Evening star., 1927-09-18
BY CHARLES LUCIETO

~ April %. 1915, we received
the following COMMUNICATION:
Department for the Su.
~ pervision of the School
for Chemical Research.
Laboratory of the Department of War.
Paris. April %. 1916.
"From the Director of the Main Lab
oratory to the Director of the Coun-
ter Espionage Service:
According to a report received by
this Office from the general command
ing the N army, 1t appears that
yesterday, April %. 1915, toward s
o'clock in the afternon, large cloud
of heavy, greenish-yellow vapor came
from the direction Of the German lines
between BiXchoote and Langemark
(Beigium). The wind blew it toward
the allied lines.
An entire division Of French in.
fantry was hit by 1t. Despite their
violent coughing and choking, our sol.
diers held fast, although their hero.
ism cost many of them their lives.
'As the use of gas was definitely
forbidden by the Hague agreements
of the 29th of July. 1899, we will be
greatly obliged to you If you will fur
nish us at once with the details of
this business.
(Signed) TX"
This business did not catch us un.
awares. Since we allowed no schemes
on the other side of the Rhine to ma.
ture very long before our directors got
hold Of them, and since we had learn.
ed that several German factories were
preparing some unusual tricks" we
demanded details.
But for perhaps the first time since
the outbreak of the war we found our.
col {.,s-k L.
hind that wall something important
was happening.
We had, however, two points Of de.
parture: 1. The factories in question
were all connected with the chemical
industry. 2. Most of the output of
these factories went to the Krupp
works at Essen.
In the latter factory there were
several men who. without actually
belonging to our organization, had,
before the outbreak of hostilities,
consented to give our agents certain
tnformation-for consideration
Moreover, when travelling in Germany
in 1911. had got in touch with q
German engineer who was working
for the Guisheim -Elektron people at
since the beginning Of the war, been
working az a "mobilized chemist" in |
the Badische Anilin und Soda Fabrik |
at Mannheim.
My friend" NJ. S., who had |
been on the Badische payroll before |
Che worked at their branch factory |
at Butirki. near Moscow, had a |
first class job at Mannheim. 1t was |
such job that, If necessary, he could |
get the details of what his COM |
patriots were doing In secret. Well, |
M. S.. for reasons that shall |
not divuige-and wisely!--was not in |
a position to refuse me anything that |
asked him. My chiefs happened |
to think Of this little fact. so they |
requested me to go.
So 4 =
REFORE setting out ! had to lay |
- all my plans with the utmost |
care. a counter-spy who goes into |
enemy territory has against him from |
the moment he crosses the frontier |
ali the power of the enemy police. |
assure you. that Is not to be shifted
at!
However. by means that I may not
reveaf-the Germans have never
found out about thena--I got into
Germany, ! had no trouble getting
the information my chief desired
from my friend" S. at Mannheim.
One of the things he told me was
that Germany was preparing a
poison gas campaign. In support Of
his assertion, he not only gave me