New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-10

LONDON. Sept. g--The American State
Departments revelation Of Swedish
diplomat in Argentina acting as an in
;ermcdiary for transferring German
messages 10 Berlin has created one Of
The greatest international sensations
&C the war. The development itself IL
not, however, great surprise, the
chief surprise being that the American
officials were able 20 obtain the mes
saccs. as they did the zimmerman
note Of last winter regarding German
Oyertures TO Mexico.
The Swedish government. the mon
srchy, the aristocracy and the army
officers, have been rated strongly pro-
German throughout the war, and Queen
Victoria in several public utterances
has proclaimed Ter German sentiments
as strongly as any German could. The
Swedish people, on the other hand, are
reported As leaning strongly against
Germany in the more recent stages OF
the war, particularly since the un-
restricted submarine campaign began.
Swcdcn's leaning toward Germany
was considered a natural complement
10 her old fear of the Russian auto
crazy, but the Entente nations held
the hope that when the cause for that
diStrust was removed by the revolu-
ton Swedish feelings might undergo a
radical change.
Spies Blamed for Kitchener's Death
The suspicion has been current in
England throughout the war that Ger
many was obtaining much information
cf military movements which could not
be secured through ordinary spies, the
py industry, in fact, having been
pretty we'll stamped out here for more
than year past after a few lessons
taught by several executions in the
Tower of London. The belief that
Lord Kitchencr's death when the
Hampshire went down was the result
Of information transmitted to Germany
Of his departure has been persisting
with many, and 1t has at least the
foundation that his plans were known
and discussed at dinner tables in high
society before he started.
Compliments to American diplomacy
for the skill displayed in securing the
messages are part Of all the comment
on the affair. incidentally there is
much discussion Is 10 whether, in view
Of the British and Argentine expert
cnces with Sweden, the right of send
ing code messages should be given to
neutral diplomats during the war.
This identical question arose in
Japan during the RuSso-Japanese war
when Germany set military mission
headed by a Hohcnzollern prince to the
japanese army. The mission claimed
that international courtesy and the
princcly rank Of its chief required that
it's correspondence be transmitted
without censorship. This claim was
granted, but against the judgment Of
most Of the officers at the front, who
thought that no uncensored cores
pondence should go from the army in
the field, and some Of whom suspected
that even If the prince was not virtual
ly an observer for Russia his reports
would reach Russia by way Of Berlin.
United States Watchfulness Praised
THE discovery and ciphering Of the
present series Of kilograms is due to
the watchfu!ness and skill of the
American Intelligence Service" says
"The Sunday Observer" IN its article
on the exposure of Swedish activity
In connection with the transmission Of
German official messages from Bue-
nos Ayres TO Berlin By way Of Stock
holm. "The Observer states that il
received this information from trust
worthy sources" The newspaper con-
tinues:
at must cause some ground for re-
Election to the German gSernment that
enc % the first acts OF their new