The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1918-06-05
U-BOATS STILL
BUSY OFF ITALY
Spies and Fishermen Help Supply
and Signal German
Captains.
BASES ON NEUTRAL LAND
Craft Hunt in Groups and Have Ac-
curate Information of SaiIinas-
Temptation Too Much for
Fishermen.

Rome.-The U-boat offensive is still
serious in the Mediterranean. Sub
marine bases exist in neutral coun
tries, where information, provisions
and even petrol r supplied to the
German commanders. Some time age
three Sicilian fishermen were charged
with supplying provisions to an enemy
submarine off Augusta. In the curse
of the trial before the military tribunal
at Catania evidence was brought to
show that while the fishermen were
out at sea in their boat a submarine
rose to the surface and ordered the
three men to go on board.
The commander then informed them
that two would be kept as hostages
while the third vas to go ashore In
the boat and get the fresh provisions
needed. If he returned with them with
In two or three hours the two fisher
men would not only be released but
also compensated; otherwise they
would be killed. The man was warn
ed that If he informed the Italian au-
LuOlltlCS luC ldLC VI Ills LWO COUupdA~
ions would be the same. Naturally
the man obeyed. He returned with
the provisions within the appointed
time and was well paid for his treu-
BILE and faithfulness. OF course the
two hostages were released. Evident
ly the fshermen's story was corroborat-
ed by the evidence of other men, as the
tribunal acquitted the two hostages
and sentenced the man, who got the
provisions to ten years hard labor for
neglecting to inform the authorities.
Cannot Resist Temptation.
There are thousands of fishermen in
Italy who lead a hard life without
earning a living wage and who can
not resist the temptation Of making
money. Besides, they are easily in
Inundated by the threats Of the com.
manders of submarines, who often
sink fishing boats and murder the fish.
ermen~for the sake of imposing obedi-
ence. 1t is reasonably suspected that
fishermen aid submarines in many
ways. They warn them Of the ap-
prOach Of war vessels and mystery
ships and give them valuable informa.
tion about sailings and courses of con.
vOys. Possibly If the allies compen.
stated fishermen as well as the com.
manders of submarines do satisfac-
tory results would follow.
Of course for obvious aso full
particulars about the activity Of sub.
marines in the Mediterranean cannot
be divulged. There have been instan.
ces of U-boats entering territorial wa
tiers at night and exchanging signals
with people on shore. Until recently
enemy citizens were allowed to re-
side in seaport towns and even de.
serted villages on the coast, so that all
they needed to communicate with sub.
marines was a light. Even now Aus.
TRANS and Germans are informed in
Sardinia, and more ships have been
by submarines off this island
than anywhere else in the Mediter-
ranean.
The mail boat between Sardinia and
C~ivitavecchia was torpedoed in broad
daylight only 20 miles off the coast
Of Sardinia. Although she remained
af1oat for three hours and the wireless
operator remained on board until the
sunk and communicated with q
nearby naval station, unfortunately no
torpedo boats were available to rescue
the passengers, including many sol
diers, who persisted. There seems to
be no doubt hat the commander of the
submarine had been informed that
rescue was impossible, as otherwise
the torpedoed mail boat would have
been sunk by shell fire.
Cease to Be Dangerous.
Other ships have been sunk both of
Sardinia and in other parts of the
Mediterranean very close to the coast
lnder similar circumstances. 1t is
significant hat whenever enemy citi.
zens or enemy agents and spies have
been discovered and arrested in GER
ain localities where ships were being
sunk by submarines these ceased
Immediately to be dangerous. Expert
snce shows that p%atrolling the route
If conveys is not sufficient unless the
is well watched so that signal i
ng to submarines is prevented. 1t
that U-boats hardly ever use
heir wireless even among themselves
est their messages should be inter
,epted and their whereabouts discov-
red.
The crew of a ship recently sunk at
light by a submarine reported to the
that when they had taken
the boats and were pulling away
rom the sinking ship the submarine
vas exchanging flash signals by means
# an electric lamp. The night was
cry dark, and at first the answering
were not visible, but shortly
-fterward the flashes. Of at least five
ubmarines could clearly be seen.
They were like glow worms over the
ea," one Of the men said describing
he signals. Evidently submarines
Iow keep close together. so that mu-
protection can be afforded and
onvoys instead Of single ships at