The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-07-05
Short Shrift and Death Penalty
for Endangering Lives of
American Soldiers
WIRELESS LEAK TO
SOUTH OF BORDER
Probable That Spies Dogsed
Troops F ootstepsF rom Their
Stations to Seaboard, Then
Flashed News to Germany

Washington. July 4.-German sub
marines came almost to the Ameri-
can coast In their defeated effort to
waylay and destroy the American
transports filled with troops for
France.
Secretary Of the Navy Daniels to-
day refused to disclose the exact lati-
tude of the first attack. which took
place, according to Official statement,
well this side of the danger zone,
but he did say that the submarines
had launched their blow very many
miles across the Atlantic from the
usual submarine area
Every available agency Of the gov
eminent was engaged today in a vast
spy hunt to root out the peril which
menaces every American sailor and
soldier crossing the ocean. 1t has
government that information of troop
movemets is reaching Germany and
with that knowledge has come de-
termination to grant short shrift 10
amy spy or traitor discovered in this
scountry Senator Cham berlain. OF
Oregon, chairman of the military az
fairs committee today expressed the
view OF ofT'cial Washington when he
said.
III lgCfsa1
SIT seems to me apparent that the
Germans are getting information
concerning our military preparation
and movements OF our forces l have
no dobt that there are disloyal per-
sons in the departments who are
making IL their business to furnish
such information.
II 10 dif4cult matter to deter
mine what persons are responsible
for the leaks to the German govern
ment n they are found they should
be strung up without waiting for the
formality OF trial by jury"
With the navy. state. treasury and
department of justice cooperating in
the epy hunt the policy Of the gov
eminent today framed itself on the
lines OF making an example of the
first SOY or traitor discovered. A
| 1fruniheAd court martial and the ex-
IRENE penalty will be the progra m
y Dniy Three Knew Of Orders.
1t was definitely determined TODAY
/ that only three men knew of the or
der. for the overseas movement They
were Secretary Daniels. Admiral Ben
son, Chief Of Operations. who framed
the orders and one other man WHOSE
name was not made public. He Is
known 20 hold high command. Ad-
VllTdi I4taNNr III IVEliHAuo VI ING NRii
voy himself was in ignorance of his
orders until he had put 10 sea. They
were given 10 him sealed with instruc-
tons to be opened after he had passed
the three mile limit. There was no
possibility OF any leak In this respect
The orders sent to Admiral Sim.
a: London to meet the transports and
conveys al a rendezvous on the edge OF
the submarine zone were not cabied IN.
I'll a week after the transports had
| sailed Then. the navy's most secret
code-one especially designed for use
With Admiral Sims and known to only
two or three persons-was used Even
had the Germans obtained this mes
| sage and decided II IT would not have
explained how they were able to attack
the transports even before Admiral
Sims obtained his orders and far from
the submarine zone
Put All U-Boats on Americas Trail
tt--oAaeAai belief today. based upon
the decrease In the submarines toll
Of merchant ships during the last two
, weeks. Is that Germany, knowing
American troops were about to cross
the ocean and determined that a blow
should be delivered which would
strike panic to the United States. with.
drew practically every submarine
she had from other work ana sent