The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-06-24


Information Obtained-Believed I'm
dersea Raiders Are on Way Back to
!. Europe.
WASHINGTON, June 24-The navy
department is in possession of substan-
tial evidence indicating that an exchange
of wireless code messages has taken place
between the U-boats which have been Wis
iting the coast and certain private shore
stations in the United States. This evil
dence is in the form of cunningly devised
code messages picked up by American
naval vessels and by American stations.
These messages admittedly are now in
such form that they give no clue what
ever either as to their purport or as to
the identity or location of the senders or
receivers. 1t is known, however, that no
such messages have been sent by any
government wireless station. As the
navy department had rigid control of
wireless operation even before this nation
entered the war, this traffic in wireless
messages is necessarily illegal and it is
assumed that its purpose is to aid the
enemy.
These messages have been turned over
to the navy intelligence bureau and ex-
perts presumably are at work upon them
Naval officers here are convinced by the
| very nature of the circumstances that
German agents employed in the charac-
teristic underground German spy system
SO prevalent in England are at work.
| These messages were not in evidence
until the U-boats made their appearance
off the coast They were picked up at in
Itervals until few days ago. Not until
last night was it disclosed that naval Off
GERS attached particular Importance to
these mysterious evidences of the Ger
man spy system.
When the U-boats first arrived here
evidence appeared that they were receiv-
ing messages from the powerful German
sending station at Nauen. They could
mot hope to send messages in reply over
this long distance, according to experts
here, owing to their limited plant facili
tiles.
The fact, therefore, that they were
sending assswefi@ as receiving at onet
aroused suspicion. This suspicion has
now been confirmed by further evidence
here.
As a result of this, concern is felt al
to the information they may be carrying
back to Germany if they have started
for the other side Naval officers believ'
; that the U-boats may seek to attach
troop transports in midocean or to strik'
at them in the European war zone. 1t i
noted that few of the torpedos carried b.
the U-boats were fired in their operations
But the general belief is that the sub
marine commanders could not have OBJ
tanned any vitality important information
, concerning the movements of transports
their prospective routes and the natur
of their conveys. The time 1T would tax
J the U-boats to reach European water
would be considerably greater than tn
} time troop transports would take t
| reach the other side, SO that any informa
ton as to transports which left during
the U-boats' stay here would probabl,
not avail them.
In case the U-boat commander has in
formation concerning advance routes thi
might be more important, but it is pre-
sumed that the government would nov
alter any plans which might by any pos
sibility fall into the hands of the enemy
J 1t is understood that the government
is fully alive to the situation and is al
8 ready taking action aimed at ferretin
out any available clues as to illicit wire
less stations.
0 The prevailing opinion now in nava
2 circles is that the U-boat raiders are o
d their way back to Europe and the mex
attack off the American coast will mea
that the second relay of enemy subms
3 rines has arrived
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