Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-19
By CARL W. ACKERMAN


Copyright, 1918, by Public Ledger Co.
ARTICLES On 'fsss the enemy ct th.ss .es
iT, n neutral M countries: The third and last ar
Spy offensives which Germany
launches begin, ~ a rule, in neutral
countries. In such lands it is easier
to get them Underway and safer, to
operate. The attack which was
launched against the United States
soon after diplomatic relations were
broken is a case in point. Count Won
Bernstorff had left his organization in
the United States, but it was neces.
sary to establish connections between
the United States and Europe. This
was planned in Berlin and at German
Great Headquarters. From every neu.
trail European country the system at.
tempted to send agents to America.
Legations and consulates were be-
sieged by neutrals and German.friend-
ly Americans desiring to go to the
United States ION business" or to see
sick relatives" All varieties of ex.
cuses and explanations were offered.
A man in New York, for instance. tele.
graphed to a brother in Switzerland
that their mother was dying" The
relative In Switzerland applied for per.
mission to go to New York and ex-
hibited the telegram as proof Of the
urgency of his request. The French
censor, however, fearing chat the mes
sage might be a code, changed the
message to read that Mother Is criti-
cally ILL.," After the agent had filed
his application he returned to the
Swiss telegraph office and cabled to
America:
"Will come as soon as possible. Is
III l,,t,
Because American and French ofi.
cials were, working in harmony the
application, of course, was refused.
When 1t became evident to Ger.
many that the United States was In
earnest and would send an army to
France every effort was made to learn
the name of the French port where
our troops would disembark. This
information the Imperial General
Staff wanted in order that the Ger
man navy and the submarines might be
informed. Throughout the summer
German agents endeavored in every
possible way to get this information
from the United States. France,
England, Spain, Holland, Switzerland
and the Scandinavian countries were
combed for this information, but the
secret had been well kept in Wash
ington and it had been carefully
guarded by those who had been in.
formed in Europe. As days and
weeks, were multiplied into months;
as U.boat after U-boat went out into
tn. Atlantic to looeE for the road in
the ocean over which the transports
might pass and returned without in.
formation, the tension In Berlin
reached the breaking point. American
bluff" was making good In an un-
expected way. ...
Germany knew better than any one
that something extraordinary had to
be done. The "boasting Yankees" could
not play such trick upon imperial.
,ized Germany.
Schemes tho Enemy Hatched
do not know all the schemes and
plans which the enemy hatched. AS
usual Germany worked in the dark
and did not advertise her concerns and
apprehensions. Even today 1t is not
possible to disclose all the secret
maneuvers of enemy agents. 1t Is
impossible because they are unknown.
1 cannot state that the trick which
| Germany attempted to play on the
military attache in a neutral capital
last fail was for the purpose Of get
| ting agents to French ports. 1t is
a fact, however, that Gernnany's at
| tempt was made at a time when she
wanted information from these ports.
| In a German friendly newspaper
there was a brief notice inserted in
the Help Wanted column reading
somewhat as follows:
'"Laborers Wanted-The American
military forces in France desire
neutral dock workers and common
laborers for employment at French
ports Good wages. All expenses
paid. Inquire at No. - strasse.
The address given was. that OF the
American military attacne.