New-York tribune., 1917-06-23
Ellis Island
As a German
Spying Post
Prisoners There Free to Com.
municate information to
Enemy Aliens Ashore
New York S Harbor
Under Hostile Eyes
Naval Officers Privately De.
nounce the Situation and
Wait for Disaster

Enemy Germans in the United States
have possession of post of observa-
ton which the head of the Imperial
Spy System himself could not person
ally have selected TO better advantage.
They came into it involntarily, but that
does not alter the fact.
The post is Ellis Island, where the
sailors removed from German ships, to-
gether with number of German spies
arrested in the New York district, have
been interned since the beginning Of
the war. They are in a position to OBJ
serve the movements of warships,
transports and merchant vessels ar
irving at and departing from New York
Harbor.
Treated with Consideration
The German enemies, although in
termed, are treated with the utmost
consideration. Any letters which they
themselves write are inspected, but
that is a wholly futile censorship.
They are free to receive and converse
with friends from outside; and the
friends who continually come and go
are mostly those uninterned enemy
aliens, of whom there are 100000
in New York. These unnterned
enemy aliens have unrestricted access
to uncensored foreign mails and cables.
There is absolutely nothing 10 prevent
the German prisoners on Ellis Island
from communicating TO their visitors
valuable information touching the
movements of troop ships, war vessels
and merchant carriers, and then moth
ing TO prevent the enemy aliens 10
whom such information is impaired
from addressing it TO Germany either
by letter or cable. There is no Amerl-
can censorship over foreign mail,
some of which goes direcC TO neutral
countries without passing through
British hands. Nor is there any Amer
ican censorship over cable messages.
Can Send for Friends
Il is almost too naive to be believed.
If the prisoners at Ellis Island have
important information they cannot
write it themselves, because their let
terS are examined, but they are free
to send for their friends and to re-
ceive them, and their conversations
are uncensored.
The perils in this situation are bcs:
understood by naval officers. They
know that there are military move
nerts in progress, and that the care
full observer on Ellis Island can tell
with reasonable accuracy the nature
and mission of every ship leaving port.
MANY of the Ellis Island prisoners are
trained observers, who have served IN
the German navy or in the German spy
service. They have the special knowl-
edge necessary 70 identify a ship that
lardsmen lack, as we'll as appreciation
of the value of the information and q
natural desire TO take advantage or
opportunities 10 obtain and transmit II.
But the naval men cannot say Il
word for publication unless they de-
sire to face a court martial and the
nrobable loss of their commissions.
Under recent orders Of the Secretary
of the Navy they cannot even discuss
such things with brother officers or
their wives.
There is not thing that The Trib-
une has said of the situation here IN
New York that is not indorsed by every
officer in this district" said seasoned
officer yesterday, "but what can We do
II we talk, of 90 our heads. 50 all
that we can do is sit tight, pray that
nothing will result from this careless
ness that is criminal, and wait for a
few transports or other naval vessels
TO be blown up. Then perhaps the pub
lie will wake up and force Washington
to do something besides lecture the
Newport police for their lack OF
morals"
CAPTAIN J. ". Ofley. of the Depart
ment of Justice. in charge OF the New
York office, defends the privileges
granted the prisoners. some OF whom
ore known to be spies or plotters, on
the ground that il would be inhuman
TO deprive them OF the privilege Of
writing friends or having visitors.
He Sees No Danger
"Of course their letters are read
said he. "and nothing suspicious is al
lowed 10 pass. There is nothing in
that. If reputable man wishes TO see
some of the folks down there, why
should not he be allowed to do so?
There is no danger in It..
While this choice means of securing
information for Germany is provided,
and the cable Offices and the mails to
the spy infested neutral countries OF
Europe. no step to limit the activities
Of the large German population in New
York. though more than two months
have elapsed since Attorney General
Gregory ordered that they be barred
from military and naval centres, has
been taken.
This order. issued on April Is, speci-
fed the zones from which alien enc
mics were TO be barred. in accordance
with the Presidents proclamation of
April s. Il set June ! as the limit iG
which permits TO approach within one
half-mile of these districts would is
sue. Subsequently the time for Ger
mans TO register their applications for
these permits was extended 10 June 9.
No permits have yet issued and, as
matter of fact, applications for such
continue TO be received. Washington
having set no time for the actual be-
ginning of a movement calculated TO
limit the activities of alien enemies.
United States Marshal Thomas j..
Mccarthy. in charge OF this work,
reiterated his earlier statements thai
the issuing of permits would be COM
pleted by July |.
wait until there is a chance 70 get
these out" he said. Then you VIII
see what will be done
Appreciation