The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-08-17

WOSANAA ANS SNAJ ~
fore and after the war by diamond
smugglers-there was the conven
lent trick of shaving cream or cole
cream jar-secret information
was printed in invisible ink or
handkerchiefs, underwear, ever
directly on the skin And sc
on, and so forth, ad libitum.
Then there was my friend, the
jolly Dutchman.
1t all happened at one Of the
French Intelligence posts, on the
border of Switzerland, at a very
critical moment of the war, and
the jolly Dutchman was a per
son of Importance, one of those
neutrals who had cast their lot
with the allies.
NEVER DOWNCAST
This business took him fire.
quently into Switzerland, through
the border post in question,
where, of course. he knew every
body. Every time he crossed the
frontier he made it a point to
stop for an hour or so.
There was no reason to sus-
pect or doubt this cheerful opti-
mist, who stubbornly refused to
be downhearted, even in the face
of disasters at the front. and
who professed the most steadfast
faith in the ultimate victory Of
the allies.
It happened, though, that the
Chief in charge of the particular
post was the kind of man who
never took anything or anybody
for granted and kept his eyes wide
open.
SETS A TRAP
What exactly was the mental
process which led the Chief to sus-
pect his jolly guest, do not know
to this day. The fact is, however,
that he persuaded the War Office
to perpetrate a hoax on the Dutch
industrialiSt: A piece of highly
interesting and very secret infor'
nation (cunningly inaccurate)
was conveyed to him in a natural
manner, during a casual converse
ton he had with a Brass Hat"
at the office, making it appear
that the official in question had
committed unwittingly an indis-
erection Of the worst kind.
It was then observed that the
Jolly Dutchman left for SwitZer.
land in a hurry and it was further
aScertained that the incriminat'
ing information had found its
way to the German general staff
and had been acted upon.
Two more attempts were made
to pass on spurious information
one by the War office, another by
the Chief himself. In the former
case, the man did not fall into the
trap; in the latter, he listened to
the Chiefs indiscreet condolences
In silence, then, stopped him and
said with unaccustomed gravity:
"Ah, my friend, do indeed appre-
ciate the confidence you put in
me, but you must remember that
I do not know enough Of these
matters to distinguish clearly
what is and what is not dangerous
knowledge.
BAD SET BACK
When I am in a neutral country,
I must, perforce. come into con.
tact, sometimes unwittingly, with
people belonging to the enemy
camp. I might repeat something
without even understanding the
seriousness of the information I
would thus convey. 1t is better
not to tell me any of these things
Il ask that more in my own in
terest than in that Of the Allied
cause"
A bad setback, which left the
Chief tingling with shame and
smarting with anger at having
been rebuked by a man he sus-
pected of being a dangerous spy,
but he still refused to consider
the incident as anything else but
a piece of good acting.
Not so in Paris, though: The
Dutchman must have dropped
timely hints in high quarters, for
the chief came in for sharp
reprimand from those govern
ment circles which made 1t their
business to Snarl as much Of the
war-business as possible. What
did he mean by subjecting to
bumiliating searches and ques-
tioningS a man who was above
suspicion?
II I was finally a witness to the
downfall of the jolly Dutchman,
it was pure coincidence and I had
no hand in it. 1t just happened
that was returning from a short
holiday in the South Of France to
Switzerland and that, without
knowing him, I Travelled with the
man.
I was travelling. as usual, as an
ordinary passenger and at the
frontier l submitted to the ordeal
Of luggage and personal search
with what good humor I could
muster. Although a farce in my
case-one dictated by elementary
caution-it was never my idea
Of a good joke. 1t happened that
this time our train was DELAYED
for some reason or other and that
I found myself later. having lunch
at the Intelligence Post with the
Chief. his assistant and their pet
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