New-York tribune., 1918-02-10
TIE NoW York Tribune
Foreign Press Bureau

Foreign Press Bureau
~WlSS newspapers which recently
arrived in this country carry an
~ article whose author, Philip Ber-
.op thus describes the bold and Grim
nal activities OF German agents in the
Netherlands:
The recent news that Minister, editor
Of "Der Kampf." magazine published d
At Amsterdam, has been "spurlos
yersenkt' has been confirmed. Minister
was arrested by the German authori-
ues. IIc who is versed in the condi-
.icns prevailing in Holland, especially
n the system Of spying carried on by
Germany, was not at all surprised at
This arrest, or kidnapping. from Dutch
territory.
To understand what part the Ger
man spy system plays in the Neither
lands one must have made direct OBJ
scryations and have been watched by
German spies.
Holland is crowded with German de-
sertcrs who probably number more than
$4,000 OF course, these deserters,
even by their mere presence, carry on
3 continuous anti-war and anti German
propaganda.
Thanks to its spies. the German gov
events in Holland. A special branch OF
the spy service has been established
70 watch and kidnap German deserters.
came to the Netherlands in Sep
tember, 1915, and first used to live at
Rotterdam. I had not yet been ten
days in Holland when I was located
and watched by spies.
Descrters Whisked
Away in Autos
An editor Of the Dutch Socialist
newspaper "Het Volk," whom I hap
pened to meet at Rotterdam, asked me
to write some article. on my expert
cnces during the war. When I called
at his editorial Office, Kaizergracht,
Amsterdam, the managing editor Of
"Het Volk" warned me not to come
often to the editorial office, and told
me that some German deserters had
mystcriously disappeared. But then
didn't believe what I was told Also
| did not take serious warnings from
others.
For the hcxt day had an appoint
ment TO be at the editorial Office Of
the "Rotter rdamsche Nicuwsblad," Rot
tcrdam. ! called there at O'Clock in
he afternoon. There | was received by
Mr. Martin, one of the editors, and Mr..
Syffert, the publisher Of the paper.
Both gentlemen deemed it their first
duty to warn me against spies, and
enumerated many instances-they had
affidavits relating to every one of them
when passersby had seen that an
automobile was driven close to the
sidewalk, the door of the car opened, q
Young man seized, pushed into the car
and whiskod away. That all seemed
ridiculous TO me. But / changed my
mind within very short period. A
youns Saxon and | had room to-
gether. He had voluntarily joined the
German army and fought in Belgium
Like so many Of his comrades, he soon
understood that he would do we'll to
fec to Holland. At the Belgian boun-
NAiJ lIbS It CHtSIcQ tNC 4NeJncTldUUS,
where he made a mistake by looking
for work with German business men.
lie obtained position with the crock
cry firm Of Paul Kaiser, German.
This man. Paul Kaiser, and his
friends (they were on the payroli
Of the German governmentl again and
again urged the young man to report
to the German Consulate so as to be
sent back to Germany. He was also
asked to induce other German desert
ers to do likewise; at the same time all
were promised unconditional "immu-
nlty. But my friend grew suspicious,
ior the wishes OF his protector degen~
Grated into covert and overt threats.
Scre1ore, the young man left his posi-
Ion without even asking for the wages
due to him.
And he was without work while he
and lived together. But he was To-
Gated very soon by the agents of the
German Legation. and shadowed wher-
ever he went. These men asked him
without any formalities to give up his
propaganda. At that time he happened
20 write articles. which appeared in
The "Amstcrdammer Handelsblad," on
the German system of waging war. He
continued writing articles, in spite of
'he warnings. But when he could not
stand any longer the molestations by
me German agents ne asked the Dutch
ponce Tor protection.