The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-09-29
Frederick Haskin's Letter.
SECRET AGENTS IN WASHINGTON

IF0m the IulOFIuatlOn bureau mai
tanned at the expense Of the ~
payers Of the Philippine islands r.
the sole purp0se OF telling Ames1
cans about the Philippines ana 49,
stantly presenting arguments ~
independence.
WePk 81 Irish Natianalistx.
The Irish Nati0nalists have mar.
tanned such bureau here for mar,
years and many observers believs
that Ireland's independence result
Cd in part from the activities q
this bureau In converting ~ Amer.
lean mind,
Half the Latin American soyern.
ments use this method of ppeuent.
ing themselves to the publie, II
has been said sthat when ., nsv
minister comes to Washlnatas
from q Central or South American
country his first act is to get I
press agent. Sometimes these a.
kept in the background. but IL
quently the press agent is fiaunt1
a. q regular part OF the estahlisl.
ment Of legation or embassy.
In other words, the foreign ~,
ernments not only send special min
listers and ambassadors to the goy.
eminent of the United Stats:
they also send special ambassa.
doris, in the form of press agents
to the American mind.
Many fascinating stories of IL
diplomatic battles which are fousht
out BY these press Representative,
and information bureaus could b
told, and back of their activitiM
there are many incidents rbman.
tie and interesting enough to Vi
with the best stories of interpa.
tional spies.
The order of things has not
changed wholly and there remain
some of the old-fashioned and high.
ly romantic secret agents. 1t must
be borne in mind that in about half
Of the smaller Latin American 70.
publics there is a party of malceu.
tents which is always seeking N
opportunity to obtain power. In this
country when party is out OF o.
fee 1t seeks 10 return through ths
medium Of the polls and the ballot
box. In many Of the Latin Amer.
lean countries the more diFed
method OF revolution or militaristis
coup is preferred. Each Of thess
out-of-office parties knows that
when the time comes and the couD
is executed the first thing to h
done is to gain financial support
in the United States and the diple.
matte recognition of the American
state department. Therefore, al
such factions maintain juntas q
secret agencies at washington and
some have branches in New York
1t has been said that when The
picturesque old Arlington hotel was
torn down, the Latin American
plotters were routed and they could
find no other congenial place. Ths
old Arlington was fine rambling
! hosiery, with long, dark CORR.
doris carpeted with Brussels Gov
ering in which mans tread wouA
be unheard. It was full of coz
hooks and corners and winding
passageways. 1t was an ideal plaza
for conspiracies and clandestine
political meetings. Whentne build
ing was RACED it Was fepoFtea that
the ghosts of a thousand plots how
cred over the site nightly until thu
new Arlington building, where th.
veterans bureau now is housed
was erected.
But the secret agents did mo-
leave Washington. They boush
gum shoes to take the place OF tn
silent carpets of the old Arlington
and betook themselves to other no
! tells; less congenial, to be sure, bu
endurable. In the summer tima
which is a gay season in Washing
ton, they are to be seen on the roo
1 gardens of the city, in its man
parks and motor ways and at 9th
er places where society conEfe
gates.
The Job Of secret agent appal
entity is . lucrative as well as d
verting one They all seem to hay
plenty OF funds and to live vel
What they accomplish is difficult
measure-doubtless a good deal J
some cases and nothing in others
but so long as Washington is tn
capital Of the world, they may b
expected to appear in increasin
numbers. Washington likes then
They are ornamental and give
cosmopolitan atmosphere which D
city. especially a capital. could al
ford to despise.