Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1918-02-07

When Capt. Won lan2n laid his plans in the
German club, In New York, for the invasion Of
Canada by Germans in the United States, the spe-
cial agents knew Of his plans. The tiusco of the
Wclland canal, the unaraiIing a~ctiyities of Paul
koenig, chief detective ri the IIamhurg-Ameri-
can line; the Vaccinations Of Capt. Kari Boy
lid-all came to nanght aud were well known by
the American authorities.
Finally came the master spy of them all, Capt.
Franz Won ~Iintclen, intimate of the kaiser, a man
Of highest social rank and vast wealth, with
plans to overturn all in America that worked
against the interests Of Germany. He poured out
money like water and met enthusiastic co-opera-
ton on all sides. 1t seemed almost as If every
man in America was willing to help to the ex-
tent of accepting large amounts Of money from
Won Rintelen. In fact, Americans took his money
right and left, and rendered no service In re-
turn. Great quantities of German money were
spent, but little progress was made toward attain
ing the results for which Germany strove.
When these activities are surveyed as Il whole,
the effort of German intrigue in America is seen
to have been astonishingly fertile. In the face
of such a lack Of results it Is difficult to believe
in the excellence and cleverness Of prussian es-
pionage. This newly organized agency of the
United States, intended for application to the
tasks Of peace, crossed swords with what is
termed the greatest spy system in the world, and
thus far it has not been bcsted.
Then, suddenly the United States itself was
thrust into the war. With tens of thousands Of
German reservists. hundreds of thousands of Ger
man citizens, millions of people of German blood,
this country would appear to have been in a po-
sition of great danger from within. Certainly
there was need Of sharp watchfulness. No other
belligerent nation was confronted by an internal
allen-enemy problem of such magnitude.
The government in this emergency offered Ri.
alneki tln assistance Of REPRESENTATIVES, of It's
other departments elsewhere There were, for
instance, certain representatives of the depart
ment of agriculture, scattered from coast to coast,
who knew their communities well. These were
instructed to watch for individuals who gave evi.
dence OF d~isloyalty to the United States and re.
port back to the department Of justice, when
there was time. or to the nearest United States
attorney when quick action was required. The
post Office sent instructions TO 5000 postmasters,
$4,000 letter carriers and $4,000 rural delivery
man. Each Of these was instructed to keep his
ear to the ground for any showing Of d~isloyalty
from within and report promptly. The land Of
fee, the Indian Office. the public health service,
the reclamation service--all those governmental
agencies that spread out among the people were
officially instructed to help protect the nation from
any possible foe from within.
Those other detective agencies of the govern.
nent such MS the secret service, the post office in
spectors, the customs agents, were called upon
for skilled assistance. On the instant. almost. and
entirely aside from these government agencies
there was built up in silence n secret service OF
volunteers which Is today effectively ut work. Its
tentaclcs steal out through newspaper offices
banks. hotels, over railroad systems, into munich
pal governments, through the radintions Of trav
cling statesmen. It IS a loose organization. but II
works under instructions md knows what to DE-
when II finds a plague spot.
And this vast mnchine has been placed In thu
hands Of n young man, who. II years ngo, frest
from high school, entered the government service
as IL laborer ut $500 a year. "fIone Rum Bel
nski. son Of q minister, grandson OF Capt. Alex
andcr Bielaski, who died IN battle AZ Bull Run
descendant Of u Polish patriot who fought tina,
America might become n nation, Is making opera
ton diliicnIt for tie snies OF the nnemy.