Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1918-02-07

LIZ sIeCiul 'StiltS DtI0fE
the war. Bielaskl. in WASHINGTON, sat at the
center OF the web which covered the nation. In
other important cities, such AS New Yorl; Chi.
caGo, New Orleans, there were lesser web ceu-
ters. In the federal building In each important
clty was an once or special agents with q group
OF operatives which reVolved about it. In the
smaller centers were single representatives
who could Call for re-enforcements whenever an
emergency developed Then there We're the free
lances of the service, those who could be shut
tied to whatever point required the attention of
especially skilled men.
Bielaski is the silent man with every mesh Of
the web in his sensitive fingers. His career IS
one that might well be an inspiration to any am
bilious youngSter. He entered the department
of justice II years ago as a lahorer and for a
compensation of $500 Il year. Soon he was a
clerk of special agents, then an examiner, a spe-
cial Examiner, an assistant to the attorney gen.
eral, acting chief and chief of special agents.
This latter post he has held since 1912. These
have been the years during which the newest and
greatest of the governments detective agencies
has been taking definite form. Bielaski has been
molding it.
Then the great war came, and the United States
found itself a nOn-pnrticipant faced with the me-
cessity OF maintaining neutrality within its bor-
ders. Finally this country was itself in war and
must combat the much Wanted secret service
of the Germans, and must watch those millions
of people living within its borders that had been
born in enemy countries and whose allegiance
was sufficiently in doubt to make their suryeil-
lance necessary.
During the period Of neutrality scores of I'M
pleasant situations arose because of the insist
ence Of Germany upon abusing the hospitality Of
the United States. Almost the first of these
resulted from a plan laid by Capt. Franz Won Pa
pen, military attache 10 the German embassy, for
,ltn;pipr falls, ,ps,,,t F1r tha ,,s, nf ,r,u
reservists. First through Lieut.. Hans Won Wedell
and later through one Ituroede he operated an
office In New York which sought TO get vagab0nds
around the wharfs and cheap boarding houses
and to Induce these men to apply to Washington
for passports, which he purchased and used in
returning reservists to Europe. The plan had not
been working long when a special agent from the
New York Office was on the trail. He succeeded
in representing himself as the proper sort Of man
to secure fraudulent passports, and was soon
deep in the confidence of the Germans. liuroede
was sent to prison Won Wedell fcd, but was in.
tcrccpted by the British and imprisoned, and the
whole scheme was broken up. Van Papen was
recalled at the request Of the state department
because of Improper activities" of which this
was but one.
The watchfulness of the special agents was evil
denced by the fact that they knew the exact hour
when, on April 10, 1916, Wolf Won 1gci had taken
~ lOuINs Va ~ lhI'iS ~ Va wv" ''''S
places and assembled them for transfer TO Wash
ington. Won Igel operated from an office ut 60
Wall street. Though he was an employee OF the
German embassy, there was a question .is to
whether his papers were immune from seizure,
as they would be In the embassy. So he was
making ready to transfer them to unqucs,ioncd
safety. He claimed that his papers were exempt
from the right Of seizure. The German nnlbas-
sador backed his claim. The special agents nd.
mitted that II they were official papers Of the
embassy they should be returned. They took
them to Washington. where. at the state depart.
mcnt. they met the German ambassador. Through
long hours Of night that official dug through
those papers. They placed him In Il most en-
bnrrnssing position. II he claimed them MS state
papers he admitted m Official part in their rcve.
latIons. II he failed to claim them he left this
discriminating evidence In tho hands Of the Amer
lean authorities. He decided that the latter
course was the less embarrassing. Prncticall!
all the papers were left with the special agents
These papers revealed n dcgrc" OF scheinlng ant
intrigue against n neutral country thnt Ia almost
beyond conception.