Evening star., 1934-03-20
SEEKS TO CONNECT
SPY RING IN i. S.
Surete Generate Inspector
Believed Coming Here to
Study Activities.

cans who appeared to have turned
states evidence in the Paris espionage
case, an inspector of the Surete Cen
erale is reported to be proceeding to
the United States to connect the activ-
ities OF the Paris spy ring with their
agents in this country.
Responsible authorities in the
United States had known for long
time about the activities of certain
individuals in this country who were
gathering all kinds of information
which was sent TO the central agency
in Paris
international Agency Seen.
From all available information, it
eppears that the Paris ring was deal
ing more as an international agency,
collecting secret data-naval, military,
economic and political-for any ma
ton interested in a particular sub
eect.
Their Importance is due mainly to
the fact that since the end of the war
the spying system has changed con-
siderably. Naval and military at
taches. after the disastrous war eX-
perienceS, are no longer employing
agents to obtain confidential infor-
nation. because they have all proved
untrustWOrthy, they talked when they
were caught. The principal job of
these attaches is to check up on each
other and see what the other is doing.
and send to their respective countries
Whatever information is given them
officially.
But since it is important to know
what war preparations are going on.
various governments have taken ad-
vantage of these private spying or
eanlzations which are better equipped
and work in a businesslike manner
The principal advantage of these
agencies is that when caught, no
government can be directly implicated,
and thus a certain amount of political
friction is avoided.
OF course, there are other means
used by governments to obtain con-
fdential information. but in all cases
great care is exercised to avoid in
Yolvlng government officials abroad.
Other Information Important.
Since military information alone is
no longer of great value and political,
economic and social information has
proven to be of equal Importance. pri-
Nate agencies are today more in de-
anand than ever before Underpaid
officials in important chemical or
steel plants can procure as important
data as any naval or military officer.
The same thing applies to political
and financial operations Advance in
formation on a contemplated loan of
a foreign nation or the actual finan-
cial situation of a certain country or
the political and social currents in
another country are frequently more
important than the knowledge that
certain new anti-airCraft gun or a
new tank is being tested
The agents of the spy organization
ere active in every field They are
provided with money to lead a spec
Hacular social life so as to come in
close contact with important per-
konage5 and take advantage of the
slightest indiscretiOn such a per-
sonality may make when taken un-
awares. In Washington for instance
where there are representatives of
that interesting organization. the
complaint is frequently heard from
these people. who believe that they
have been able to maintain their
.incognito. that the new dealers are
like bears. They have been hiber-
hating ever since they came here and
are not interested in social life" But
an other countries the political leaders
ere less bear-like and fall into the
frap Of the international spies. as
fhe Stavisky case has proven in
france.