The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-11-16
AUSTRIAN SPIES
ACTIVE In U. S.
Evidence Found Of Organized
System to Interfere
With Draft.
WORK WITH IMMUNITY
Rcprisal Threats Are Made
Against Rumanians, Lithu-
anians and Others.
WORK WITH IMMUNITY
Special Despntch TO Tar SrN

Special Despatch TO TIE SrN.
wAsHIHGroN. Nov 15.-Agents OF the
Austrian Government apparently have
begun an active campaign in the United
States to interfere With American war
preparations. Reports received here
show \ growing and systematic effort to
.n,imidate Rrmanians. Li,huanians.
Czechs and others who lived In Austria
Hungary before they took refuge III this
country from now offering their military
services to the United States or from
permitting themselves to be drafted for
the army.
Details Of the plot have reached here
II ,m Rumanians and others who have
volunteered to join the FgeIcA army
tespife warnings from agents of the
Austro-German Ply ;, stem. These
agents have found opportunity by some
underground methods. Of warning thes,
prospective volunteers Il a; they will be
sho, 40 traitors II they fight against
Germany and Austria ard that their
property in the dual monarchy will be
confscated. II also Is int!mateI that
any relatives IN Austria Hungary will
pay the penalty II tie men themselves
escape,
In cases where Rumanians and others
technically under Austrian rule have
been warned that they must plead ex-
emption as subjects of an ally OF an
enemy. Otherwise the same threats are
held out to them.
Evidence Of Systematic Conspiracy
Reports so far show evidences of sys-
tematic Austro- Hungarian conspiracy
against the United States in Chicago.
( New York, Pittsburg. Altoona. Pa.
! Steubenville. O., and other places. Thou
sands Of Rumanians. Lithuanians
C1echs. Yuso- Slavs Croats and Slovenes
have responded to the threats and feared
! to take any action toward offering their
! services. Upward Of 5000 Rumnnians
have prepared to form foreign legion
with the French army and several thou
sand are going to fght in American uni
form with United States troops despite
the warning.
The diplomatic point involved is not
so much the damage done to American
/ interests by the Austro-Hungarian cam
paign as the fact that Government
agents Of the Dual Monarchy are Sc
cre,ly waeing war on the untred States.
The fact that this Government is tech
nicaly at peace with Austria Hungary
gives these agents great leeway. Much
Of the former activities of German paid
spies has been intrusted to Austrians.
it is charged. The brains Of the Aus
trO- Hungarian spy system is German
and the subjects OF Austria Hungary are
In a position to collect information OF
great value to the Teutons,
In munition factories and war plants,
where German subjects would he barred
AZ enemy aliens, the Austrians or Hun
garians gain easy access. They are as
loyal to the cause OF Germany as Ger
mans. and under the direction OF their
German masters are as valuable as the
former tools with which the Wilhelm
strasse worked.
Told How 10 Evade Draft.
Particular activity among the Aus
trians has been noted at Youngstown,
Ohio. where there is great colony OF
Rumanians. A regular agency for in
structing these natives OF Rumania OF
Transylvania just how to avoid military
service has been set up, Formulas tell
ing them Just what to plead by way OF
avoiding the draft have been drawn w
and circulated.
The campaign OF intimidation which
these Auatro- German agents have put
into effect is not unlike barbarous meth
DDS which used to he employed In China
when revolutionary leader hed from
the country. The old regime Of the Chi
nese Government got word to him tina,
reprisals would be taken on his famil,
and property unless he returned to give
himself up. Ely this means activity o,
this character was often effectivel,
checked.