The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1918-06-21

Myt6K TGN Investigations Of the methods
WLEANN employed and OF the extent to
which the system has proved profitable to Germany
have been made In several countries. writes J. 7.
A. In Printers Ink. some OF the broad facts dis
covorod By the state agents In certain sentimental
EurOpean nations have been the subject OF much
discussion and public men In France and Italy are
open In their denunciauon Of the evil Of the wide
extent % which Il II pucticed and OF the lnsidious
danger which Il rcprcscntA
IN the years Immediately preceding the war large
American corporations. like similar firms In Eu-
rcpe came IN frequent contact with the socalied
spy system IN business" and all those who han.
died any important business for those corporations,
ESPECIALLY II the business was Ia Germany. and
even n n involved the simplest and most open and
nboveboard kind OF transactions. were almost In
vaHably confronted with incidents OF secre, serv-
Ice meddling.
The present writer whls attending TO certain
business for a number Of American companies In
combination had occasion to travel frequently from
one country 20 another and had established head.
quarters In Germany on the eve OF the outbreak OF
the war. He had been warned by friends 20 keep a
close eye on his papers and effects and. ns far ne
possible, 20 travel only with such baggage as could
he taken In passenger compartments on the trains
This however. was not always feasible and one
morning when leaving Milan for Germany with a
trunk he was struck by the eager l~nsistence OF a
German-speaking employee OF the foreignowned
hotei. In which for special reasons he had stopped.
IN attending 20 the checking OF the trunk on the
train. The writer watched this employers actions
while the trunk was being labeled and felt rcas-
mred until he reached Basel 10 Germany, where
me train which had come through Switzerland was
TO ~ divided In two sections an6 routed north to
ward Berlin on both sides Of the Rhine. The cuh
eoms inspection IL made for Germany At German
Basel. but the trunk In this instance was not taken
q tie train and. although Il was plainly visible
n the open baggage car the chief inspector re-
FUSED 10 listen to remonstrances. on the alleged
ground that the trunk was routed via the eastern
bank OF the river while the writer's ticket was for
the strasshurg way, This, however, was not In ae
Shdance With the facts.
A week later notice was received that the trunk
vas AZ tho customs department Of a central Ger.
man city. An appointment was made for It's In
Ipecion and. instead OF customs onicials, two ape-
cal agents were present NJ the appointed time
the hotel porter who was 10 take the trunk away
recognined them AZ such. The inspection was thor
gugh. Every document and every scrap OF paper
was infinitely examined. Endless questions were
asked regarding the business documents and the
method Of doing business which they implied. the
countries In which business was done and the
names OF the Arms concerned. the preteIt for the
questions being the doubt that the printed part
Of the business documents might be dutiahle as
being printed and the manuscript and
part Of them might constitute contracts and there
tore be subject 20 duties under other heads. The
contents Of the trunk were weighed and separately
classified and nnally fees were levied under three
separate heads for the molestntion cnused by hay.
ing put the German authorities 20 the necessity OF
mailing this special Investigation. A total OF about
thres dollars was involved.
Soon after this Incident the writer became con
bdous that his desk In an ofhcc In that same city
was being tnmpered with and, after a watch had
been set, a German IN the service OF the same
American corporation. and already suspected a.
baing a government agent was caught red.hnnded
IN ne act Of prying open the desk and making a
neoord OF lts contents.
When condolences were exchanged with other
representatives OF American corporations Il was
learned that the experience was a common one.
and the comparing OF notes seemed to show an ex.
PLANTATION for the surprising ability OF German
hrms 20 learn the names OF the foreign customers
Of American corporations and the seeming colnci.
denee Of their soliciting those firms almost stimuli
taneously with the American agents every time
that the latter had something new 10 offer. Incl
dents can be vouched for where agents for Amer.
san corporations IN Italy and other countries. on
receiving from America new machines or radically
neV models. found 20 their amaEement that Ger.
man agents had already visited their customers,
had described the new machines or models and had
denounced their alleged weak points and their un.
daairabIity for various reasons. The German
auonts knew more about the American machines
then the American agents.
OF course. sweeping generallEauons are to be
avoided and all statements which are likely 20 up
set the eQuanimity OF those satisfied With the
course Of established routine and liable to be char
artertEed as grotesque. and. II emphatcnlly 10,
forth. they are liable also TO fail Of effect on thosg
VIC refuse 20 be disturbed In their Fixed Ideals
Lord Roberts, Il should be remembered. was a
nuisance TO the majority OF the British reading pub
lie when he kept up his tiresone warnings about
the true meaning OF Germany's military prepare
tions, and u hhould not be forgotten that Gen
Leonard Wood. when half q dozen Snars ago he be
nan to urge preparedness In America, was de-
nounced AZ a professional alarmlss eager 20 obtain
power and a chance for distraction And 10 thoss
who are raising the cry Of alarm regarding the 10
erst service methods Of trace warfare being coz
Quoted BY Germany deSaro that they are not get
ding the proper hearing and that the danger Il ons