Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-09-10
Revelation Of American State
Department AStonishes the
World and Opens Field of
Speculation,
U. S. SECRET SERVICE
HIGHLY C0MPLIMENTED
KaiSer'S Promise to Argentina
Is Recognized as Mere
Shami TreaChery to Neutral
Nation Shown,

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London, Sept. 9.-The Washington
state departments revelation of a
Swedish diplomat in Arscntina acting
as an intermediary for transferring
German messages TO Berlin has Gre
ated one of the greatest inter-
national sensations of the war.
The development itself is not,
however, great surprise, the
chief surprise being that the Ameri-
can officials were able to obtain the
messages, as they did the Zimmerman
note of last winter regarding the
German overtures to Mexico.
The Swedish government, with the
monarchy, the aristocracy and the
army officers, has been rated strongly
pro-German throughout the war and
Queen Victoria In several public ut
terances has proclaimed her German
sentiments as strongly as any Ger
man could. The Swedish people, on
the other hand, are reported as lean
ing strongly against Germany in the
more recent stages of the war, partic-
ularly since the unrestricted subma-
rine campaign
Sweden Long Suspected.
The suspicion has been current in
England throughout the war that Ger
many was obtaining much informa-
ton of military movements which
could not be secured through ordinary
spies, the spy industry, in fact, having
been pretty well stamped out here for
more than year past after lessons
taught by several executions in tho
Tower of London.
Compliments to American diploma
cy for the skill displayed in securing
the messages are part of all the COM
ment on the affair. incidentally there
Is much discussion as to whether In
view of the British and Argentine ex-
periences with Sweden, the right of
sending code messages should be Civ
en- to neutral diplomats during the
war.
American Efficiency Shown.
THE discovery and deciphering of
the present series of kilograms is
due to the watchfulness and skill OF
the American intelligence service
says the Sunday Observer. The OBJ
server states that It received this in
formation from "trustworthy sources"
The newspaper continues, 1T must
cause some ground for reflection to
the German government that one of
the first acts of their new enemy,
whose activities and value in the
prosecution of the war they have af-
fected to despise, has been to expose
a procedure which affords damnins
evidence against themselves and
1t is charitable to regard as their
dupe.
Shows Faithlessness.
THE contents OF the published tele-
grams cannot but show neutral gov
ernments the amount of faith they
may put in German promises and
German concessions. The accredited
representative of the German empire
at Buenos Aires, while actually eu-
joying the hospitality of the Argen-
tine republic, Is seen advocating tn,
deliberate murder Of Argentine sub
jects on the high seas in order that
the sinking of Argentine ships by
German submarines should leave no
trace which would make their crime
known in Argentina and so make an
enemy of that country.
Immunity Pretended.
IA further point of interest is the
assurance apparently given by the
Argentine government that Argen-
tine ships will In future only clear
as far as Las Palmas. In other words
the pretended immunity for Argen-
tine ships. accorded with a show of
magnanimity by the German govern
ment, is a pure farce. In reality the
immunity is secured not by Germany
refraining from sinking Argentine
ships in the war zone but by the Ar
gentine government undertaking to
arrange that no Argentine vessel
should be found in that zone.
1t will be interesting to learn of
Argentine public opinion when it now
learns the real nature Of the 'diplo-
matte victory which the Argentine
government claims to have gained.s