New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-19
German Clerks
Here Have Access
To Vital Secrets
Military information at
Their Disposal in Marine
Insurance Circles
Assisted by II. F. Ficke
Steamship Official Placed
Them Where They Could
Spy for Berlin
Assisted by H. F. Ficke

Henry F. Fieke, suditor Of the North
German Lloyd line, arrested on Staten
Island Friday night as dangerous
alien, had many connections in the IN
suranee and financial district. OF the
clerks formerly employed by the North
German and other enemy steamship
companies, scores are now at WORK
where information Of the utmost mill
tary value is at their disposal.
According to the officials Of the De-
partment of Justice. none of these is
dangerous. Ficke, who was yesterday
informed, ranked as harmless until
Friday. Just when he ceased to be
harmless and become dangerous no
representative Of the department would
say yesterday.
Aided His Former CLERKS
A. an official of the North German
LLOYD line Ficke came into contact
with many insurance men prior to the
United States entering the war with
Germany. Previously he had assisted
many of his former subordinates and
associates in securing employment in
the insurance district.
Others were placed in shipping and
export houses so that the net result,
in the words Of a British official con-
nected with the intelligence depart
n.ent, was that the German spies. for
merly centred in the steamship COM
panies where it was comparatively easy
to watch them, had been scattered and
placed where information was easy for
them to secure and information about
them more difficult to obtain.
A. NJ Best, head Of the A. NJ. Best
Company, whose reports are to the in
surance world what Dun and Brad
streets are to the mercantile world, is
the latest authority on insurance mat
ters TO demand that these German
clerks and others be dismissed from
such places and the German insurance
companies put out of business.
Have Access to War Secrets
ct is time to face the facts" he
saws in the current issue Of Insurance
News" "and deal with these enemy in
stitutions as such, and Complementary.
The arrangements and clerks of the
German fire insurance companies here
have access to detailed plans and other
vital information concerning plants IN
which war supplies of all sorts are be-
ing or later may be manufactured, and
concerning docks, warehouses and in
Vulnerable other classes OF risks, and
this information might prove Of great
value to the enemy and Of correspond
ing danger to this country.
"To have permitted German com
NAMES to have written marine and war
risk insurance for single day after
war was declared was an astonishing
blunder; common business prudence re-
ouires that the government now go
further and do what II should have
been ready to do at the outbreak OF
the war-take charge Of the business
and assets of the German insurance
and reinsurance companies operating
here. cancelling outstanding policies
settling their obligations already in
Cured and eliminating every person
from their stats whose loyalty is sub
iect TO any suspicion whatever.
CONSIDERATION for the interests OF
individuals connected with the manage
ment Of such companies in this coun-
try should not be allowed 70 weigh for
moment against the controlling fact
that we are at war with e nation whose
most responsible spokesman have de-
clared repeatedly that necessity knows
no law, whose methods during the
present struggle have been ruthless 70
degree never before known in his
tory. and which has elaborated sys-
tenn Of treacherous spying from which
We had suffered even before war was
declared.
Under such circumstances TO omit
any precaution is inexcusable."