The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1917-12-22
PERSnINC TELLS
men TO BEWARE
STRANGE WOMEN
They Are Most Successful of
Enemy Spies, Commander
Declares.

WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN
FRANCE. Dec. GA card signed by
General John ]. Pershing, commander
in-chief of the American army In
France, explaining why the censor
ship Is necessary. giving directions
concerning letter writing, stating why
II Is dangerous to talk too much, es-
pecially to women: telling the men
what to do il captured and also IN
forming them concerning what not 10
carry on their persons, has been Is
sued to every member Of the Ameri-
can expeditionary force. The instruc-
lions regarding capture and the things
the men should not carry are regarded
as most important.
Forget Military Information.
'If you are captured" says the text
of the instructions, don't remember
any more than you can help. Try par
ticularly to forget organizations and
places In which they are stationed.
Every bit of military information you
give your captors is a danger to you
! and to your comrades left behind to
/, fight your battles.
Don't carry with you maps, docu-
ments, private papers Of military ma
ture or a diary or notebook contain
ing military hints of value to the
enemy, except when it Is your official
duty to do so. These would be
danger to comrades in case you are
captured. On the other hand, II any
enemy information properly comes
into your possession under any cir
cumstances, turn it over Immediately
TO the company commander, who VIII
deliver it to the intelligence officer.
II the trophy is not valuable to the in
telIigence section it will be returned to
YOU. Such trophies may be of vast I'M
portance to the general staff.
Don't Talk Too Much.
Some valuable hints under the
heading, Don't Talk Too Much are:
OFFICERS and men and militarized
civilians with the American expedlt-
ionary force are forbidden to discuss
or mention in public places. or to IN
form any one, except in the offlclal
discharge of their duty, anything of a
military nature or anything whatever
concerning information directly or in
directly obtained through connecuon
with the American eXpediuonary force.
Never forget that we are at war
and that the enemy is listening.
always look with suspicion upon
strangers.
Never tell anything of a confident
ial nature to a woman. as women are
the most successful enemy spies.
BE suspicious of any one asking
questions of military nature, or who
appears unduly interested in military
information. even though they may be
or may appear to be American Off
GERS.
Don't offer unsolicited informa-
ton. You have no right to tell any
one where any unit is or what mill
tary information IS in your possession,
unless it is your official duty to do so.
ANY stranger-man, woman or
child-even man in an American or
allied uniform may be spy. Do not
tell him anything you would not be
willing for the enemy to hear. For
similar reason never enter into cor
respondence with strangers. This is
one of the many schemes used by en-
envy agents to gather information.
The Walls Have Ears.
"On the street and in public places
remember that the walls have cas-.
matters. nor on the general situation
BE loyal to your government and
YOUR superiors Trust them to con,
duct the war while you attend to your
own particular part in it.
Avoid in any way giving an impress
sion of pessimism, either in converse
ton or attitude. Always be confident
of the success of our armies and oul
cause.
All members of the American ex
peditionary force are forbidden to take
photographs unless it is part of theil
official duty
Under the heading of Censorship
the American expeditiary force is
urged to remember that the enemy
has his agents always on the alert tc
gather information 1.-The details OF
which, apparently unimportant. may
be combined with other details ant
become of great Importance to the
enemy.
DO not this chapter continues
forget that news travels so quickl!
under modern conditions that bits o
information written home may be II
the enemy hands soon after.
Localities to Be Omitted.
Special cautions are issued agains
mentioning towns or localities in con
nection with any military organlza
ton, troop movements and conditions
the effects of hostile fire and losses
or of permitting friends at home u
publish letters in newspapers. Tn
men are also told that they should no
put too much faith in the discretion
of people they write to, as they ma
be extremely patriotic but yet unabl
TO recognize an enemy agent or VIVA
information is valuable to the enemy
DO not attempt" the instruction
proceed, "to formulate or use an
system of code, cipher, shorthand o
other means for concealing the tru
meaning of letters, as it is the sures
road to court-martial and severe pur
ishment. Do not mail letters IN tn
French postoffice, as this is forbidde
in the American military postal serN
and receiving letters in war time is
privilege and not right. In man
wars of the past soldiers were nc
allowed TO write at all