The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-03-09
E:z,,|ES ARE THICK
IN SWITZERLAND
More German Gum Shoe Wear
ers There Than in Any
Other Place in
World.
CANNOT BE STOPPED
JaiIs Are Full Of Small Fry but Big
ger Fish Manage to
Slip Through
Nets.
CANNOT BE STOPPED

[By William Philip Simms, United
Press Staff Correspondent
ZURICH, Feb. IA. (By mail )-This
is the spy center of the world-the
hub from which radiates the German
network of espionage. Nothing the
Swiss may do can prevent 1t remain
ing 80.
When 1 was In Stockholm eighteen
months ago, that place was buzzlng
with international intrigue. There
was a spy behind every column IL
every hotel. the first fiddler in the
Tsigane orchestra probably was IN
the pay of the Germans. There one
saw strange sights. 1 myself in the
smoking room of the Grand hotel,
accidentally ran into a Russian who
few days before had been pointed
out to me as one Of the big guns OF
Petrograd, in full confab with man
in civilian clothes whom recognized
as a military attache OF the German
embassy in Sweden. The spy capital
of the world has changed since then.
This is it.
No neutral country anywhere has
any more consistently tried to keep
down spying inside her territory than
has Switzerland. She has one Of the
strongest counter: espionage organ1zar
tions of any country in Europe. Tire
lessly, she labors night and day to
prevent or punish spying. But OF
course, it is a hopeless job. spy
is no good If he looks like a spy.
Only the little fellows get caught. The
Swiss courts are full of these; also
the Swiss prisons and detention
camps.
But there are some very clever
spies. An American official told me
he saw German naval officer In
Paris recently and Immediately re-
ported his preesnce to the French
authorities. The American had known
the man in Germany and there could
be no mistake. He was able to give
the secret service such a detailed de-
scription that they recognized who
the spy was.
The call was sent out all over
France. Yet the spy got away.
Shortly afterward, in Zurich, the
American met the officer-spy in the
Bahnhofstrasse The German laugh
ed
Thought you had me in Paris,
didn't you - he said not at all in ill
humor.
pretty Slick" the American COM
plimented.
The German chuckled
II had dinner at Ciro's, three tables
from you, that very night. And you
were talking about me. There was
So-and-so, his wife and our old friend,
Colonel Whatshisname, with you
Ali of which was true.
.'Yet yor got away, eh?'
"Sure And I'm going back to
Paris next week. You might tip them
Off It'll furnish them with something
to do and won't do me any harm. So
long"
The German spy. however, Is no
better than the secret agents OF
France, England or America Work
of the United States secret service
to go no further-amply proves. Per
haps he is not so good, even. But he
is legion and what he lacks in quality
he makes up in quantity.
Life in Switzerland since the war
is certainly strange. In the fines
hotel in Berne Is living the wife Of an
American diplomat. In the same hotel
lives the wife of a German baron, he
being one of the military attaches OF
the German embassy. The two wom
en- were class mates in an American
college-the very best Of friends.
Now these two American girls
pass each other in the halls of the
hotel without even nodding. 1t seems
silly Yet, were they to speah,
tongues would begin to wag at once.
To meet at the home Of mutual
friend would be more disastrous still
They must be as strangers.
1t is all part Of the surcharged and
tensioned atmosphere here. That
spies are everywhere; that espions
and counter-espions. traitors and
dealers in treason, are on all sides.
there can be not the slightest doubt.
No one is above suspicion.
Cabinet Resignation Accepted.
fJTnitad preac Leased W-ira Servica