New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-06

the sailing time and routes of Ameri-
can troopships it had provoked no very
keen interest. There has been a as
position on the part OF Cabinet OIL
GERS 20 eoncede that a single bureau oil
intelligence should be created, but
more than one Cabinet officer conterc-
ed that the sirgle bureau should De
under his direction. Ii mas been urged
that IL is a problem for the Depart
ment Of State, because it had to DO
with aliens; for the Department OF
Justice, because prosecution OF the
crimes was involved; for the Depart
ment Of War, because it concerned
spies upon military operations, and
for the Department Of the Navy pc
cause movements Of ships were being
disclosed
And more than one Cabinet officer
is said to have declared that II
single bureau was TO be created out
side his department he would be un-
able TO do without his own agents. The
serse of the national emergency has
not vet been sufficient to overcome
this very natural disposition Of Car
met members to cling to the power and
preroratives that they now possess. In
more situations than this with regard
TO the Secret Service this habit OF
Cabinet members is one Of the weak
nesses of the country to-day.
II search for spies and enemy
agents-a sane and reasonable and con-
tinuous search, not a bit Of hysterla
that will soon pass-is TO be begun
single bureau CT national intelligence
large enough for the task before it
and cooperating fully with local police
throughout the country will be impera-
lively Necessary. Such bureau should
be created ut once by combining the
existing bureaus. Under which depart
ment it is placed will make little diff
ference, so long as the best possible
mar is put at the head OF It.
highlands Experience During War
England went through period at
the beginning of the war wnen IT had
number Of secret service bureaus.
All were finally consolidated under
single naval officer. Admiral Hall, who
proved to be the strongest man avail
able for the work.
Sooner or later this problem Of watch
ing and controlling the enemy agent
within our borders will have TO be APP
preached with the same courage with
which the Administration approached
conscription. 1t is almost as big
problem and one as full Of political
difficulties. Hitherto the Admlnistra-
ton has hung back from it. for natural
enough reasons. British representatives
here who feel that it is one of the big
gest tasks confronting the country
speak sympathetica Of its tremendous
difficulties, and, moreover, 1t has been
made less pressing by reason Of Ger
many's policy Of doing nothing to in
fame a warlike spirit among the Amer
lean people.
We are enjoying freedom from out
ser. ANY one who has passed over our
railroad bridges or through our tunnels
knows how inadequately they are guard
ed so long as any passenger may carry
internal machines into trains concealed
in his personal baggage.
Alien Problems Ignored or Avoided
Because trouble has not come and be
cause of the multitude Of big tasks be-
fore the Administration here the enemy
alien problem has been ignored or
avoided. Not only has no adequate bu-
reau of national intelligence been Gre
ated, but no information has been col
lected about the occupation and actlvl-
ties Of enemy aliens. The Council OF
National Defence has declined to ap-
point committee on aliens. No census
of aliens has been made, except, | be
lieve, as a part of the state census In
Connecticut. Something of this sort
was started also as part of the New
York State census, but IL was aban-
doned. probably for political reasons.
A we'll known social worker, who was
interested in this subject. is said to
have asked Daniel Willard, the head of
the Council of National Defence COM
mittee on transportation, how many
enemy aliens were employed on his
railroad-the Baltimore & Ohio-and
he did not know. She asked the firm
of Cramp, the great shipbuilders. They
knew that they employed 500, but were
unaware that 40 of them were occupied
in their power plant. This sort of thing
exists everywhere. No harm will come
of il so long as the Kaiser adheres to
his provocative policy. Afterward
anything may happen, unless we create
an adequate intelligence system and
cnllnct Information about the activities