Connecticut western news., 1917-07-12
LEAK To GERMANY
FOUND ON PIERS
Spies on Docks From Which
PeTShing's Men Sailed.
MANY ALIENS DISCHARGED

Suspicious of Army Officers Led TO In
vestigation Which Showed Scores of
Teuton Workmen Employed In STRAIT
egic PIaces-News of Departure of
the American Expeditionary Force
Flashed to Berlin From New York.
The news leak" which nearly cost
America the lives of Pershing's army
has been discovered. The message was
flashed to Germany straight from the
docks from which the troops sailed.
The entire area of embarkatiOn is be-
lieved to be spy infested.
Approximately 25O longshoremen and
shore workers employed about these
piers have been discharged.
All of them are either unnaturalized
Germans or Austrians. Their dis
charge was carried out by the military
authorities upon receipt of orders from
Washington. 1t is understood the
orders are applicable generally to every
port in the county.
Indiscriminate hiring of labor and is
suance of passes enabled almost a
score Of former employees Of German
steamship line to obtain positions on
the piers under the marine authorities
One of these, whose name is known, is
reported to have secured the informa-
ton which brought down a submarine
attack upon the crowded transports.
One investigation is being made by the
department of justice while q separate
inquiry was started by Admiral Usher
commandant at the navy yard.
A week ago fire alarm brought fire
engines to the docks at midnight.
There was no fire, neither would any
one admit sending in the alarm. The
fourth recurrence of the mysterious fire
call led to an inspection of the wiring
s. item with startling results.
Secrets Easy to Get.
Some one had tempered with the tel
ephone system. Apparently the inten-
ton had been to tap the wires leading
to the quartermaster's department.. In
this way priceless information regard
ing all movements Of troops might be
secured. While officers might not talk
freely over outside lines, conversations
over the private dock telephones were
regarded as absolutely safe.
It then became known that the piers
and ships themselves. where were as
sembled the vital secrets of Americas
war preparations, were ridiculOusly
easy of success. Desire for a quick
embarkation led the marine depart
ment to call for workmen Of every
trade They came to the docks by
thousands.
The military authorities. fearing spies,
took them 20 the marine offices under
heavy guard. There they were hired
on the strength of their skill as work
men-without any credentials of trust
worthiness. Passes good past every
sentry were issued. Hundreds of work
men strolled about the piers, inspecting
every detail of army equipment.
At this time three men, perhaps
more, were arrested prowling about
the yards at night. They showed
passes. A chance investigation showed
that the passes belonged to other men
who had disappeared. The men were
| SCI Tree, DuC LuC
protested at the lax system.
Germans Could Get News.
Further investigations showed that
the entire crew of a large launch used
in carrying officers between the ships
were German. All were former en-
ployees of q German owned steamship
line They had simply been allowed to
retain their positions rather than Sc
cure new and inexperienced men. Ger
man employees were discovered in 9th
er strategic positions.
One of these men in thought by de-
partment Of justice agents to be re-
lated to a man indicted in the Won
Kleist bomb conspiracy. He was freed
after paying a fine. The employee sus-
pected of espionage is now under sur
veillance together with all other work,
men of his nationality.
High officials say it is proposed to
clear the neighborhood Of all Germans
for half mile in all directions. A
new system of examination of work.
men is being planned.