Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-07-06
Departure of American Troops
for France Undoubtedly Was
Made Known to German
Submarine Commanders

OuUII!dilil6 OOlIlIIIdnu6Io
WASHINGTON. July 4.-"Hang the
German spies without ceremony"
- This was the demand of Sena tor
Chamberlain, chairman Of the senate
military committee, today. Smultan-
eously he declared he had no doubt that
spies In government departments in
Washington are constantly sending in
formation to. Berlin.
Following the revelation that the
German army and navy headquarters
are getting a steady flow of military
secrets from the United States, as evil
denced by Berlin war moves and publ
cations In German newspapers. opinion
in Washington resolved itself into a
concerted demand for exposure and exc
cution of enemy agents.
Recently it was openly charged on
the senate floor that there are 100,
900 German spies actively working In
America. Now some officials want to
know whether the government must
wait until a transport Is blown UP and
American boys in khaki slaughtered be-
fore starting a spy drive" that will
Guido even Great Britain's effort TO
crush the espionage menace.
1T is my belief that information in
this country Is sent to Germany through
wireless stations on the east coast Of
Mexico and in Venezuela" declared
Chamberlain today. The navy depart
ment ha sthe facts about those sta
tions. When the traitors are found
they should be strung up without the
formality of trial by jury
1t is known that one powerful radio
plant is working in Yucatan. 1t Is
one OF the strongest on the continent.
Military secrets smuggled over the
border could easily be flashed the Ger
man war boards in Berlin II the kaiser
controlled only one station in Mexico.
Another proof of the leak is the fact
that Berlin papers calmly print daily
accounts Of American munition ship
ments, giving quantity, destination and
the routs to be followed.
Many of the Wilhemstrasse agents
are literally supplied with money, but
American officials believe the most
dangerous spies are the 1910 a week
ers" pro-German who receive small
pay, then pass their information along
to the real agents, who transmit 1t to
the war lords in Berlin.
Germany's spy system-betrayer of
Americas expeditionary forces-nust
be hacked out of America
That mandate went forth today from
war and navy heads in the midst of a
nations rejoicing over Americas victo-
ry in her first battle of the war. Sc
cret agents of this nation were put at
work in the most serious and most sim
cere search for spies yet undertaken.
That the spy system failed was due
only TO Admiral Gleaves desperate de-
stroyer fighters, who beat off a double
nest of submarines lurking at two points
on the trail of the France-bound trans
ports and their conveys.
News of this victory against care
fully laid German plan of frightfulness,
spread broadcast over the world on this
Independence day, will make the holiday
go down In history with the original
Fourth of July. 1916
Dewey's daring at Manila; SIMPSONS
destruction of Cervera's fleet, and the
daring exploits of earlier American
fighters contain no more thrilling tale
of heroism and efficiency than the two
night battles of Admiral 'Gleaves' men.
One or more German U-boats, with
the men who did the bidding of the
worlds most frightful autocracy, lie
mass of wreckage on the ocean bottom;
the American transports and destroyers
even to the last horse and supply trans
port are safe at a French port; and
Pershing's first division is ready for
the fight-stimulated by the horror
of Germany's C-boat methods.
And above all Is the fact that Amer
lea now knows soberly and we'll that
the war is at her doors, and that she
must do her utmost If she conquers
foe that operates visibly and invisibly.
The stories of the battles en- route to
France runs thus:
HEAVY NAVAL ESCORT.
III 1od in
sions from an American port under
heavy naval escort to guard against
raiders Somewhere in the Atlantic
the speedy gray transports were to join
with Gleaves' grim destroyers. All
went well until the night of June 22-
Just before the rendezvous was reached.
Then while the binding rays of the
convoy searchlights flashed trails OF
silver across the ocean. American gun
ners fired at the scarcely seen foes,
whose torpedoes even then were siz-
zing past bow and stern.
Five at least were fired from various
directions, proving that many U-boats
were there for 1.-The slaughter"
The gunfire from the convoy, how
ever. scattered the skulkers, whose fire
decreased and erred more and more.
That attack was upon one section OF
tho transports and occurred at a point
beyond the usual submarine haunts and
before the transport rendezvous had
been reached.
A few days later another contingent
encountered a second nest Here the
destroyers battled viciously, using an
explosive timed to go off below the wa
ter One submarine succumbed, as
wreckage and oil testified; others prob
ably persisted too, but the destroyers
and transports were unscathed.
From then on they were conveyed
safely and unmolested with the added
aid of French destroyers to their
French destination.
The spy angle in this instance is the
most serious yet encountered though
there was apparent proof that the Ger
mans had advance information of the
going of the American patrol to Eu-
rope.
LURKING IN PATH.
Publication of the arrival of part OF
the Pershing expedition before the last
contingents were in may have affected
the situation.
But as officials here saw it today the
really dangerous part of the whole sit
~uation must have come before publlca-
ton inasmuch as the submarines lurked