Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-30


ONE such, whose name appeared daily in
newspapers during the war, proved sus-
ceptible to a daShing Levantine woman of
somewhat hazy past, who was so suspect
that secret service became violently upset.
They set watch upon the lady, which she dis
covered, and told her admirer. But they also
put photograph in his ONCE, where he re-
ceived her, which neither of them discovered.
So one day those listening at the dictograpb,
after certain endearing passages heard the pub
lie man say this:
Come over to the window, darling See that
short fat fellow down there-the one smoking
the long cigar? He's an intelligence man. The
damn fools have started Shadowing me, toO!;eN&
A photograph was silent but principal actor
in another little spy drama of wartime Wash
ington. The photograph was planted by an OIL
cial of an allied government, one Of whose
duties to keep his eyes open for German
intrigues, in the apartment of woman of con-
siderable social position whom he suspected Of
being responsible for leakage of information.
Men called upon her, some Of whom held high
positions in the Governments war-making or
ganization. One particularly had information
of the highest value, for he had the confidence
of the President with whom he conferred fire.
quently. He was ideal prey for a woman spy
and of all the callers he came oftenest, Jed
longest.
Whatever they said the photograph recorded,
and the nquisitive Official accumulated a col
lection of records. They showed that the high
placed caller was being indScreet, very-but
whether the indiScretion was Of a kind and
degree to Justify his removal was more than
some Americans who heard the record of
the conversation could determine. There was
no question of his loyalty.
They put that up to President Wilson him
self He heard the record of the CONVEX
sation read. but he was suspicious. 1t might
be Republican plot he said, to make trouble
for the administration. He would take no
action. But others did. They enlisted the
adept cooperation of a woman well known
in Washington, of ancient American family.
So skillfully did she drop word here and
q hint there that shortly the Government
official ceased to call upon his inamOrata.
Does this narrative seem unfair to woman
spies? Perhaps, after all, it is to wOmen'S
credit if they do not make good spies. The
failures among them, of course, come To the
surface, the successes remain often hidden.
To right the balance there is one more story,
to Americans perhaps the most touching story
of all. Unfortunately it must be told briefly
and without oficial authority
1T seems that there was one American woman
spy who played for a great stake, won and
died
1t was in Austria Hungary where American
secret service accomplished more than is gem
orally known. The former dual monarchy was
for various reasons better field for American
agents than Germany. One of these American
agents was a woman, who, some say, had been
in Austria Hungary before the war, and others
say, got in through the efforts of that unusual
personality, Capt. VOSka, and operated partly
with the amazing Czechoslovak secret service.
In the early Fall of 1918 she decided upon
her great coup-to hasten the downfall of
Austria Hungary, then imminent. She was not
in Vienna, but in another large city, possibly
Prague On a concealed printing press she
printed thousands of counterfeit bread tickets.
Then she distributed them to many agents
some knowing, some ignorant of what she was
doing. There came a rush on provision stores
that stripped them, throughout a province at
least. People who for years had not eaten their
fill went on a food drunk. Then came the
cry There is no more!" Now real famine
threatened, and that threat, the story runs,
fastened the formation of the CzeehoSlOvak
republic.
But the fabricator of the false food tickets
had been traced, arrested and, woman or no
woman executed with short shFift. She knew,
of course, that that would be her fate if
she were caught. Yet she did her bit to end
the war.
How that woman died, where she was buried,
under what name, who were her family or
friends. the writer does not know. The story
he has told comes from three sources, all
reliable, none Official Surely somewhere there
must be clue that would enable the American
people at least to know who was their World
War heroine who lies in unknown grave.
Mr.. Johnson tells inside stories Of codes,
trick devices for secret communication-and he
tells new and amazing story about the famous
Zimmerman note in the magazine Of next sur
days Star.
(CopyTight lS3O)
Position Of Granite Md~stry.