The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1919-03-05
BRITISH OUTW|T
GERMAN SPIES
Intelligence Office Kept Huns
Busy by Supplying Prepared
"FaCtS.'
FOOLED KAISER'S ADVISERS
Information Sent to Germany Which
Kept Hindenburg's Staff Busy Pro-
tecting Themselves Against
Peril That Did Not Exist.

London-Not the least of the many
ironies of the war has been the out
whiting in every direction of the much
vaunted and elaborate German spy
system by the English directorate OF
special intelligence, which long ago
won the admiration of its American
co-workers. Had England been less
Indifferent to the German spy system
which overran the country years and
years before the war, she might nave
saved herself an immense amount OF
trouble; but what was done during
the war in circumventing German
treachery and cunning has been amaz-
ing. 1t would seem to have been a
gigantic failure. And the explanation
of that failure appears to lie in a
very real understanding of the Ger
man mind on the part of the intelli-
gence department. They realized that
the German has not yet been born VINO
can resist q fact. Give German
one little fact to play with and 1t will
keep him happy for hours.
Therefore, the industrious German
agents were supplied with facts, and
the English intelligence department
watched quietly while they played
with them. The facts were entirely
unimportant and sometimes they were
not facts at all, but they served their
purpose and revealed the identity of
still more members of the German
service.
Darkened Hun CounseIs.
There were occasions when they
served an even greater purpose, for
they were sent all the way to Ger
many, or were allowed to go, where
they helped to darken the counsels OF
the kaisers adviser and set the Ger
man headquarters hard at work pro-
tecting themselves against peril
which did not exist. Meanwhile the
British intelligence department went
cheerily on with their real business,
and prepared various little surprises
for the Hun, and delivered them in
due course, such surprises, for in
stance, as the tanks, of which the Ger
mans knew nothing until they were
upon them.
Undoubtedly the failure of the enor-
mously costly German intelligence sys-
tenn had much to do with the ultimate
lefeat of Germany. They were beaten
at their own game. Brig. Gen. c. X.
Cockerill, who has been director of
special intelligence, has just disclosed
some secrets in a farewell message
to the staff, which numbers more than
5000 persons.
"The detection and conviction of
enemy spies," he says, "has been your
primary business 1t is satisfactory
to note that in most cases the arrest
Of the spy has followed quickly on his
entry into this country. You have
been, in point of fact, the chief agency
in preventing the leakage of naval and
military information. To mention but
few instances Of your success, the
withdrawal from Gallipoli. the con-
struction of tanks, the preparations
for the offensive at Cambria, and also
destroyed the German armies, were
all known to numbers of people In this
country but were concealed from the
enemy. There is, am informed on
the best authority, no evidence that
enemy submarines have ever received
Information of the departure Of ship
ping from British ports. Thanks large
iy to your efforts, no act of destruction
or incendiarism has been committed
by enemy agents in this country. This
Is the more remarkable when the num-
ber of enemy aliens at large Is con-
sidered. You have obtained informa-
tion"of incalculable value to the naval
intelligence, the military intelligence,
and the war trade intelligence depart
ments.
Piled Up contraband Evidence.
"It will interest you to know that
In practically every case of contra
band which has been brought before
the prize court, the evidence on which
the crown relies has been furnished
by you. The significance Of this state
ment will be better appreciated when
1t is added that the estimated value
of prize cargoes, exclusive Of ships, is
over f30,O00000. You have, moreover,
stopped enemy remittances to the
value of about f7O,O0O,O0O, and you
have completely destroyed the enemy's
oversee communications, so far as they
were vulnerable. / am conscious that
there are many other activities of the
directorate that have not touched
upon. Important decisions have been
given In the realm of military inter-
national law, much trouble has been
taken In the selection of intelligence