confidence that
for a time it looked as if 1t had the
,rotec,ion Of the Stockholm police and
hat the Swedish secret service had
taken a long sleep.
After America became a belligerent
and when dispatches began to tell OF
,pOssible embargo Of exports from the
United States 20 Scandinavian neutrals,
n. German spies worked with more
,,u,ion. but still maintained at high
standard Of efficiency their job Of sup
plying the U-boat commanders with in
formation regarding the sailings Of
Allied and neutral vessels. their car
ross their armament. if any. and a
dozen other details.
Spies Work Quietly
They have now dropped their braIen
methods, but they are still on the job.
So long as America remained neutral
the German spies had such an easy
task that they didn't deserve the name
Of spies. Mere novices could gather
and disseminate information which re-
suited in the loss of thousands Of
IONS Of invaluable shipping and mer-
chsndise. Huge bribes were paid for
few facts, with no questions asked.
Fake concerns were organized to cover
the workings of the German espionage
system, and simple messages regard
ing business transactions served to
convey the news 70 Stockholm, which
-relsyed it TO Germany, whence it was
Asshed BY wireless to all the sub
marines at sea.
Job Is Harder Now
Today the Job is not so easy, but
more skilful and cleverer spies have
replaced the old agents. Unfortunately.
not all of them are German. How
they get the information out OF the
United States is something which the
American Secret Service, which al
ready has shown its ability, must
isthOm. The censorship Of the mails
Of neutrals is just as essential as the
censorship Of kilograms and cables.
Though the British censor mails
from America to neutral countries car
red b. ships which call at British
ports, it would be infinitely better to
have mails censored at their source,
where it is possible to get quick in
formation regarding anything suspi-
eious
While neutral, America protested,
but submitted without further COM
plsint to British censorship of the mails
from European neutrals TO the United
States. II the British considered 1T
worth while running the chance Of
offending the United States, why
should America stop anything short of
this now that she is a belligerent?
Insurance Companies Aid
Unquestionably German insurance
companies have done a great service TO
the U-bosts. Norwegian shipping has
suffered heavily, almost as much as If
the country we're an enemy of Ger
many, but her police have kept close
watch for all spies and have brought
three OF them TO justice in the last
month.
There is TO intention here to accuse
the Swedish police individually or as
whole of conniving with German
spies, but their laxity in cleaning them
out OF the country has grown notorious.
Americas embargo on exports to
Sweden has proved heavy blow. IT
has caused increased bitterness toward
America, but it is calculated that 1t VIII
90 much good eventually.
Every European country, belligerent
or neutral, faces the hardest winter
Of modern times. In the coming
months Germany expected to make
desperate effort to increase her aver
age Every submarine which can be
used will be sent out, laden with mines
and torpedoes. II is highly essential
that every effort be made 10 stop every
leak in the United States. to put the
German bureau in Stockhol I'm, and
those in Switzerland and Spain. at as
great a disadvantage as possible.